The 20th annual Three Rivers Buglers banquet in Poplar Bluff was a resounding, record-breaking success for the organization which worked successfully to bring native elk back to Missouri after a long absence.
"I thought it went well," said banquet chairman Mike Price, who noted about 475 people attended the event at the Black River Coliseum. "That was up from last year, and there was a noticeable amount of new people."
The banquet grossed $105,000, a new record for the organization.
"We get a tremendous amount of support, and it keeps growing," said committee member Lenard Wagganer. "That's a good thing."
The evening began with a social hour, where various games, raffles and a silent auction gave visitors the chance to win hunting gear, firearms and lots more.
A ladies table, along with a children's table, Price said, were especially popular.
"Our silent auction also went very well this year," he said. "We tried to have better items."
Karon Campbell's Tasteful Creations served a steak and chicken dinner after the social hour, feeding the large crowd in short order.
"She always does a great meal," said Price. "She does such a good job and fed everyone in less than 12 minutes."
A live auction, conducted by volunteers Felix Baker, Speedy Ketcherside and Haven Willis, followed the dinner and featured items like home decor and framed prints, knives, specialty RMEF merchandise and more.
"Our auctioneers do it for free, and I appreciate them," Price said. "They are entertaining" and keep the crowd engaged.
A couple unique items on the live auction this year were a mule deer hunt for two in Wyoming with Hart of Wyoming Outfitters and a four-person African safari with Fig Tree Safaris.
Price won the Wyoming hunt and plans to take his son, Taylor this fall.
The African safari was won on the live auction by Paul Tucker.
Fifty-four firearms went home with new owners, including Kimber rifles, Ruger 10/22s, a custom red, white and blue Walther Creed 9mm pistol and lots more.
A one-of-a-kind 20th anniversary gun, a Tikka rifle in .338 Winchester Magnum caliber, was won on the live auction by Russ Wilson.
The RMEF Gun of the Year, a Henry Silver Boy rifle in .357 magnum caliber, was won by Andy Medley.
The banquet featured more than 120 sponsors, Wagganer noted, which help offset costs and allow money raised to go directly into on-the-ground habitat enhancement programs.
"We're really happy with that," Wagganer said.
The high number of sponsors also is a new record for the organization.
"We've been No. 2 in the country for sponsors the last several years," Wagganer said, "and that should keep us there."
Reflecting back over the last 20 years of the organization, Price said, things have gone fast, but they have been fun.
"We've come a long way," he said. "The dream was to reintroduce elk to Missouri, and we got the seed money from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and made that happen. Now, we want to keep working with the Department of Conservation. We're not giving up."
Next year's banquet, Wagganer said, will be held the Saturday before Mother's Day, and volunteers are always needed to make it a success. If you'd like to help, give him a call at 573-718-5030.