Keeping the North American hunting tradition alive, the National Wild Turkey Federation has a fun way to get our youth excited about the outdoor sports and conservation?their JAKES program. JAKES stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship, not to mention a lot of fun. Assisted by a $100,000 donation by Bass Pro Shops John L. Morris, in honor of country music legend Porter Wagner, children ages 17 and younger learn the basic outdoor skills necessary to become successful stewards of our natural resources.

They also learn to be responsible outdoorsmen and women through fishing, camping and hunting seminars taught by legends in the field. They learn to identify plants and animals as well as how to effectively call in those elusive toms.

With more than 131,000 JAKES members across the country, the NWTF has a great opportunity to teach children the value of our natural resources and the importance of conservation. These children will grow up knowing hunting plays a key role in wildlife management and the dollars they spend to hunt go right back into state and federal conservation efforts.

Hundreds of JAKES events are held across the nation each year and reach thousands of kids. The national event is held annually at the Wild Turkey Center, home to the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Children from most states, plus several essay contest winners, earn the trip to South Carolina to meet some of the biggest names in the turkey hunting industry who share their experience and wisdom with the children.

These events are an important aspect of the NWTF?s outreach programs. But, most importantly, they provide us an opportunity to help build tight family bonds and memories that will last a lifetime.

 

For more information about the Virgina NWTF JAKES program, please contact State Volunteer Coordinator Billy Thurman at 540-483-2732 or via email \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  OR our State Volunteer Co-Coordinator Diana Martin at 276-629-2701 or via email \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .