Governor Shumlin Hosts Governor’s Youth Turkey Hunt Event in Vermont
OutdoorHub 03.11.13
In an effort to promote youth hunting in Vermont, Governor Shumlin is hosting a Governor’s Youth Turkey Hunt this spring. The governor is scheduled to attend a luncheon on Sunday, April 21, at the Waterbury Fish & Game Club, where he plans to lead a discussion on the importance of the hunting tradition in Vermont.
The following weekend, the young hunters will take part in a guided turkey hunt to coincide with Vermont’s youth turkey hunting weekend on April 27-28.
Interested youth hunters are required to submit a completed application along with a letter explaining why they would like to participate in the event. Applications are available on the Fish & Wildlife Department website and must be submitted by April 1. The event is sponsored by the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and is open to any licensed hunter under the age of 16. Previous hunting experience is not required to participate.
“Youth participation in hunting across the country, including Vermont, has been on the decline,” said NWTF chapter president Don Isabelle. “We hope our inaugural Governor’s Youth Turkey Hunt will help reverse this trend and entice young people in Vermont back to hunting.”
“Governor Shumlin is an ideal leader for this program. As a lifelong hunter, he understands the importance of this tradition,” said Isabelle.
“The youth turkey hunt is a safe and fun way to get young people into hunting,” said Fish & Wildlife Department turkey project leader Forrest Hammond. “Between the excellent mentors and the hunt occurring before the start of regular turkey season, young hunters stand a very good chance of hearing turkey calls and seeing birds, and a high success rate is likely.”
An initiative of the Vermont State Chapter of the NWTF, the Governor’s Youth Turkey Hunt coincides with this year’s Jakes’ event, an annual youth turkey hunting event held by the NWTF to educate youth about wildlife conservation and stewardship of Vermont’s natural resources. Each youth hunter will be provided a guide from the NWTF.
