RMEF KidsHunting Heritage Programs

RMEF helps people of all ages, backgrounds and interests, experience and understand wildlife and wild places. We also help create a thriving, dedicated community of hunters, well-equipped with outdoor skills, shooting skills, hunting ethics and conservation principles.

There are a number of ways to educate Youth through various RMEF programs. Elk Trunk Tool Kits provide resources to educate kids in the classroom while a field trip to the Elk Country Visitor Center provides a high-quality learning experience for all.

Elk Country Explorers

Welcome to RMEF’s nationwide community of young members, hunters and conservationists. If you enjoy the outdoors, wildlife and adventure in elk country, you’ve come to the right place!

Join us—membership is just $20! If you’re a student age 17 or under, this RMEF membership category is just for you.

To join, click the link below and ask a parent or legal guardian to complete the form, or call (800) 225-5355 Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m-5 p.m. Mountain Time.


Wildlife Leadership Awards

The mission of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage. Included in the hunting heritage part of this mission is supporting the education and development of wildlife professionals grounded in the North American Model of Wildlife Management.

The RMEF Wildlife Leadership Awards (WLA) scholarship program was established in 1991 to "recognize, encourage and promote leadership among future wildlife management professionals." The awards are presented to undergraduate wildlife students, and currently provide a $5,000 scholarship and a one-year membership to RMEF.

Applications for the 2024 program have opened. All application materials must be submitted via email by April 12th, 2024.

Submit your application via email to [email protected] with WLA and your last name in the subject line. Do not mail a hard copy of your application.


Inside the RMEF Visitor Center

Elk Country Visitor Center

Step into Elk Country at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's Elk Country Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is more than just a museum; it’s an experience that reveals the beauty, diversity and importance of elk country across North America. Open year round and admission is free.


Kid with an elk trunk

Elk Trunk Tool Kits

We recognize that hands-on educational experiences better draw youths’ attention and leave a more lasting impression. “Elk Trunks”—tool kits containing lesson plans, activities, books, antlers, fur and skulls, among other things—provide elk education materials to conservation educators teaching grades 5 through 8.

Kit contents include an elk hides, deer and mountain lion hide pieces, deer and elk antlers, various scat replicas, deer and elk track replicas, elk calls, elk skull replica and various media illustrations as well as lesson guides for 8 different topics.

The RMEF Elk Trunk program is currently paused while we update materials. Check back for an application at a later date.