Troy
I am very shocked to hear about the issue that a young hunter ran into at the RMEF 6A Youth unit watch camp not knowing which day that the youth attended the camp I dont know exactly who might have approached the young man. What a great accomplishment in conditions that were not exactly perfect with high winds over the weekend to take his very first elk. I can say that it was not the camp coordinator he is deaply hurt and concerned that this could have happened and we are trying to find out if any of the volunteers that were helping over the weekend had anything to do with this. But I can assure you that this was not someone that represents the RMEF for what we are trying to do for youth in Arizona. At this camp any youth that was to come with any tag in hand was to be registrered for any of the prizes if this didn't happen I apologize this was not the intent of this camp. I watched a young lady that didn't have an elk tag but had a whitetail tag for later in the year that was signed up for the prizes. This camp was for the youth hunters whether they were from 6A or not. On the meals at the camp anyone that came to the camp was invited to eat whether it was a youth hunter or an adult everyone was welcome. Again I would like to sincerly apologize to those who went away from the camp feeling that they were not welcome that is not why the RMEF is there and that was never the entended outcome. RMEF volunteers spend countless hours planning and preparing events such as the camp and it is upsetting to all involved with the planning of the camp that an incident like this could have happened. Please pass on the RMEF's apology to the youth and his family or have the youth's family contact me and I will apologize to them personnaly. I can assure everyone that an incident like this should never happen again.
Ron Pittman
Arizona Regional Director RMEF
