W. O. W.
Wild Over Whitetails
Program Outline
The purpose of the program is to promote a respect of the outdoors and the creatures that live there and to further hunter education through a variety of age appropriate activities.
1.The program will start annually on the first Saturday in May.
2.There will be 4 age groups.
3. Each chapter will need to have 1 W.O.W. director. The charter W.O.W. coordinator will provide all necessary information and materials to each director. The director’s responsibility is to make the information known to chapter members and the collection of any materials the chapter coordinator may request. In addition to the scheduled W.O.W. events, chapters may hold their own W.O.W. functions. The charter does have activities available if desired.
4. Ideally, each chapter would need to have 4 group leaders-1 for each age group, 2 minimum with a combination of the 2 younger groups and the 2 older groups.
5. W.O.W. activities will be open to all youths regardless of A.W.A. affiliation.
W.O.W. is designed with the family in mind. It is not a babysitting service. The A.W.A. has prided itself on family participation and this is just an extension of that tradition.
W.O.W. Schedule of Events 2007
Saturday April 28, 2007 Natural Tunnel State Park Kick-Off
We will be supporting the Copper Ridge Chapter’s Kids Fishing Day. We will have the official kickoff with a pizza party starting at 4pm. We will have a W.O.W. representative there at the beginning of the fishing so let us know if your child will be participating in W.O.W. so we can make note of their progress that day for their fishing badge and possible awards.
Saturday May 5, 2007 Phipps Bend Antler Shed Find
We will be visiting Phipps Bend to look for Atler Sheds. We will also use the hike to discuss wildlife and plantlife. Bring a bag lunch. (Meet and leave by 10am)
Saturday June 2, 2007 Bays Mountain Park
We will be doing a nature hike, a wild bird presentation, and a deer presentation. Bring a bag lunch. 10am-2pm.
Saturday July 22 & Sunday July 23 Chuck Swann
This will be the official camping/fishing trip of W.O.W. We are tying it in with the 4-wheel weekend to increase participation. We will provide activities for the kids all day and into the night. It will be a great time for everyone!
Saturday August 4, 2007 Cades Cove
We will be giving each child a disposable camera to take pictures of all the wildlife they are sure to see on this drive. Bring a bag lunch. (Meet and leave by 9am). We will also pay a visit to Bass Pro Shops after the Cades Cove visit.
Saturday September 8, 2007
We will be participating in the 2nd Annual Sportsman’s Classic. The kids will have a chance at the BB Gun Shoot and the archery shoot. The W.O.W. banquet and graduation ceremony will end the day.
W.O.W Awards
The children will receive a name badge upon registering for W.O.W. For each event they participate in, they will have an opportunity to earn a “badge”. At the end of the end of the program, awards will be given for different “badge” opportunities. Listed below are the “badges” to be earned.
Fishing badge Archery badge Wildlife badge Safety Badge
Camping badge Gun badge Plantlife badge Conservation Badge
For the Fawns (4-6) we will be having a coloring contest. The contest picture will be given in the sign up package and will be judged at the sportsman’s classic.
For the Spikes (7-9) we will be having an art contest. The picture is to be done after the August 4 trip and to be turned in by August 30. The theme of the picture is “My Favorite W.O.W. Memory”.
For the Fork Horns (10-12) and the 8 pointers (13-16) we will be having an essay contest. For the Fork Horns, the essay must be at least 200 words and the topic will be “My Favorite W.O.W. Memory”. For the 8 pointers, the essay must be at least 500 words and the choice of topics are: “How I Can Help Wildlife”, “What I Have Learned from W.O.W”, and “What the Whitetail Means to Me”. 8 pointes may also choose to write original story or poem based on a picture they took on the Cades Cove trip.
The coloring contest, art contest, and essay contest entries will be on display at the sportsman’s classic at the W.O.W. booth. The winners will be announced on Saturday Septemember 8.
Any Fork Horn or 8 pointer that has participated in spring hunts for 2007 will need to apprise the W.O.W. committee of their success so they can be recognized at the banquet. 2007 fall hunts and 2008 spring hunts will be recognized at the 2008 banquet.
We are hoping to turn out a calendar from pictures taken at W.O.W. events. The calendar will be sold to benefit future W.O.W. events.
The Appalachian Whitetail Association (AWA) in cooperation with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) will be beginning a new Hunter Mentor program starting in Upper East Tennessee in the fall of each year. This program is especially designed for eligible Young Sportsman who are ages 10 to 16 and who have successfully completed a Hunter Education Course.
Young Sportsman who are interested in furthering their skills as a hunter and who want to participate in an actual deer hunt may do so in this program. If you do not come from a hunting background and/or do not know or have someone that can take you hunting this program may give you this chance.
Young Sportsman will be teamed up with 2 experienced adult hunters who are members of the Appalachian Whitetail Association and they will take you hunting. If desired, one of these adults can be a non-hunting relative of yours ( Mom, Dad, Uncle, Etc.) . This hunt will be planned well in advance. This will give the Young Sportsman and the Hunter Mentors and their families time to meet and get to know one another. In addition some of the activities before the actual hunt will include but not limited to; Deciding on a place to hunt, gaining permission to hunt, scouting for Deer sign, time spent at the firing range to get familiar with the firearm, Bow, or muzzleloader that the young sportsman will use and to build marksmanship skills.
Those wishing to participate will do so by filling out an application and submitting it to the Appalachian Whitetail Association. Click here for application.
Those who need to complete a hunter education class can contact the Region IV TWRA office to find out when the next class is scheduled in your area. If you need more information on the Hunter Mentor Program and want to be placed on a contact list, call the TWRA at 1-800-332-0900 and ask for officer Allen Ricks.
The Appalachian Whitetail Association can be contacted by writing to:
Appalachian Whitetail Association
PO Box 7314
Kingsport, TN 37664
E-mail mentor@appalachianwhitetail.com
Mentoring Program Pays Big Dividends
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