02/28/2006
NWTF Awards Hunt to Youth Essay Winner
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SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. — Brielle Eaton, 16, won the 2006 Kansas Governor's One-Shot Turkey Hunt essay contest. The contest was sponsored by JAKES, the National Wild Turkey Federation's (NWTF) youth outreach program.
Brielle was awarded the all-expense-paid turkey hunt during the 30th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show, in Nashville, Tenn. Thirty-five young people from 18 different states participated in the contest.
"I wanted to write about hunting," said Brielle, "It's something I'm really passionate about. I've never hunted a wild turkey and look forward to the opportunity."
Brielle's essay, "Responsibility in the Woods: What Does It Takes to Be an Ethical Hunter," explains how hunting is more than just an exhilarating sport, it's also an opportunity to practice the ethics of a good hunter. Brielle has been hunting with her father and two older brothers since she was 7 years old and has successfully harvested rabbit, dove, quail, elk, javelina and mule deer.
The NWTF has more than 180,000 JAKES members across North America. The program strives to include them in wildlife conservation and encourages members to pass on North America's rich hunting heritage. JAKES, which stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship, is for youth 12-years-old and younger. The NWTF's newest youth outreach program, Xtreme JAKES, was created in 2002 for teens age 13-17. More than 700 JAKES Conservation Field Days events are held across North America each year to promote the program and teach children about conservation and hunting ethics.
Brielle learned about the JAKES essay contest through JAKES magazine, a quarterly publication for JAKES members.
For more information about the NWTF's Kansas Governor's One-Shot Turkey Hunt Essay Contest or about the NWTF, 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
