The 2007 turkey season is just around the corner and there is no better way to kick off the season than attending the local Pearl River County Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s banquet and auction. The banquet is scheduled for this Saturday night starting at 6:00 at Pearl River Community College Cafeteria in Poplarville.

I have the opportunity to attend several types of dinners and banquets through the year, but I always look forward to working with Dent Mikell, chapter president, and other dedicated board members at this banquet.

This banquet is structured to be a family affair.

One of the great actions of this chapter is giving every youth under 17 years old a free Jakes membership and a free dinner. With this membership given, the NWTF chapter knows that they are building the future of turkey conservation. Each of the youth signed up for jakes will have a chance to win door prizes and will be looking forward to a year of Jakes magazines and invitations to Jakes events designed especially for them.

This year will be a special banquet and if you have never taken the opportunity to attend this banquet, this is the year to come. Because of your support and the hard work of the banquet committee, the package for the banquet includes 13 guns, numerous paintings, prints, sculptures, jewelry and specialty items available only at NWTF banquets, but the items that are available to buy or win is not the reason this is a special banquet.

Each year the NWTF hold a special drawing for a state hunt of a lifetime and a national drawing for the hunt of a lifetime. This past year, the Pearl River County Chapter was honored to have the National Hunt of Lifetime drawn form its banquet attendees. Board members Buster Smith and Danny Pertuit made the trip to the presentation ceremony in Hattiesburg when the young man found out for the first time. The winner is actually from Hancock County and was visiting the Pearl River County Banquet when he entered and won. Here is a little mystery for you, come to the banquet and learn who the national winner is.

The other reason to attend is to meet two local young folks that were able to participate in the Wheelin’ Sportsmen Celebrity Team-up Youth Deer Hunt at Bass Pro Shop in Pearl Ms. this past season. Casey Ladner and Lane Balch both took their first deer on the hunt and are scheduled to attend the banquet. I look forward to seeing these two young men again, and I am sure that you will love hearing their stories.

With great food, steak and shrimp, the live auction, silent auction and numerous chances to win great prizes it is a must go to event.

This will be a great time for you and your family and a chance to show your young folks how to give back to the outdoors they enjoy to ensure habitat for the future. Make plans to attend this Saturday night, 6:00pm at the Pearl River Community College Cafeteria, I look forward to seeing you there.

And as always, get outdoors and enjoy what God has given us.