Hunters and anglers working together to preserve fish and game habitats and hunting and fishing opportunities on our public lands in Alaska.

Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska

February 11, 2009 Newsletter and Auction Update

Sport Show Schedule
After hitting five shows in five cities in January, it’s nice to be able to spend more than a few days in a row in the same time zone! I’m in the home office until my next trip which starts on Feb. 20, but that doesn’t mean that the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska booth is getting any rest. Due to the willingness of tremendous volunteers (like Mark Hieronymus from Juneau, Alaska, who is covering four shows this winter!), the show goes on. We just wrapped up a show in Bellevue, Wash., this past weekend, where the SAA both was graced by one of the guys from the Moldy Chum fly blog who volunteered. Word has it that he and Mark caught a few native steelhead on Monday during their post-show decompression period. Here’s what’s next for the SAA road show:

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! If you are interested in volunteering at any of the shows listed above, please contact scott@sportsmansalliance4ak.org. We could really use a few hands for the shows in Arizona, Texas, Minnesota and Michigan. Reports from volunteers at earlier shows this year are very positive, and many of these fine folks are looking forward to helping again in 2010. 

Bristol Bay Coverage in the Orvis News
Our friends at Orvis recently devoted coverage in the Orvis News company newsletter to the threat facing Bristol Bay. You can read the article online. Thanks to Orvis for helping spread the word to their very substantial customer base.

New TNC Blog Coverage on Bristol Bay
Matt Miller is an outdoor writer who works for The Nature Conservancy in Boise, Idaho. He just posted on Bristol Bay in TNC’s blog. Read his excellent post here and then add some comments of your own to support Bristol Bay.

Bristol Bay Online Fundraising Auction Update
The second annual fundraising auction for Bristol Bay is off and running. Thank you to the blogs, Web sites and magazines who are helping spread the word. The greater the number of people visiting the auction, the better the odds are that we can raise some serious money to help fight for Bristol Bay. Last year’s gross was over $50,000 which is helping raise awareness about Bristol Bay all across the country.

This auction is possible due to the very generous contributions of so many companies, lodges and artists. Please support them and support the campaign for Bristol Bay’s future by bidding on an item or two. There’s a great selection, and you should be able to find something you need or want. All starting bids are set below 65% of retail value (with one exception noted by an asterisk below), so you could get a good buy and help a great cause at the same time.

The inventory for the auction is basically set up on a rolling basis, with new items being added every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All listings run for seven (7) days, so there are always items nearing the end of their run.

To see active listings, click here.

Completed listings:

Items up for bid right now:

Items to be listed in next seven (7) days:

The entire schedule of auction items with opening bid amounts is viewable online at the SAA home page.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON AUCTION TRIP LISTINGS: In a nod to the economic reality of the present time, the Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska is offering what may possibly be the best deals you’ll ever find on a bunch of fine fishing trips. Here’s the deal: The starting price for all trips will be just $500 over the regular price for 1 angler. That’s right. Basically, book a trip for 1 angler at regular price, and the 2nd person comes along for as little as $500 more! Find a buddy, split the cost, and start packing for your dream trip.

If the trips don’t sell on the auction, nobody wins. If the trips do sell, everybody wins. The top bidder will get a fantastic deal on a “trip of a lifetime.” The lodge will host 2 enthusiastic anglers. And the SAA gets a little more in the bank to help fight the battle to save Bristol Bay.

The SAA recognizes the fact that some of these trips, even at discounted prices, may be difficult to pay for in a single lump sum. SAA is willing to work with buyers on a payment schedule if necessary. However, all trips musts be paid for in full at least 60 days prior to the departure date. Please contact me if you have any questions on this policy.

Prosek Sockeye T-Shirts Well Received
SORRY, SOLD OUT

After the mention of this new limited edition t-shirt in the last SAA newsletter, a number of donations have come in and a bunch of t-shirts have gone out the door. I have a limited supply of shirts in my office, and there is another batch of them traveling with the SAA sport show booth where donors can pick them up in person.

Also, the guys at Field & Stream magazine’s online blog "Fly Talk" just posted an entry about these shirts. Read it here and be sure to check the comments.

I’m currently out of Men’s XL and Women’s Large in my office (there might be some of these at shows). Here’s what I have on hand in the office for immediate shipment to donors:

Men’s M          12                                Women’s S      5
Men’s L           24                                Women’s M     3
Men’s XXL      1

Full details on how you can get yours before they’re gone can be found here.

That’ll do it for this edition of the SAA E-News and Auction Update. Throughout the course of the auction weekly updates will be issued on Tuesdays.

Thanks for all you do for Alaska conservation!

Scott Hed
Director – Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska

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