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Eastern Sports And Outdoor Show Presents Conservation Awards To Individuals, Programs
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Organizers of the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show this week recognized the conservation achievements of Frank Piper, Delmont, Pa, the PA Hunters Sharing the Harvest Program and the Game Commission Youth Mentor Program as part of their week long exhibition. Frank Piper, Delmont, Pa, was posthumously awarded the 2010 Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Achievement Award for Conservation.
Piper was a pioneer/innovator who changed not only the turkey call business, but the manufacturing process as well. Working with wood and a variety of other mediums Piper’s company, Penns Woods Products, was ahead of its time in how they perceived the business, and the hunter.
Under Piper’s guidance, Penns Woods not only manufactured products but worked to educate the sportsman was well. When the "secrets" of turkey hunting were still being cloaked in mystery by many it was Piper and Penns Woods who worked to educate the ever-growing number of turkey hunters and provide them with the knowledge to make them better hunters.
In addition to developing and selling their innovative products, Piper and Penns Woods were doing their part to help grow and support outdoor sports by conducting turkey-hunting seminars and supporting conservation organizations and their projects with time and resources to move the conservation message forward.
As a result, nearly every turkey hunter today carries with them a piece of Piper’s dedication to the outdoors--from innovative calls and manufacturing processes to providing the early building blocks of wild turkey conservation.
“It’s interesting how a group of individuals or even one person can touch one’s life. Sometimes the exposure is low key but to the point. On the other hand, even the simplest of actions can span generations. That was the case of Frank Piper,” wrote Charlie Burchfield, Gateway Outdoors, after Piper’s death.
The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Outdoor Achievement Award for Conservation is presented annually to an individual or organization in recognition of their demonstrated commitment to protecting and improving our outdoor resources and animal habitats.
PA Hunters Sharing the Harvest Program Humanitarian Award
PA Hunters Sharing the Harvest Program has received the 2010 Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Humanitarian Award for their efforts to help feed hungry people across Pennsylvania.
Since 1991 the Hunter’s Sharing the Harvest venison donation program, has coordinated the processing and distribution of donated wild game from hunters and municipal herd reduction sources to hungry people throughout Pennsylvania.
An average-sized deer will provide enough highly-nutritious, low-cholesterol meat for 200 meals. This sportsmen-inspired community service outreach effectively channels this wholesome venison product via an integrated network of approved deer processors and food banks down to the most local charitable provider organizations in urban and rural communities. HSH has evolved as an accepted partner with deer management practices throughout the Commonwealth.
The program’s yearly deer season accomplishments are based on the cooperation of a dedicated volunteer county coordinator base, board of directors, legislators, state and local agencies, in concert with the media. All these components work together with a common mission to maximize the best utilization of a valuable wildlife resource to help others needing food assistance.
The HSH program has developed into the preferred, nationally recognized model many other states have now replicated.
For more information, visit the Sharing The Harvest websiteor call toll-free: 866-474-2141.
The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Humanitarian Award is presented annually to an individual or organization in recognition of their demonstrated commitment to using their knowledge of the outdoors and outdoor sports to improve and support their community.
Game Commission Youth Mentor Award
The Game Commission has received the 2010 Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Youth Mentor Award for its efforts in promoting the outdoors and outdoor sports to youth.
The future of hunting and trapping depends on the ability to encourage the next generation to get outdoors. Over the years, this has been a challenge for a number of wildlife agencies, which led to a national movement dubbed “Families Afield.” The first success of this nationwide campaign was the General Assembly’s enactment of House Bill 1690 (B.Smith-R-York) Act 86 of 2005, granting the Game Commission the authority to create a “Mentored Youth Hunting Program.”
With this new authority, the Game Commission quickly took action to establish a program that has been well received – by the youth, as well as the adult mentors – and has given new hope to the Commonwealth’s efforts to preserve and promote its rich hunting and trapping heritage.
Under the program, those under the age of 12 now may hunt under the supervisor of an adult mentor, at least 21 years of age and properly licensed, for groundhogs, coyotes, squirrels, spring gobbler and antlered deer.
Presently, the Game Commission is supporting legislation to enable adult mentors to transfer an antlerless deer license to a mentored youth, thereby broadening the list of eligible species that mentored youth may hunt.
Safety continues to be first and foremost in mind, as the Game Commission stipulated that only one youth may be mentored by an adult on any one hunting trip; that there may only be one sporting arm for the pair; that the sporting arm must be carried by the adult mentor; that the sporting arm may only be placed in the hands of the youth once the pair are in a stationary hunting spot; and that the adult mentor must be within arms length of the youth at all times when the youth is in possession of the sporting arm.
According to the Game Commission’s 2008-09 Game Take Survey, 71,232 youth were mentored by 59,397 adults. Additionally, 11,675 youth harvested 24,067 woodchucks during 41,822 days hunting; 32,369 youth harvested 60,703 squirrels during 82,806 days hunting; 39,831 youth harvested 6,763 antlered deer during 93,270 days hunting; 15,172 youth harvested 3,606 spring gobblers during 30,523 days hunting; and 2,677 youth harvested 833 coyotes during 11,291 days hunting.
The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show Outdoor Youth Mentor Award is presented annually to an individual or organization in recognition of their demonstrated commitment to using their knowledge of the outdoors and outdoor sports to educate and help young people.
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2/12/2010 |
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