02/28/2006
Illinois resident wins JAKES Hunt of a Lifetime
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — From a drawing of 180,000 National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) JAKES members, Trent Rossi, 13, of Petersburg, Ill., was randomly selected to hunt Rio Grande turkeys on the legendary King Ranch in south Texas.
Trent was recognized during the NWTF's 30th annual National Convention and Sport Show, in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 23 to Feb. 26. The all-expense-paid April hunting trip includes license fees, equipment and travel expenses.
"I was absolutely shocked," Trent said. "I was pretty much speechless when I found out. It didn't seem real at first."
Trent has been a JAKES member for more than seven years and his entire family are members of the New Salem Longbeards chapter of the NWTF. Trent and his dad, Rory, will accompany Carl Brown, NWTF chief operating officer, and Dick Rosenlieb, the NWTF's vice president of sales and marketing, on the 2006 JAKES Hunt of a Lifetime.
"The NWTF has hosted the Hunt of a Lifetime for many years, and it's one of the most rewarding hunts of my spring season," said Rosenlieb. "King Ranch is an excellent place to hunt, and we hope to see Trent bag his first Rio Grande turkey while we're there."
JAKES stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship and is the NWTF's outreach program for youth 12 years old and younger. With more than 180,000 JAKES and Xtreme JAKES members throughout North America, the NWTF is making a difference in conservation. Xtreme JAKES is the NWTF's newest program for teens ages 13 to 17. Through local JAKES/Xtreme JAKES events held across the country, the participants learn how their actions affect the balance of our natural resources and acquire skills needed to enjoy the outdoors.
For more information about the JAKES Hunt of a Lifetime or about the NWTF's JAKES outreach program, call (800) THE-NWTF.
2006 NWTF Convention and Sport Show Sponsors
BASF, Bass Pro Shops, Browning-USRAC, Callmakers and Collectors Association of America, Cardiac Diagnostic Services of Virginia, Chevrolet, Federal Cartridge Company, Henkel Harris Furniture, Jeanette Rudy, The Lodge at Cabin Bluff, Marlin Firearms/H & R 1871, Mathews, Inc., MBNA, Mossberg Firearms, The Outdoor Channel, The Outdoor Connection, Remington Arms Company, T.I. Industries Frame Molding, USDA-Forest Service, U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, Wild Turkey Bourbon, Winchester/Olin Company.
