EL DORADO, Kan. — At 14, Jarod Ford has enjoyed a good bit of hunting experience. From wing shooting ducks and geese in the fall to chasing turkeys in the spring, his library of experience is varied and growing. Getting connected to the Kansas One Shot Turkey Hunt through OutdoorMentors.org proved to enrich his experience even more. OutdoorMentors.org is an organization dedicated to helping youngsters learn to hunt and fish. Involving its participants was a natural for the Kansas One Shot Turkey Hunt.
Hunt organizers went through the mentoring group to select youngsters from five different regions in Kansas, plus a randomly-chosen youth competitor in a national turkey calling contest. Sponsors then gifted each with a full set of TrueTimber camouflage, a Tri-Star shotgun, a lifetime Kansas hunting and fishing license and more, then brought them to El Dorado for the three-day turkey hunting event. Ford connected with his Kansas longbeard in a textbook off-the-roost hunt that was quick, but meaningful nonetheless.
“It was great,” Jarod said. “I can’t wait to go again.”