The O'Banion building at the Los Ba&#241;os Fairgrounds was filled with about 280 hunters and other attendees of the annual Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation Banquet Saturday. During the course of the evening, people were treated to a steak dinner and the opportunity to win or bid on a number of prizes from hunting trips to firearms to a Labrador Retriever puppy.</p><p>The event had all of the trappings of previous banquets that were put on by Quail Unlimited. Many of the same people appear to be organizing, donating to, attending, and cooking for this event just as they did with Quail Unlimited in past years. However, locally, QUWF is a new organization that is comprised of many people who have been involved with Quail Unlimited.</p><p>The QUFW was formed in 2009, based in Buffalo, Missouri, and was organized to better focus efforts, donations and partnerships on habitat projects to 'Turn-The-Dirt' for upland wildlife.</p><p>"From the beginning we wanted to guide the thousands of wildlife habitat conservationists we represented to a new direction, one of solid focus of local projects, outreach and involvement. Like never before, people want to be involved in wildlife habitat work on their own lands and in their communities and spend the money they raise," the group's Web site states.</p><p>Whether it was it the cooks or the organizers, it appeared that people had a great time. The doors and the bar opened at 5:30 p.m. and people mingled and talked about guns, politics, food, and all manner of other things. They also had the opportunity to participate in a silent auction that featured items from toy tractors to giant duck calls. </p><p>At 7:30 p.m. the silent auction closed and dinner was served. As in years past, members of the Hogan family were the masters of the grill--turning out meat that was tender, juicy and well received by the attendees. </p><p>Above each and every plate there was a Project Childsafe Cable-Style Gunlock. A unique favor indeed, whether people purchased a firearm or not, they'd have the means to help child-proof their guns.</p><p>As dinner began to wind down, the various fundraising auctions, drawings, and raffles commenced. One of the first prizes given out went to Mayor Tommy Jones who won the "Pick of the Litter" raffle. For $20, potential winners of this raffle could buy a ticket and, if it was drawn, they could select from a number of long-arms that were on a central gun-rack.</p><p>"I needed this," Jones said. Jones selected what one of the firearm table guys identified as a black Benelli Supernova shotgun with a pistol grip. </p><p>Another long-arm winner was Paul Rotondarno who seemed nearly as ecstatic. As he walked away from doing his paperwork he was downright jovial, "This is the first time I ever won," he said.</p><p>After most of the raffles and drawings were completed, the auctions began. Rifles, shotguns, handguns, pastries, hunting trips, artwork and more were gaveled away by auctioneer Tony Carvalho, who came in from Lodi to do the honors. Prior to selling things off, however, Carvalho entertained the crowd by singing Leroy Vandyke's "The Auctioneer Song."</p><p>The bidding was heavy on several of the items; in particular there was a .22-caliber rifle that was set up to look similar to a European submachine gun. That got a lot of interest. And then, of course, there was the Labrador puppy that was donated by Feather Ranch Kennels. After the heated bidding was over, the puppy was resting in the arms of Tabitha Maschmeyer whose mother had won the dog for a friend of hers who was not present.</p><p>The last prize of the evening was the "Crazy Eight Table Drawing." Each table was given the opportunity to buy eight tickets. A single ticket was drawn and everyone who shared a table with the winner (up to eight people) won a scoped bolt-action rifle. As the eight winners paraded over to the paperwork table, holding their octuplet rifles muzzle up, there were eight very happy people smiling and congratulating each other.</p><p>David Areias, the chapter chairman of the local QUWF, was appreciative. He later summed up the evening by saying, "With the help of all of the committee workers, the cooks, and the community... well, I'd just like to thank everyone for coming to our banquet."