At its meeting in Crystal River, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) presented Lex Thompson of Tallahassee with the 2011 Landowner of the Year
award for its Youth Hunting Program – a program aimed at providing quality hunting experiences for 12- to 17-year-olds to increase the number of youths involved in the tradition of hunting.
Thompson and members of the Gator Hammock Hunt Club in Wakulla County on the St. Marks River have provided the opportunity for FWC youth hunts for deer, wild hog and turkey on the property for the past four years, providing 10 hunts to 50 youth, and he already has three hunts scheduled for next season.
Thompson and members of his hunt club really enjoy giving opportunities to youth on their 3,000-acre Gator Hammock Hunt Club for the pure pleasure of seeing the kids’ smiling faces after their first hunt and harvest.
“Thank you for getting the next generation in the woods,” said Chairman Kathy Barco. “Landowners like you, who give time and resources to create these opportunities for our youth, are appreciated.”
“The property is really first-class and known for holding large populations of quality game, and it offers such amenities as lodging, a gun range, cleaning shed and comfortable shooting stands,” Youth Hunting Program Coordinator Kenny Barker said.
“Mr. Thompson and his hunt club members work extremely hard, acting as guides, cooks and, more importantly, mentors, to ensure the kids and their parents enjoy an experience they’ll not soon forget,” Barker said. “These guys are just really passionate about Florida’s great hunting heritage and do their very best to make sure that it’s passed down to the next generation.”
To find out how you can become a volunteer landowner or to learn more about Florida’s Youth Hunting Program, go to MyFWC.com/YHPF.