The Heartbeat of an NWTF JAKES Event

As my alarm awoke me at 4:30 a.m., I wondered if this year's JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) event would meet the expectations of the Warrior Trail Gobblers Chapter. Or would it at least equal previous events? With prom, baseball games and other events happening near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, that day, I had to wonder. 

As much as I thought about the upcoming JAKES event, I also prepared for the mentored hunt that would precede it. Dozens of kids would go on their first turkey hunt before the JAKES event later that day.  

My hunter and his father traveled three hours to get to my location and chase a wary longbeard. With no time to waste, we quickly loaded into my truck and headed for the woods. 

As daylight approached and light broke through the forest canopy, we waited in anticipation for the first gobble. As luck would have it, the only bird gobbling was on a piece of property we did not have permission to hunt, so we did what every turkey hunter would do: we went to another spot. 

As we stepped out of the truck, we heard a gobble, and then another, and then another. Our hopes skyrocketed, and we made our way to our first setup. 

As I began to call, I could see the longbeard 400 yards away in full strut in an open field. After almost two hours of working this bird, the gobbler was finally heading our way. Nearly within shooting range, the longbeard decided enough was enough. He broke out of the field, went into the woods and was never seen again.

We did, however, have another close encounter. A strutter decided to show himself, giving the hunter a shot, which unfortunately missed the mark; however, the excitement of the hunt for the child and the father remained the same. Neither had ever been turkey hunting, and both looked forward to doing it again.

We reminisced on the morning's excursions as we returned to the truck to head to the JAKES event. We laughed a little. We kicked a few rocks, but we were happy. It was a great opportunity to make new friends and share the excitement of wild turkey hunting. 

As an NWTF volunteer, mentor or outdoor enthusiast, we must impart our love and passion for America’s greatest gamebird to everyone we encounter.

Once we made our way to Hunting Hills Shooting Preserve, the location of our JAKES event, we noticed quite a few vehicles already in the parking lot. As the event started, I saw the line for registration grow, and it did not appear to slow down. As the attendees began to make their way from station to station, it was evident we were on par to match what we had done in the previous two years with the event; my earlier apprehension was at ease.

All in all, we had 145 youths in attendance, along with their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends. The youth harvested 35 gobblers before the JAKES Day, but just as important, many others, like my hunter, discovered you can have fun in the woods without a harvest.

As the event began to wind down, we pulled everyone back together for one last big get-together to give away all the donated prizes. I had to ponder the number of sponsors, their generosity and their support of the NWTF Warrior Trail Gobblers Chapter. We gave away 145 JAKES memberships, 29 large prizes, 250 turkey calls and other outdoor merchandise. 

Events like this take time to happen. It takes a lot of blood, sweat, tears, hard work, dedication, devotion and determination of the volunteers, sponsors and donors. The support of companies also made the event possible. Iron Synergy, for example, graciously donated tracks of their ground for youth hunters from Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland to hunt. Another great company, Equitrans Midstream, made a generous donation that helped cover the cost of the food and some of the prizes. Call manufacturers –– such as CLW Outdoors, Rupert "Roost in Peace" Turkey Calls, RD1 Outdoors, Pioneer Quest Game Calls and Conoco Wood Products –– donated calls that have now made their way into the hands of the next generation of turkey callers and hunters.

When the day was over and we packed the last item in the trailer for next year, it was time to reflect on the day. As the committee sat around and each shared their account of the day, we realized that we had made a difference once again to 145 young people. But what the youth didn't know was the difference they made on us, the committee, the volunteers and the sponsors. This is why we do what we do and strive for the best with this event.

The smiles on their faces, the tears in the eyes of the parents or the future hunting partners created: this will continue the hunting heritage of the National Wild Turkey Federation and every chapter out there.