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One Youth will win an African Safari Through a Youth Conservation Project

EDGEFIELD, S.C. – For most people who love wildlife and the great outdoors, getting up close and personal with giraffes, zebras, cheetahs and other plains animals in Africa only happens in dreams.20100607_2020932

For one lucky youth and a chaperone, those dreams will become a reality later this year when the National Wild Turkey Federation, in partnership with Flies and Fletching and Outdoor Pursuits Worldwide, gives away an African safari valued at $23,000.

Through the NWTF’s JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) and Xtreme JAKES outreach programs, the Federation is offering youth ages 10 to 17 the opportunity to participate in the Dream Hunt Conservation Project. The project’s grand prize is an all-expense-paid, chaperoned hunting trip for two in Namibia, Africa in 2011. The trip is sponsored by Ekuja Hunting Safaris.

“This is without a doubt the best prize we’ve ever offered to our JAKES members for dedicating their time to conserving our natural resources,” said Mandy Harling, JAKES program coordinator. “An educational project like this lays a foundation for a young person to grow into an adult who knows the benefits of land and wildlife stewardship.”

Participants must complete an approved conservation project that shows impressive land and natural resource stewardship. Possible project topics may include, but are not limited to:

* Soil conservation
* Wildlife habitat improvement
* Water quality
* Management practices that benefit the wild turkey
* Seed planting for wildlife habitat enhancement
* Wildlife education

All project topics must be approved by an NWTF regional biologist prior to beginning the project. To locate a regional biologist in your area, visit www.nwtf.org. Project work must be completed and project packets must be submitted to the NWTF’s headquarters in Edgefield, S.C., by Sept. 1, 2010. To download a Dream Hunt Conservation Project Packet, visit www.nwtf.org/jakes/contests.html. Projects will be judged by a committee comprised of conservation professionals, including NWTF, Outdoor Pursuits Worldwide and Flies and Fletching employees.

“If you and your child are looking for a combination of beauty and adventure, there is no better place than Namibia,” said Chris Albrecht, co-owner of Flies and Fletching. “Both the youth and the chaperone will have the opportunity to harvest at least four trophies and make memories that will last a lifetime.”

The grand prize covers payment for all airfare, safari costs, trophy export and taxidermy.

The runner-up and third place finisher will receive hunting prize packages from the NWTF, Flies and Fletching and Outdoor Pursuits Worldwide that include new compound bows, apparel, boots and more. The combined, estimated value of the second and third place prize packages is $5,000.

To be eligible for the project, participants must be members of the NWTF’s JAKES or Xtreme JAKES outreach programs. Memberships cost just $10 and for JAKES, include a subscription to either JAKES Magazine or Xtreme JAKES eMagazine. To become a member of either program, visit www.nwtf.org/jakes.

The NWTF started the JAKES and Xtreme JAKES programs to give youth opportunities to try fun outdoor activities and learn about conservation and wildlife. Events held nationwide provide instructors and locations for youth to hone their outdoor knowledge and skills.

Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations across the country, spending more than $306 million to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.

The Federation works to increase interest in the outdoors by bringing new hunters and conservationists into the fold through outdoor education events and its outreach programs – Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin’ Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES.

For more information about the NWTF and its outreach programs, visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF.

Kevin Paulson

Kevin Paulson is the Founder and CEO of HuntingLife.com. His passion for Hunting began at the age of 5 hunting alongside of his father. Kevin has followed his dreams through outfitting, conservation work, videography and hunting trips around the world.

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