Youth Wild Turkey and Bass Challenge Event a huge success again this year
Friday, May 16, 12 p.m.
Stonewall Jackson Lake Resort State Park, Lewis County

[May 20, 2003] - by Jim Matuga

WVBF Guide Shelley Perry (Center) teaches the fine art of throwing a bait casting reel to youth participant Christina Hamrick, age 11, Elkview, Kanawha County (Left) and her dad.

While forecasters were calling for rain and stormy conditions Friday for the third annual Governor's Youth Wild Turkey and Bass Challenge, weather conditions turned out to be perfect for the youth participants and their guides. Several turkeys were harvested and many bass - including several four-pounders - were caught. Warm temperatures and sunny skies greeted all who participated and helped make this year's event a huge success.

The 10 young essay contest winners who earned the opportunity to learn first-hand about the importance of wildlife management in West Virginia as part of the event May 15-17 at Flatwoods in Braxton County and Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park in Lewis County. The Youth Wild Turkey and Bass Challenge is a major activity in Governor Bob Wise's Youth in the Outdoors Program, which includes several outdoor sporting and educational events each year.

The essay theme was "What Hunting and Fishing Mean to Me" and the winners* were:

• Taylor Brogan, age 10, Ivydale, Clay County
• Cody Rose, age 10, Fort Gay, Wayne County
• Christina Hamrick, age 11, Elkview, Kanawha County
• Robin Singleton, age 12, Summersville, Nicholas County
• Joshua Cooper, age 13, Cross Lanes, Kanawha County
• Jonathan Belcher, age 14, Bluefield, Mercer County
• Steven Corbin, age 14, Inwood, Berkeley County
• Heather Lindsay, age 15, Mill Creek, Randolph County
• Adam Pettrey, age 16, Bluefield, Mercer County
• Jason Coleman, age 16, Fayetteville, Fayette County

The participants gathered the evening of Thursday, May 15, at 5 p.m. at the Flatwoods Days Inn in Braxton County. After a 6:30 p.m. dinner, they participated in workshops on turkey hunting safety, biology and management of the wild turkey in West Virginia, and bass fishing on Stonewall Jackson Lake. The bass fishing seminar was led by WVDNR Conservation Officer and West Virginia BASS Federation member Kevin Goff and featured an interesting anecdote about Len Lenham and fishing safety. Kevin's talk concluded with him speaking outside the hotel from the deck of Jim Summers' Triton Tr-21 about various safety and boat operation tips.

The outdoor adventure began early Friday at 5 a.m. as the youth participants and their adult guides scatter across Braxton County for a morning of turkey hunting. They then gathered at Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park at Noon for photo and interview opportunities with reporters.

At 2 p.m. they joined their guides from the West Virginia BASS Federation for an afternoon of bass fishing from bass boats on Stonewall Jackson Lake.

The day's activities conclude with a 7 p.m. cookout of barbequed chicken, beans, slaw and dessert and awards ceremony at the park with WVDNR Official Bernie Dowler.

The Governor's Wild Turkey and Bass Challenge is sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, The West Virginia Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, the West Virginia Division of Tourism, Flatwoods Days Inn, WV B.A.S.S. Federation, and Mossy Oak.

WVBF Guides were: Dan Welch, Sarge Travis, Len Lanham, Steve Jackson, Paul Isner, Henry Chisolm, Paul Noechel, Bert Nolan, Mike Gillespie, Kevin Goff, Shelley Perry, Jim Summers and Jim Matuga.

Editor's note: two previously announced winners, Natalie Northcutt of Charleston and Jamie Ziegler of Wheeling, had to drop out because of conflicting schedules. They were replaced with two runners-up, Cody Rose of Fort Gay and Jonathan Belcher of Bluefield.

The 10 Governor s Youth Wild Turkey and Bass Challenge winners.

Here a 2003 Governor s Youth Wild Turkey and Bass Challenge participant shows off her gobble.

Even the adults got in on the fun. WVDNR Director Ed Hamrick (r) poses with his father Jim Hamrick at the marina at Stonewall Jackson. Jim harvested his bird early Friday morning in Braxton County.