Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation facts for kids
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is a group in the United States that works to protect nature and supports hunting. Four hunters from Troy, Montana – Bob Munson, Bill Munson, Dan Bull, and Charlie Decker – started it in 1984. Their main goal is to make sure that elk, other wildlife, and their homes (called habitats) will be around for a long time. They also want to protect the tradition of hunting in America.
To achieve their mission, the RMEF focuses on a few key things:
- They work to protect, improve, and bring back natural habitats.
- They support the careful management of wild elk herds, which can be hunted or enjoyed in other ways.
- They encourage different groups, like government agencies and private citizens, to work together on wildlife and habitat conservation.
- They teach their members and the public about protecting habitats, why hunting is important, how to hunt ethically, and how to manage wildlife.
Since 1984, the RMEF has helped protect over 6.7 million acres (about 26,700 square kilometers) of land for wildlife. They have also helped bring elk back to areas where they had disappeared, like Kentucky, North Carolina, Ontario (in Canada), Tennessee, Missouri, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The RMEF also speaks up for hunters on issues like access to land, wildlife management, and conservation rules.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation believes that hunting helps protect wildlife. They think that everyone should have the right to hunt and fish. They also believe that hunting, when managed by science and state rules, helps keep wildlife populations healthy. For example, in September 2020, the RMEF and its partners helped protect wildlife in Colorado with $2.6 million in funding.
Torstenson Family Endowment
In 2002, a man named Bob Torstenson gave his large ranch, called the Double H Ranch, to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. This ranch was 93,403 acres (about 378 square kilometers) in west-central New Mexico. It was later named the Torstenson Wildlife Center.
In 2012, the RMEF worked with the Torstenson family to set up something called the Torstenson Family Endowment (TFE). This is one of the biggest funds ever created for a wildlife protection group. The ranch itself is now permanently protected through a special agreement called a conservation easement, which the RMEF manages.
The RMEF will use the money from the TFE only for its main programs. These include protecting land forever, taking care of habitats, bringing elk back to new areas, and supporting hunting traditions. The TFE helps the RMEF get more money from other groups and people. This allows them to quickly deal with changes and challenges to habitats across the United States.
Legislation and Hunting Rights
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has supported laws that help hunters. For example, they supported the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014. This bill would have protected the use of traditional hunting ammunition. The RMEF asked people to support this bill. They said it was very important for conservation, wildlife, and for hunters.
The RMEF explained that they supported the bill because it would protect the use of regular ammunition. It would also allow more money to be used to build and maintain shooting ranges on public lands. Plus, it would make sure that people could still use federal lands for hunting, shooting, and other outdoor activities.
Television Show
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation also has its own television show. It is called "RMEF Team Elk" and is hosted by Brandon Bates. The show focuses on elk, their habitats, and elk hunting. It also highlights how important conservation and hunting traditions are.
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