Young Hunters Find Success at the 2023 NWTF Camp Crook Youth Hunt

The event welcomed four young hunters, ages 12 to 17, who had completed their hunter safety course but had never hunted turkey before. The annual youth hunt has occurred for the last eight years and has become a highly anticipated event for the community, which is enthusiastic to aid in its organization.

Located approximately 1 mile inside the western border of South Dakota, Camp Crook serves as a meeting point for ranching families from both South Dakota and Montana. The youth hunt was carried out on both public and private lands, as several landowners in the vicinity generously allowed the use of their property for the hunt.

The activities for the NWTF Camp Crook Youth Turkey Hunt began on May 5, with the kids arriving in the afternoon for a safety briefing, as well as a presentation on turkey biology, behavior and hunting techniques. Afterward, the young hunters were paired with their guide and embarked on their late afternoon hunt and to roost birds for the following morning.

The following day, the young hunters went on their first morning turkey hunt accompanied by their guides. After returning to camp, the local 4H youth shooting program organized a lunch for the kids, their parents and the guides.

“We are very grateful for the 4H support, which involves helping to sign up and select the youth hunters and putting together the lunchtime meal and a breakfast bag for everyone,” NWTF District Biologist Collin Smith said.

In a notable achievement, all four of the young hunters were able to harvest an adult tom during this year's hunt. The hunt usually averages a 90 – 100% success rate. While bagging a tom is not the main goal, the successful harvest certainly plays a role in igniting the enthusiasm of these young hunters for the thrilling pursuit of spring turkey hunting.

The annual NWTF Camp Crook Youth Hunt owes its success to the support and contributions of numerous donors and supporters who make this event a great experience for the youth. Each year, retired USDA Forest Service member Bobby Cordell plays a critical role as hunt coordinator, ensuring the smooth execution of the event.

“We’d like to thank all the donors that contribute to the success of this hunter recruitment event, including the guides, the local 4H shooting sports program, landowners, scouters, and of course the parents that wake up at 3:00 am in the morning to accompany their young hunters in the field,” Smith said. “We’d especially like to thank Bobby Cordell for his role. Without his help over the years we’d be unable to share this experience with these kids.”

2023 Guides

Randy Gaskins – NWTF

Collin Smith – NWTF

Dale Tribby – retired BLM

Rob & Justin Lyons – local residents

Tony Tabisz – Crow Peak Longbeards Chapter NWTF

 Scouters

Chancey Odell – USFS

Justin Lyons – Local resident

4H Planner & Coordinator

Laurie Elmore 

Supporting Partners

U.S. Forest Service

4H Shooting Sports

Private Land Owners

Ronda Cordell – Cordell Ranch

Bryce and Dawn Padden – Padden Ranch

Kent Williams Ranch

Jack and Kay Ovitz

Dean and Maxine Rasmussen

Terry and Laurie Goehring

Bonnie Hart – Hart Ranch

Lodging Donations

Hart Ranch

Matt Gilbert

About the National Wild Turkey Federation

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has conserved or enhanced over 22 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The organization continues to drive wildlife conservation, forest resiliency and robust recreational opportunities throughout the U.S. by working across boundaries on a landscape scale. 

2023 is the NWTF's 50^th anniversary and an opportunity to propel the organization's mission into the future while honoring its rich history. For its 50-year celebration, the NWTF has set six ambitious goals: positively impact 1 million acres of wildlife habitat; raise $500,000 for wild turkey research; increase membership to 250,000 members; dedicate $1 million to education and outreach programs; raise $5 million to invest in technology and the NWTF's people; and raise $5 million to build toward a $50 million endowment for the future. Learn how you can help us reach these lofty goals.