Introduction and Special Request

[huntmstr]

Hello all,

I've been lurking around here for some time and have never posted or even bothered to join until recently. I've been turkey hunting since I was a kid and guiding since 1992. I started making calls in 1994 and have been all over the US chasing turkeys and collecting slams. I live in Florida and am very active in youth hunter education, hunter's rights and access to public lands lobbying, and I hold several advisory positions with our state game & fish agency. In a nutshell, I'm pretty darn busy working to keep our hunting heritage alive and trying to make it better.

One of my biggest annual projects is a youth day I call  The Florida Youth Outdoor Experience (FYOE). It's a free event where kids and their families can come and learn about all manner of outdoor activities from fishing to various types of hunting, shooting sports and all sorts of passive activities as well. We feed everyone and any money raised that does not go into paying for the event is donated back to the youth camp for renovations and maintenance. The camp is over 60 years old and keeping it in great shape is a never ending job.

Now I know asking for something on a first post is kind of a jerk move, but this opportunity just fell in my lap yesterday... so here it is.

The FYOE is taking place this Saturday and just last night, NWTF 2013 Head to Head Grand National Champ, Scott Ellis, called me and donated one of his signed crystal call pots (1 of 300 made) for a special raffle to help raise money for the camp. If anyone is interested in purchasing raffle tickets, see the ad below.

The link to donate is
http://2014_fyoe.eventzilla.net


Thanks for reading this post and look forward to lurking and reading more of the great stories and information you all share.

God Bless,

Chuck Echenique

[turkeykiller22]

Chuck,

Sounds like you are doing what you love. It is great to see people in the industry care so much about introducing youth to the outdoors. Keep up the good work man!

-Drew Able

[mikejd]

Hntmaster welcome aboard.

And what you do is a great service to our sport and heritage.
thank you.

I will gladly buy some raffle tickets. Very cool of scott Ellis to reach out
to you.


Mike

[huntmstr]

Truth be told, Scott and I are old friends. We duck hunt together and, if time permits, try and get out to turkey hunt every now and again. Scott is also participating with his cousin and they are putting on the turkey hunting seminar portion of the day's event. I know you guys know him as a world class turkey hunter, but he;s pretty good on the ducks too.

[huntmstr]

Here's a few more just for fun. 

[SCGobbler]

Awesome work there Chuck!  and welcome!

[Old Gobbler]

Sticky -- 

[Snoodsniper]

Wow...sold out quick just tried to purchase tickets. All gone?

[huntmstr]

That was a computer error. It's back up and running. Please go back and try to make your purchase. I promise you it's not sold out.

[Snoodsniper]

Ordered.. thanks!

[huntmstr]

Thank you David!!

[huntmstr]

Big thank you to those that donated and supported the event through raffle purchase. In all we had 548 register and 473 check in for a day filled with fun, learning, food and prizes.


The call was won by a young man at the event who purchased one ticket for $5 (his grandma bought it without him knowing it was a pay-to-play). His name is Colby and it was his 10th Birthday on Saturday.

When he got home, I was told that he told his grandpa, "You see this call grandpa? It's a champions call. It sure is nice. I bet you wish you had one like mine." I think the picture says it all.

Again, thanks to all of you! 

[Snoodsniper]

That's awesome! Glad to see it went to a kid. His mom will probably get tired of it real fast though.

[SCGobbler]

Those types of moments a kid will never forget!  That is awesome and thank you for your work!