One of the items on the auction block at the Oct. 24 Chattanooga-area Ducks Unlimited Banquet is an Argentina Dove Hunt for for four people
photo by David Denies Outfitters
The Oct. 24 Chattanooga-area DU Fall Flight Dinner & Auction supports conservation efforts and kids programs such as the area Greenwing event held each spring
photo by Richard Simms
The fundraiser includes dinner by STIR Restaurant, games, displays, products and auction or raffle items
photo by Richard Simms
More than 20 different area businesses have paid to sponsor this year's area Ducks Unlimited Fundraiser. Doors open at 5 p.m. Thursday at Camp Jordan Arena in East Ridge
photo by Richard Simms
Some call it one of the largest gathering of conservation enthusiasts in Chattanooga. It is the annual Chattanooga-area chapter of Ducks Unlimited Fall Flight Sportsman's Dinner & Auction. The annual conservation fundraiser will be held on Thursday and once again the event will be at the Camp Jordan Arena in East Ridge. STIR Restaurant will provide dinner. The doors open, along with the bar, at 5 p.m.
A single ticket for the event costs $50, a couples ticket is $65 and kids are $15. Click here to buy tickets for the event.
Area Chairman Ed Moss said, "The Camp Jordan Arena offers us a massive amount of space for even more vendors. We've got about 20 major sponsors this year and the Camp Jordan Arena basically gives us two-thirds of a football field to fill up with games, displays, products and auction or raffle items."
The Chattanooga-area chapter consistently ranks among the Top 100 Ducks Unlimited fundraising chapters out of 2,600 chapters across the nation.
"I oversee a lot of banquets in Tennessee and Kentucky," said DU Senior Regional Director Charlie Lowery. "The Chattanooga-banquet is always one of the most well-attended and exciting banquets I attend."
Live auction items include an Argentina Dove Hunt donated by David Denies Outfitter. Several area DU members went on the hunt in August purchased at last year's DU banquet.
Live auction items also include at pheasant hunt at Rooster Ridge in South Dakota, an Arkansas duck hunt, a youth deer hunt at Covey Creek Farms and a "Dream Vacation" four eight people in Costa Rica, Mexico, St. Thomas or Belize. There will also be several guns up for grabs including:
2019 DU Rifle of the Year, Howa Model 1500/HS Precision DU Bottomland Camo
2019 Shotgun of the Year, Benelli SBE3, 12 Gauge
Chances on a Retay Shotgun [HOTLINK: https://www.retayusa.com/], one of the hottest new brands on the market
Money raised at DU events is used in part to fund land purchases and conservation efforts throughout the North American flyway. However much of it also stays in Tennessee for a variety of conservation and hunting projects. To date more than $12 million in DU dollars have been spent in Tennessee.
Mountain View Auto Group has been the premier sponsor for Fall Flight Banquet for more than 10 years. Other sponsors include RPG Printing, National Boiler Service, First Tennessee Bank, Bohanon Auto Parts, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Southern Honda Powersports, Covey Creek Farm, Truck & Trailers USA, Signal Mountain Nursery, Choo Choo Kettle Corn, L.E. Myers, BP Construction, Henkel’s & McCoy, Brown Brothers Construction, Master Machine Inc., Scenic City Fishing Charters Inc., Bass Pro East Ridge, Boyd's Speedway, Kubota of Chattanooga, Boss Van Truck Outfitters, Hullco, Signal Mountain Nursery, Triad Electrical and RAM Tool.
The Chattanooga-committee is already looking beyond the Fall banquet however. The 4th annual “Great Outdoors Festival” is sponsored for the 4th year by Sportsman’s Warehouse of Chattanooga and is scheduled for March 14, 2020 at Covey Creek Farm. This free outdoor, interactive event is designed especially for kids - or Greenwings as they're known in DU circles.
The Chattanooga Greenwing event has become a model for similar events across the country.