Suggestions for Org Banquets/Fundraisers

[NDGuy]

Morning all!
I am helping run the Mule Deer Foundation chapters in ND. We are getting to the planning stage for our fundraisers and banquets for this year. I wanted to get some thoughts on things that drive people nuts or that they enjoy about the events your local outdoors/wildlife habitat chapter put on.

What are some of the things good & bad that you would suggest to change or add?

Also, concerning prizes I had a few things as well.

1. Winning firearms, personally I feel most people don't get excited about spending money to win budget $200-400 guns (Savage Axis, Remington 783, etc). Would you agree we should be trying to raffle higher end stuff OR think outside the box and offer some things not everyone has in their safe like revolvers, 16/20 ga shotguns, calibers outside of the ole .270.

2. What types of equipment/items do you like to see besides guns? Backpacks, tents, meat processing kit, art prints etc.

 

[BigHornRam]

Last year's MT WSF silent auction went to online bidding. Some of the older folks had trouble adapting but their was some tech savvy help available to help them work it out. It ended up being super easy and very successful. Wall tent "sheep camp" raffle donated by Montana Canvas is always popular. Backpacks and backpack tents are very popular items now. Stone Glacier donated a backpack for their guess the pack weight contest. Heads or tails game is fun.

Good luck on your fundraiser!

 

[m77hunter]

I definitely agree about the budget firearms. You don't have to be giving away $1000+ guns, but don't just do the cheap ones. Some very nice rifles and shotguns can be had for $500-600, and I believe people will spend more for a chance to win something nicer.

 

[MThuntr]

Ditto, I ignore everything in 6.5 Creedmoor and budget guns (Axis, T/C, Mossberg, etc). No cheap shotguns either (especially the rust magnet Rem 870 express). A Rem 700 ADL might get my attention depending on the cartridge (again nothing in 6.5 Creedmoor).

I hate knife raffles unless they're worth a damn. NWTF used to do these and I quit going to all of those. BHA did a $100 Benchmade Steep Country knife raffle for a Kimber at Rendezvous which I gladly purchased.

Unless the art is local I'm not interested. Nobody wants to see another Terry Redlin print of some whitetails especially out west

Maybe consider something in the mid to high end optics.

 

[NDGuy]

Unless the art is local I'm not interested. Nobody wants to see another Terry Redlin print of some whitetails especially out west

Hey now Redlin art is awesome! haha

But yes we usually offer something more Western like Muley or Elk prints. This is the 2019 MDF print of the year that we had a silent auction for.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Here is some of the best received items I have seen:

• If you want to go with cheap guns, get the children/teenager version of the gun and have them in a raffle for under 18
• The best art work I have seen is getting a local artist to paint an original painting just for the event
  • I still kick myself for not buying an original for $1500 a few years back, but when it all boils down that was a "want" and not a "need
• Nicer guns seem to do better. I often throw my name in the hat for stuff like: O/U shotguns, a different rifle caliber, random shotgun gauge, etc.
• In SD and ND I don't think tents and backpacks are going to be as big of a draw. Most people just don't hunt with them in our part of the world
• Knifes have never tripped my trigger, but for door prizes they are a good give away IMO
• Only time I have seen optics it was for no name brands, so that didn't trip my trigger. The biggest issue I see trying to go down the optic road is most people are very entrenched in what they like. If you give them a vortex, they only want Leupold. Give them X model, they really wanted Y model, etc. I personally would stay away from these unless it is a tried and true optic. Like bino's (say vortex diamondback) as a second place prize kind of deal.

 

[NDGuy]

• In SD and ND I don't think tents and backpacks are going to be as big of a draw. Most people just don't hunt with them in our part of the world
• Only time I have seen optics it was for no name brands, so that didn't trip my trigger. The biggest issue I see trying to go down the optic road is most people are very entrenched in what they like. If you give them a vortex, they only want Leupold. Give them X model, they really wanted Y model, etc. I personally would stay away from these unless it is a tried and true optic. Like bino's (say vortex diamondback) as a second place prize kind of deal.

Agreed, we have done packs tents in the past and no one really gets fired up about them (I would lol) all they do is usually give someone a really good chance at winning them.

Optics is true to an extent. Again I try to have us stay away from $100-200 binos, everyone has those already. I would say getting a high end brand of binos or spotter would be better.

 

[Nick87]

No cheap guns. No one wants to win a gun they wouldn't buy in the first place.

 

[NDGuy]

No cheap guns. No one wants to win a gun they wouldn't buy in the first place.

Sweet I won a Savage Axis .270!

 

[NDGuy]

bump

 

[88man]

Good> atvs, tags, hunt packages, boats
Bad> cheap guns, giftcards

 

[NDGuy]

Good> atvs, tags, hunt packages, boats

Haha I agree but hard to get 100-150 people buy enough raffle tickets for a 4 wheeler or boat unless it was 100% a donation.

 

[2rocky]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned auctioning off the girls they hire to sell raffle tickets.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Some places have raffled off gift cards. Talk to say a local sports/outdoors store and see if they will match the amount you are raffling off. Then someone can win a nice gift and get what they need or want. Obviously not all companies will match your investment but some might for the advertisement they get from the deal.
Just a thought dont know if it would work or not.

 

[pwrwgn57]

Local sportsmans association does a basket of cheer with bottles of liquor and various snacks, usually pretty popular. RMEF chapter did a Browning Hells Canyon rifle last year, DU this year had a Kimer Hunter, the tickets sold pretty quick for those. Henry rifles seem to be popular as well. Artwork is hit or miss depending on your audience, although I have bought/won some nice pictures at banquets. High end coolers seem to sell a lot of tickets too. What about a chapter member or a local outfitter donating a hunt or access to private land? A goose/duck hunt or access to hunt pheasants might be good.

My biggest complaint is some of the banquets have run way past their schedule due to games/raffles getting drawn out. I get that the point is to raise funds, but not everyone wants to be there until 10-1030 to see if they've won anything in the final drawing.

 

[NDGuy]

Bump.

My chapter banquet is coming up. Looking for some more feedback!

 

[Irrelevant]

Bump.

My chapter banquet is coming up. Looking for some more feedback!

From my experience our local banquet doesn't get to do a lot of picking and choosing, we generally have to run with the things people choose to donate. Some years are good, others are not.

 

[wytex]

Get some locally made stuff, antler tables and lamps etc..
Silent auctions work for things that you feel only certain folks will want.
And I agree youth and kids guns are always a big hit, Red Rider BB guns also always sell high.
We've donated a rifle in a case for a mystery auction, youth rifle. Also have done youth rifle donations for a raffle so that everyone has a chance to win , not just the deep pockets.