IA Born Report post Posted January 6, 2017 I absolutely have to brag as a proud dad and hunter. Many of you know how active in the NWTF I am. I received a call about 90 minutes ago from our NWTF Regional Director letting me know that our daughter, Sydney, was selected as the NWTF JAKES Hunt of a Lifetime 2017 turkey hunter in Kansas! She submitted an essay in December on her hunting heritage and now I get to accompany her on an all-expenses paid turkey hunt in El Dorado, KS! She'll be home from school in about 20 minutes and I'll get to tell her!I should be getting an email in the next 2-3 days detailing everything she's won, and I'll be getting a call from the National NWTF JAKES coordinator to work out the details. I can't wait to see the look on her face when I tell her! 15 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rossislider Report post Posted January 6, 2017 That is awesome! I need to get the details on that contest for future years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Little Creek Calls Report post Posted January 6, 2017 Congratulations. I hunted Kansas last year and had a great time. Looks like El Dorado is just outside of Wichita. Do you know what species she will be hunting? (rios, easterns or hybrids) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted January 6, 2017 That is Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted January 7, 2017 Congratulations. I hunted Kansas last year and had a great time. Looks like El Dorado is just outside of Wichita. Do you know what species she will be hunting? (rios, easterns or hybrids) I'll find out when I get the call and start making arrangements, but I know Syd won't care. She's excited to get her first bird, finally, after having hunts busted by snow storms, soccer tournaments, and being sick all three of the last opening weekends of her youth hunts, and then having uncooperative birds in other tries. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TRKHNTR Report post Posted January 9, 2017 Holy Crap that is way cool Syd I'm proud of you would you post or send me a copy of that essay that won. Looking forward to hearing about your hunt. Congratulations. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted January 9, 2017 Holy Crap that is way cool Syd I'm proud of you would you post or send me a copy of that essay that won. Looking forward to hearing about your hunt. Congratulations. I'll have her send it over to when she gets a chance. She's finally going back to soccer tonight (limited duty), which is also exciting, but I'll have her send it to you as soon as she can. I know it will be published in the NWTF magazines, especially the JAKES Country! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted January 9, 2017 I received the official email yesterday and found out NWTF is flying us (me and her) out to the National Convention (giving us travel expense up to...) in February to recognize Sydney and present her accomplishment on stage at Friday morning's Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. breakfast. I have to call today to get everything squared up, but it looks like we're going to spend Friday night there, too (hotel on us that night) and enjoy the convention on Friday and then come home Saturday. I realized with all of this travel (convention and hunt), that I will be eating quite a bit of my annual leave. It doesn't look like I'll be turkey hunting in 2017 since I won't have the time off, but its totally worth it. Watching my kids succeed in life is the top of my bucket list! To say she's excited is an understatement! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Little Creek Calls Report post Posted January 9, 2017 I am taking my wife and kids back to the NWTF National Convention this year too. Hope to see you there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted January 9, 2017 I am taking my wife and kids back to the NWTF National Convention this year too. Hope to see you there. If you're at the Friday morning breakfast, you'll definitely see at least her! Let's make plans to meet up at some point, though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted January 10, 2017 This is so very cool! A huge congratulations to her on winning this. I'm looking forward to reading her essay when it comes out. Bummer about not being able to hunt yourself but man I hear you on having your kid's dreams come true. Enjoy the trip (both of them)! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted January 10, 2017 This is so very cool! A huge congratulations to her on winning this. I'm looking forward to reading her essay when it comes out. Bummer about not being able to hunt yourself but man I hear you on having your kid's dreams come true. Enjoy the trip (both of them)! As soon as I know more and am allowed to share the essay, I will. I know it will be published in the JAKES Country magazine after her hunt and AGFD is already asking me for it. I'm not even sure if my own agency is going to want to run with this, especially since USFWS makes a huge deal of promoting both hunting and getting kids outdoors! As for my own hunt, I knew I was trying real hard to pound a square peg through a round hole to make it work. My wife showed me the calendar and the one long weekend I was planning for is the same weekend our son gets his confirmation and first Communion in our Catholic Church. I kinda need/oughta be there for that! Between his confirmation, our daughter's birthday in late April, and my niece back in Iowa getting married in early May (obliged to go after my mom/her grandma passed), my free time was already about dead. The funny thing is that the only other time I've missed a turkey hunt since 2002 is the April that my daughter was born (2004). One common theme: her! Wouldn't change it, though! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted January 12, 2017 I spoke to both NWTF HQ and the Kansas Governor's One Shot Turkey Hunt coordinator yesterday. It went from a surreal concept to very real and very exciting! NWTF gave me the ok to share her essay and, after checking with her, so did Sydney. It turns out that her essay will not be published, but she is encouraged (kind of expected) to write an essay after the hunt and it will be published in the JAKES Country magazine. She'll probably be used for next year's promotion, too. The KS coordinator called Sydney directly yesterday afternoon and they had a great chat. Flights are booked for both the convention trip and the KS hunt. I'm waiting on the paperwork and more of the details of what all she gets out of this, but I know that there is a local sponsor in KS who needs her clothing size because every winner gets outfitted from head to toe in a set of custom camouflage clothing! She will have her license and both turkey tags waiting for her when we get there on April 12th. Yesterday's phone calls turned this surreal idea into a very real (yet still slightly surreal) plan. Here is the essay that she submitted. I read it again last night...twice. She makes me so proud with her perspectives on life and hunting. We hope you enjoy it! JAKES Kansas Essay.pdf 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rossislider Report post Posted January 12, 2017 Great essay! One suggestion, I would probably post a version that omits the last page with her name, phone number, and address. There are too many weirdos out there (and maybe a few in here ). Again, congratulations!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IA Born Report post Posted January 12, 2017 Great essay! One suggestion, I would probably post a version that omits the last page with her name, phone number, and address. There are too many weirdos out there (and maybe a few in here ). Again, congratulations!!! CRAP!! I missed that. Thanks! I definitely will remove that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
