May 20, 2015
New Look Great Elk Tour Crisscrossing America
MISSOULA, Mont.—The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s traveling conservation exhibit, the Great Elk Tour, has a newly redesigned look for all to see as it rolls across America from coast to coast.
“The Great Elk Tour is longer, wider, taller, more attractive and better equipped than ever before to help spread our conservation message about the majesty of elk and the habitat they need to thrive,” said Steve Decker, RMEF vice president of Marketing.
Thanks to the addition of a new trailer, the Great Elk Tour is now 50-feet in length, 10-feet in height and 8 feet wide. The truck and trailer boast a new exterior schematic design while dramatic changes inside feature rustic log walls, a fireplace and TV screens displaying outdoor videos.
“I want this to be an unbelievable show stopper. Something people can't wait to see,” said Dave Meehan, Great Elk Tour manager. “It takes something like this to slow people down so we can better inform and educate folks about our mission. Six 400-class bull elk seem to get it done.”
The 2015 tour features new bulls hailing from Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Each has a tale as unique as they are. Three were found as sheds, one was shot by a 13-year-old girl, another with a recurve bow and yet another on a public land hunt.
The Great Elk Tour was originally established in 1994 but RMEF took over as its sole organizer just before 2000. It travels approximately 65,000 miles every year.
RMEF’s newest conservation partner, Tough Country, outfitted the Great Elk Tour truck with a special edition RMEF Tough Country bumper and Les Schwab continued its support by donating the tires for the truck and trailer. Other Great Elk Tour conservation partners include Browning, Buck Knives, Danner, Federal, Glacier Fur Dressing LLC, Hunter’s Specialties, McKenzie Taxidermy, Realtree, Sitka and Yamaha.
Go here to learn more about the 2015 Great Elk Tour including photos, hunt stories, score sheets, the show schedule and more.