SAFFORD — The annual Big Buck Benefit, one of the Gila Valley’s longest-running events returns to the Graham County Fairgrounds Saturday evening.
“It started with the Elks Club probably 50 years ago, maybe longer, and it was in the Elks Lodge, where it used to be the restaurant. So it kind of got overcrowded in there,” said Southeastern Arizona Sportsman Club’s Joe Hawkins. “The Elks Club gave it up and the Sportsman Club took it over at least 10, 15 years ago.”
The event starts at 5 p.m. and will feature prizes for the most successful youth and adult hunts of the year.
In addition, the event will feature raffles, food provided by the Safford Lions Club, live music and dancing.
The grand prize this year is a 2023 Polaris 1000 Ranger Crew with a trailer from Tractor Supply.
On its website, the Southeastern Arizona Sportsman Club is described as, “A 501C3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife, habitat, and our natural resources . . . club participates in many habitat improvement projects in Southeastern Arizona, public seminars, hunter education classes, Benefits, and we work with many other local nonprofit organizations in our community.”
