Elk NetworkRMEF Awarded 2023 Virginia Elk Conservation Tag

General | June 2, 2023

As part of a recent announcement naming five hunters who had their names drawn for its second managed elk hunt, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) awarded the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation with its 2023 elk conservation elk license.

The drawing will take place on Saturday, August 12 at the RMEF Southwest Virginia Coalfields Chapter banquet in Oakwood.

In 2022, RMEF generated more than $930,000 for conservation from conducting a raffle of the first elk conservation license. That came on the heels of DWR’s first lottery that raised more than $513,000.

“The money that you spent for your application fee is going towards conservation in the Commonwealth and is a big part of why we can do what we do as an agency,” said Jackie Rosenberger, DWR elk project leader.

In 2022, six hunters successfully harvested a bull elk in Virginia’s first elk hunt. Volunteers from Southwest Virginia Sportsmen, RMEF, and DWR’s Volunteer Program helped every hunter to retrieve their harvested elk from the field and transport it back to the check station and then onto the meat processor.

“Oh man, that was an adventure of a lifetime. My son, my grandson and myself teamed up to go on the elk hunt and it was the greatest thing that ever happened to us,” said Bob Painter, pictured above on the right and one of the six 2022 hunters.

Click here to view information about the 2023 raffle tickets, memberships, sponsorships or the opportunity to donate to RMEF’s mission.

(Photo credit: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources)