An Alaska “dream hunt” with Donald Trump Jr. likely set an auction record this month in a fundraiser for Safari Club International, the preeminent high-end gun and hunting advocacy group.
Two bidders paid a combined $340,000 to hunt with Trump and his son for fabled Sitka blacktailed deer, according to the club.
At the Reno, Nevada, convention, Trump spoke about his hunting roots, and then, one hunt was offered in auction.
Once the bidding started, it soared quickly, ending at $190,000.
Great to have @DonaldJTrumpJr at @SafariClubIntl Convention! He continues to be an incredible advocate for #hunting and #conservation. @LairdHamberlin cc: @LetsGoHuntUSA https://t.co/TpScu78i4L pic.twitter.com/4yKlXc8w4x
— Trevor W. Santos (@trevor_santos) February 10, 2020
Then, said the club, “In a surprise move, Mr. Trump announced that the outfitter was offering another slot on the hunt, and bidding began again, topping out at $150,000 and bringing a grand total of $340,000 for the first auction item alone.”
The money will fund SCI Foundation Sables and its efforts to promote the importance of hunting.
SCI described Trump’s participation this way:
Keynote speaker Donald Trump Jr. wowed the crowd throughout the evening, generously posing for selfies on the floor before the dinner began and then galvanizing the crowd with his speech. With a mix of humor and seriousness, he spoke of his unlikely beginnings as a “son of a New York billionaire” to the world of the outdoors in general and hunting in particular.
He revealed that his maternal grandfather took him to Communist Czechoslovakia in summers to teach him the basics of woodcraft and expose him to the harsh realities of other, less fortunate parts of the world. He credits a teacher at his private school for mentoring him in the skills of hunting and sparking the passion he continues to follow, despite his many vocal critics.
