It was, in the beginning, called "a crazy idea." Yes, people love elk ... to watch, hunt and even as a menu item, but would they support an organization that would, in essence, benefit elk and other wildlife while supporting hunting?

Crazy?

That was 23 years ago, and today, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is one of the most successful wildlife conservation and hunting groups in the country.

The foundation has more than 150,000 members in 550 chapters, a staff of 15 and a volunteer list with more than 10,000 names. In 2006, the group funded 457 projects in 37 states. In Utah alone it has been involved in more than 250 different projects over the years. All total, it has funded 5,250 projects in 49 states and eight Canadian provinces and has protected or enhanced more than 4.8 million acres of wildlife habitat. Its financial contributions reach into the millions of dollars, more than $22 million in Utah alone.

Once current projects have been completed, the RMEF will have been responsible for improving and/or helping to acquire for the good of wildlife more than a million acres in Utah.

"Who would have thought it would ever reach this level," said Bill Christensen, Utah district manager for the wildlife group. "A lot has been accomplished over the years; a lot more will be accomplished in the future."

Not the least of which will involve helping to reseed those large summer burn areas in Utah. Livestock can be fed; wildlife can't. They must survive on what's available, which in some of the big-game wintering areas isn't much.

A harsh winter could put wildlife in those areas in serious jeopardy.

"Several wildlife groups will join with the governor in an attempt to reseed key areas," he noted. "There's no way possible to reseed everything. So, can we all work together on this project? The answer is yes. Then, the second question is, is there enough seed? The answer there is no, not for all we want to do. We can all start putting in our orders now for the seed we need for these key areas. That much we can do."

It was in 1984 that four men — Bob Munson, Dan Bull, Bill Munson and Charlie Decker — sat down in the small town of Troy, Mont., and asked: "Can you imagine life without elk and elk hunting?"

A few months later they launched the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Before the end of the year there were 2,500 registered members.

Utah opened the 15th chapter of the foundation in 1987.

The RMEF's first project was a $450 grant to study the elk in Yellowstone National Park. The following year the group made its first land acquisition — 16,400 acres in Montana.

The first national convention was held in the Salt Palace in 1988. It drew more than 32,000 people, which remains the record for convention attendance. That same year, Anheuser-Busch donated $500,000 to the organization.