I remember a week-long stay I had in Door County Wisconsin a few years ago. While there in that spit of land jutting out into Lake Michigan from Green Bay, our group of journalists fished through the ice for white fish and dined on our catch at a traditional fish boil. I had no idea then that we probably drove past the headquarters of one of the fastest growing wildlife conservation groups in the country, Whitetails Unlimited.
Headquartered in Sturgeon Bay there in Door County, that organization which was launched in 1982, now sports more than 95,000 supporters around the country with local chapters across the nation, including 16 in Louisiana.
August 27 is the date set aside for the establishment of a chapter in our area, the Lincoln Parish chapter, with a banquet set for the Ruston Civic Center on that date.
Brian Andrews is the Louisiana state Field Representative for the organization; he will be conducting the meeting in Ruston and encourages everyone to come out and join this group.
“While our special interest is in promoting the nation’s prime game animal, the whitetail deer, we do far more than just concentrate on deer; we promote virtually anything that promotes the outdoors including hunting and fishing. Our organization works to support such activities as Archery in Schools, providing hunts for special needs individuals, wounded vets and such,” said Andrews.
“One of the reasons Whitetails Unlimited is such a fast-growing organization is the way we go about hosting these fund-raising banquets. I belong to lots of other conservation groups that go a long way toward promoting the sport on which they focus. With Whitetails Unlimited, 50% of the money raised stays in the local area. This means that the local chapter committee makes the decision as where they want to spend half of the money raised at the banquet,” he added.
Marty Edmunds, Ruston, one of the individuals promoting the formation of a local chapter explained what attendees at the banquet on August 27 can expect.
“We’ll be providing a barbecue chicken dinner with all the trimmings. There will be a general raffle as well as special raffles for the ladies and youngsters. Local auctioneer, Dusty Taylor, will be conducting the live auction, which will include a special Whitetails Unlimited Weatherby rifle, a Texas deer hunt donated by D and D Outfitters where the person claiming this hunt will be able to set his sights on a 130-150 class buck. This package will include meals and lodging as well,” Edmunds said.
“The most impressive aspect of this organization is that 50% of the money we raise at the banquet will go to what we decide it should go to. We can designate our portion of the proceeds to go to such things as a 4-H shooting sports program, Hunter Education, land acquisition, habitat enhancement, special needs youth hunts, training teachers in environmental education as well as proceeds to be used by a local food bank.
“This group is supported by some of the heaviest hitters in the outdoors industry including Bad Boy Buggies, Cuddeback game cameras, Matthews bows, Midway USA and Polaris, as well as other well-known groups,” Edmunds added.
The cost for attending the banquet is a very reasonable $40, which includes an annual membership and subscription to the organization’s magazine. Also, children age 15 and under and spouses may attend for only $20. One word of note is necessary; tickets will not be sold at the door but must be purchased prior to the banquet. For ticket information, contact Glenn Scriber at 318-680-4658 or Marty Edmunds at 318-413-1348.
To learn more about Whitetails Unlimited, go to www.whitetailsunlimited.com.
Glynn Harris Outdoors is proudly sponsored by DSK, Ltd. of Minden.