Young people up to 18 years-old and their parents are invited to enjoy a day of outdoor fun at the J. Edward Kelley Center (former National Guard Armory) on the campus of Potomac State College of West Virginia University.
The Tink Smith Collegiate Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) at Potomac State College (the only collegiate chapter in WV), will host the inaugural Catamount Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship (JAKES) Showcase on Saturday, January 28th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and lunch will be available at the event.
“This is an opportunity for kids to get away from the TV for a day and discover how exciting the outdoors can be, even if it is the middle of winter,” said Dylan Dunkle, chapter president. “It’s also a great time for kids to connect with their parents or grandparents by doing hands-on activities they both enjoy.”
Supervised activities and seminars will include (subject to availability): turkey calling, archery, turkey hunting safety, NWTF JAKES Take Aim Air Rifle Range, fish identification, fly fishing/fly tying, hunter safety, water safety, scavenger hunt, trapping demonstration, predator calling, and natural resource law enforcement.
“Many families enjoy hunting together and pass those traditions on from one generation to another,” said Forestry Professor Jeff Jones, who also serves as the advisor for the Tink Smith Collegiate Chapter of the NWTF. “In addition, hunting is important for the health of our nation’s wildlife habitat because hunters fund conservation by contributing $2 billion to the American economy each spring.”
On a national level, the NWTF’s ‘Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.’ initiative mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to give the organization more energy and purpose than ever by committing to raise $1.2 billion. These funds will be used to conserve or enhance more than four million acres of essential upland wildlife habitat; as well as to create approximately 1.5 million more hunters which will have access to 500,000 acres of land for hunting, shooting and outdoor enjoyment. For more information about the Catamount JAKES Showcase, contact Jones at (304)788-6986 or at jwjones@mail.wvu.edu.