XTREME JAKES & Youth Turkey Season News

Our "Operation Matchup" project is held every year during the Illinois Heritage Youth Spring Turkey Season (Northern Zone) For more details, contact Rhett Rossi at 217-782-9283.

Past Years:

2008: The 2008 Illinois Heritage Youth Turkey Hunting Season was held April 5th - 6th in the Northern Zone.

2007: Since the 2007 Northern Zone Illinois Heritage Youth Turkey Hunting Season fell on Easter weekend, (April 7th & 8th, 2007) the New Salem Longbeards Chapter temporarily suspended our concurrent youth hunt event until the 2008 youth season.

2006: The 2006 Illinois Heritage Youth Turkey Hunting Season was held April 1st - 2nd 2006 in the Northern Zone. Click here for 2006 "Operation Matchup" details!

2005: Our 2005 "Operation Matchup" youth hunt was also a great success, with 10 of 34 youth hunters harvesting wild turkey gobblers and jakes! Click here to view the 2005 special feature articles on IllinoisHunter.com!

2004: Twelve of nineteen youth hunters were successful during the second annual “Operation Matchup” event held during the 2004 Illinois Heritage Youth Turkey Hunt. The New Salem Longbeards chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation again advertised for both prospective landowners and youth participants, then matched the young hunters with volunteer guides from the local chapter membership. Landowners in both Menard and Cass counties supported the event.

The local event complemented a special two-day turkey season open only to Illinois residents who have not reached their 16th birthday by April 3rd. A “hunting camp” experience was again created at the Oakford Community Center and the Trading Post Tavern, where food was provided and stories were swapped.

The successful youth hunters were Aimee Domescik, Jeremy Roth, Patrick Richardson, Levi Carlock, Kirk Schoonover, Jeff Robertson, Robbie Walbrink, Eric Garfat, Tim Jans, Leanne Wallace, Lucian Norton, and Austen King. The success rate far exceeded normal county averages. In addition to the twelve youth who bagged turkeys, four more had shots but missed, and one youth passed on a easy shot at a young “Jake” hoping for a trophy gobbler.

According to retiring New Salem Longbeards president Larry Dale, “We wanted to again provide quality turkey hunting experiences to local youth hunters, especially those who would otherwise not have an opportunity to hunt. For example, several of our participants again came from non-hunting families. Participants from last year’s event were also encouraged to reapply. All youth from last year’s event reapplied, except for those whose 16th birthday preceded the deadline.”

The New Salem Longbeards chapter received national recognition for the innovative approaches used in holding their first “Operation Matchup” event, which was held in the Spring of 2003. Despite bad weather during much of last year’s hunt, four of the fourteen participating 2003 youth hunters bagged turkeys in both Menard and Cass counties.

2003: The New Salem Longbeards chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation has been recognized in a national publication for their innovative “Operation Matchup” youth turkey hunt held this past spring. The NWTF recognized the outreach efforts of the chapter within the Fall 2003 issue of “The Caller,” which was recently received by over 500,000 members of the organization.

The New Salem Longbeards chapter of the NWTF leveraged local county youth hunting permits into a major area event during the special 2003 Illinois Heritage Youth Turkey Hunt. The chapter especially wanted to match landowners with beginning local youth hunters who would otherwise not have a place to hunt.

To get the word out, ads aimed at both interested youth hunters and willing landlords were run in the Petersburg Observer before the State permit drawing. Local NWTF chapter volunteers were assigned in teams as guides, and a "Hunt Central" location in the Oakford Community Center provided a hunting camp experience throughout the weekend. Despite bad weather during much of the hunt, four of the fourteen youth hunters bagged turkeys in both Menard and Cass counties.

Wingshooting Clinics:

Learn about chapter support of local ILDNR Youth/Ladies Wingshooting Clinics at JEPC.

Local Chapters Fund JEPC (Site M) Wildlife Food Plots:

The New Salem Longbeards NWTF Chapter joined with the Prairie Rockets Chapter of Quail Forever to fund wildlife food plots at nearby Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (JEPC.)

IDNR budget cuts had eliminated the funding for the planting of food plots at the site for 2009, but the local chapters stepped up to the plate and cooperatively funded the plantings with a $750.00 donation for seed. Shown in the photo are Bill Vanderlaan (QF,) Rhett Rossi (NWTF,) Frank Llano (QF,) and JEPC Site Administrator Mike Wickens.

Hunter Safety Class Support:

Learn about chapter support for Hunter Safety Education Classes in Menard County.

More Info:

For information on future events and activities of the New Salem Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, contact Chapter President Doug King at 217- 634-4160.

Website questions or comments? Contact chapter member and webmaster Larry Dale at ldale@sportingdomains.com, or call 217-632-2668. This web site is sponsored and hosted by IllinoisHunter.com, TurkeyPro.com, and SportingDomains.com.