NWTF Pennsylvania Volunteers Connect Young Hunters with the Life-Changing Power of the Outdoors
EDGEFIELD, S.C. — To kick off the spring season, local National Wild Turkey Federation chapters across Pennsylvania invited youth to experience the life-changing power of the outdoors. Through NWTF Education and Outreach programming, NWTF volunteers cherish the opportunity to engage the next generation in conservation and America’s hunting traditions.
The Warrior Trail Gobblers
The NWTF Warrior Trail Gobblers chapter continues to grow its annual JAKES Day and Mentored Hunt event at Hunting Hills Shooting Preserve. After 14 years, the chapter has built an event that over 190 youth now attend, and this year, 40 gobblers were harvested. NWTF volunteers and mentors from neighboring NWTF chapters are always excited to help mentor young hunters in the field and during the event.
“We enjoy watching those kids in the outdoors,” said Guy Hostutler, Warrior Trail Gobblers Chapter president. “That’s what it’s all about. Whether they’re harvesting a bird or winning a gun, they're the center of attention.”
This year, Hostutler mentored a 12-year-old boy who has always wanted to try hunting. Although he wasn’t able to harvest a gobbler, he is already looking forward to his next hunt.
Hayley Newell, NWTF Grand National friction caller, also mentored a young hunter. Her mentee had an opportunity to harvest a bird, but he was nervous, so he lowered his gun, and they watched the show until the bird walked off. Newell told him a story about how she was the same way at his age, and that it's perfectly normal to be a little scared of shooting a gun. When she was young, Newell went through the Warrior Trail Gobblers JAKES program and loves returning to give young hunters the same opportunities she had.
After the morning hunt, the young hunters participated in the annual JAKES Day, featuring hands-on outdoor stations, like archery, clay target shooting, BB gun shooting, fishing and more.
Representatives from the Pennsylvania Game Commission spoke about turkey hunting safety, and Newell and Hostutler hosted a seminar teaching the attendees how to use mouth calls, pot calls and box calls.
The JAKES Day event was free to everyone who attended, thanks to over 70 sponsors and donors who helped contribute to this year’s event.
“The important thing for me is the fact that we’re carrying on the legacy of the pioneers who did this before us,” Hostutler said. “The people who brought the NWTF to Greene County attended and supported this event, and having them there meant a lot. We're recognizing their work from the last 35 years while working to keep the tradition going into the next generation.”
The Kinzua Valley Chapter
The Kinzua Valley NWTF Chapter began hosting its annual JAKES Day and Mentored Hunt four years ago, and this year, they had the opportunity to host the Pennsylvania JAKES Hunt of a Lifetime, a mentored hunt given away at the annual Pennsylvania NWTF State Rendezvous to a child who was a member throughout the previous year. This year’s winner, Morgan Myers, successfully harvested the biggest overall tom of the morning.
There were 55 attendees at this year’s JAKES Event, hosted at Mount Jewett Sportsmen’s Club, and 12 youth had successful harvests.
A free lunch was provided before young attendees were able to try their hand at various stations, including archery, turkey hunting education, turkey shotgun pattering, .22 shooting, trap shooting and more.
“Long ago the Kinzua Valley chapter decided to put some of our efforts towards getting the youth involved in hunting and the outdoors,” said Skip Motts, NWTF regional director. “With our hunter numbers declining and so many other activities pulling kids away from the outdoors, we realized in order to change that trend, our local chapter needed to do our part by hosting a youth event. Now, four years into hosting our JAKES Day and Mentored Hunt event, we are very proud of the number of children we have introduced to our outdoor lifestyle.”
Ben Stimaker Memorial Chapter
Inspired by other local chapters, the Ben Stimaker Memorial Chapter hosted its second annual JAKES event to kick off the 2026 youth season. The chapter, located in north-central Pennsylvania, hosted more than 80 young hunters this year, and 15 gobblers were harvested.
“There were also eight missed shots,” said Jerry Foster, chapter president. “I think that’s a pretty successful morning despite the rain.”
Foster was asked to help teach turkey calling at the Kinzua Valley Chapter’s event a few years back. He gladly agreed and brought a few volunteers and youth attendees from his chapter to participate. Seeing those kids walk out of the woods with successful harvests and huge smiles got him thinking about hosting his very own JAKES event in Potter County.
Last year, the chapter’s inaugural event set the bar high for future events. This year’s event surpassed the previous one with 250 attendees.
After the hunt, young attendees were invited to participate in a number of different stations, including archery, .22 trapshooting, a fur-trapping identification station and a turkey calling station. Representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resource hosted a plant identification booth for young attendees to learn about native vegetation and trees.
“We couldn’t do this in our little neck of the woods without donations from local business donations, and individual sponsors,” Foster said. “Even my 85-year-old dad donated a gun.”
It takes a whole community to host events like this, and getting young hunters in the woods is something the local community stands behind. Foster wants to thank his committee members Charlie and Alishia Sullivan, who were a huge help building out this event.
“It’s so important for our chapter to do this,” Foster said. “Just the smile on these kids’ faces, it says it all.”
Established in 1981, the NWTF’s JAKES program is dedicated to informing, educating and involving youths 17 and younger in wildlife conservation and the wise stewardship of our natural resources. JAKES events help pass on the traditions of responsible hunting, teach the principles of habitat management, hunting ethics and safety.
For $10 a year, JAKES memebers receive a one-year subscription to JAKES Country magazine (four issues), a chance to win a hunt of a lifetime and a membership card.
In addition to JAKES Day events, NWTF chapters across the country host various events that engage youth in the outdoors, including mentored hunts for a variety of game species.