Pa. club gives a peek at youth turkey hunt

The state's first spring turkey season specifically for youths will open in two weeks.
On April 24, Pennsylvania will host the one-day, youth-only spring turkey hunt as a chance for young hunters to experience the thrill of harvesting a gobbler.
Leading up to this day, clubs around the state have been hosting special events and clinics to give the young hunter tips and skill sharpeners.
One such event was sponsored Saturday by the Shenango Spurs & amp; Beards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation at the Western Reserve Fish & amp; Game Protective Association just off state Route 318 outside West Middlesex.
More than 125 children and their parents attended the chapter's second annual JAKES event and got a chance to experience muzzleloader shooting and archery among other things related to turkey hunting.
JAKES stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship. The program is geared toward the youth turkey hunter.
For the younger set, age 9 and under, there was a visit with a live turkey, Gibbles, who gobbled and clucked on cue, as well as a slew of crafts to keep them interested.
Don Demuth, one of the chapter organizers for the event, said the turnout was good for only the event's second year. There was a good mix of children with boys and girls about evenly making up the crowd of young hunters.
A young hunter
Jamie Rickert, 13, came to the event with her mom, Dorothy. The mother-daughter duo, both of Greenville, are looking forward to the turkey season.
"This is a lot of fun and a learning experience," Mrs. Rickert said of the JAKES event.
Mrs. Rickert and her friends said that they all enjoy hunting and were drawn to it through the experiences and urging of fathers or husbands.
Mrs. Rickert said that she will be taking her daughter hunting April 24. "There's a place behind our house, a bit of woods, where there are turkey," she said.
This will be Jamie's first spring turkey hunt, Mrs. Rickert said, adding "We are trying to bring up our children in these sports, and hunting is a good hobby for kids." Jamie, who attends Greenville Junior High, has been deer hunting and enjoys the outdoors.
Garrett Miller, 10, of Hermitage attended the event with his dad, Ken, and his brother, Joseph, 13.
Miller said Garrett was enjoying his second JAKES event, firing the muzzleloaders and anticipating the day when he could hunt.
"He's just learning the ropes," he said. "My other boy will be hunting this year. We try to go out as much as possible."
The eldest Miller said that he believes in hunting and supporting the tradition by passing it down to his children.
State regulations
State regulations mandate that youngsters who participate in the new youth spring gobbler season are required to have a junior hunting license and those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, who cannot carry a firearm. Accompanying adults may only provide guidance, such as calling or scouting.
All other hunting regulations for the youths are the same as those for the general spring gobbler season, including hunting hours of 30 minutes before sunrise to noon. Only bearded turkeys may be harvested.
Other special youth-oriented hunting seasons offered by Pennsylvania include squirrel, pheasant and waterfowl hunting opportunities, as well as expanded deer hunting opportunities.
The state also offers a & quot;junior combination license & quot; that includes general hunting, archery, muzzleloader and fur-taker privileges.
The state's general spring gobbler season runs May 1-29.
braun@vindy.com