Group hosting banquet to support wolf hunters

The Foundation for Wildlife Management, a nonprofit organization based in Idaho, will host a Sanders County Chapter Fundraising Banquet on Saturday, July 24, at Sanders County Fairgrounds pavilion. The foundation’s mission is to promote population recovery in areas that have been negatively impacted by wolves.

“It’s the first banquet in Sanders County but it’s also the first in Montana,” said Glen Schenavar, Sanders County Chapter Chairperson. “The foundation is here to educate the public on what the negative impact and successful reintroduction of wolves has had on our ongoing populations.”

The foundation invites Montana residents who believe wolf management is important to attend the event. The fundraising banquet includes a prime rib dinner, live and silent auctions and live music all evening.

“It’s common for wolf trappers to spend $3,000 alone in a season to run traplines,” Schenavar said. “We are currently recruiting sponsors and holding fundraisers to create funding that will be used to reimburse ethical hunters’ and trappers’ expenses for legally harvested wolves.”

Schenavar says since legislation was passed to legally harvest wolves in the state, support from the community has been positive. “We’ve received $27,000 in donations so far,” he said. “We’d like to thank the community for their support, it’s been amazing. All the proceeds we collect at the banquet will go toward funding those sportsmen and trappers for their legally harvested wolves.”

Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.f4wm.org or at the door. Doors open at 3 p.m. and dinner starts at 5 p.m.