Last year Mower County Ducks Unlimited held its first banquet in Austin in five years and the banquet is back this year with the hopes of matching last year’s success.

The banquet will be held 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Holiday Inn and Austin Conference Center. Last year’s banquet had 150 people attend and it raised $16,000 for wildlife habitat and conservation. Nick Roth, who is the Area Chairman of Ducks Unlimited, is hoping this year’s banquet can find that kind of outcome.

“We’ve had a pretty good response so far. I’m hoping we can get back to that 150 mark if not close to it. It should be right around there,” Roth said. “We thank everyone who contributed last year and we’re hoping we can do the same again this year.”

There will be plenty of items available at the banquet for raffle, including two half hogs, Minnesota Twins Tickets, callers, guns and hunting and fishing gear. Roth said the reaction to Ducks Unlimited coming back to Austin has been a positive one and he’s hoping to build on that.

“We’re trying to tailor it a little bit more to the community,” he said.