A Groundbreaking Year · Open 500,000 additional acres to public hunting. Because lack of access to...

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NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION 2014 Annual Report YEAR A Groundbreaking

Transcript of A Groundbreaking Year · Open 500,000 additional acres to public hunting. Because lack of access to...

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N A T I O N A L W I L D T U R K E Y F E D E R A T I O N

2 0 1 4Annual Report

YearA

Groundbreaking

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This summer, the NWTF senior management team spent three days together investing in a strategic planning discussion about the future of the NWTF. It was truly a productive meeting. Successful strategy implementation depends on education, adoption and implementation by the entire organization — from every department at headquarters to field staff and volunteers. We came away from the meeting with a clearer outlook and actionable items that we will tackle as we move to successfully deliver Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.

our valuesThe NWTF remains committed to faith, family and country.

We advocate holding ourselves to, and being representatives of, a conservation ethic of the highest standards. We owe that to the resource. If we are to succeed at an aggressive undertaking like Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt., it will require the best from every member of our team. Collaboration also is critically important, and we encourage it among our employees. We will see to it that the NWTF community is one that reflects high trust and mutual respect as well as fosters organizational and personal integrity from staff and volunteers.

our business planOver the coming year we will embark on the development

of a multi-year organizational business plan that will align our resources so we successfully and efficiently deliver on our mission. It will be the foundation upon which we manage the organization — from budgeting to branding, fundraising to mission delivery. It is critical to our sustainable success over the next 10 years.

our futureWe identified the need and opportunity for considerable

growth across the organization. Growth for the sake of the mission. Growth for the things we have committed to delivering — the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of our

hunting heritage. Four million acres of habitat. One and a half million hunters. An additional half million acres of places to hunt.

our financial successThe NWTF will have strong, balanced and

diverse revenue streams, which will provide us stability. The primary contributors will be the event system, development and conservation programs. In addition, our non-event membership programs and marketing efforts will make increased revenue contributions and aid in the organization’s interdependent stability. We will be well on our way to complete financial security with an endowment that is integral to our long-term mission delivery. This fund will be a result of planned giving efforts within the development department.

our influenceOur market penetration will get stronger as our membership

base grows. Just as important as the size is the diversity of that base. Our organization will grow conservation leaders and serve as the go-to source for new hunters entering the sport through traditional and nontraditional channels.

We will expand our ability to deliver excellent upland conservation work by focusing on key areas across the country. We will leverage and expand our prominent position as a lead organization when it comes to working forests. National partnerships will remain strong, while state partnerships are elevated to a higher level through our focused approach. Both will be enhanced through the development and expansion of new partnerships, including those in the forestry products industry.

The NWTF will successfully evolve its Hunting Heritage Programs to deliver on our Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. objectives. Our Palmetto Shooting Complex and outdoor

education center will serve as the flagship representation of the NWTF’s strong position. The diversity of our membership moving forward will be a direct result of our commitment to strengthening our position as the place people go to learn turkey hunting as well as other hunting pursuits, habitat management and related outdoor skills.

our next stepsEven before we begin planning and better

aligning our organization, we can set the stage for success. It starts with our culture — focusing on our organizational values and our mission. It’s time to build a culture where people naturally feel committed to support the NWTF and its mission, financially and otherwise, at increasingly higher levels.

We will invest in staff and volunteer education and training, where the mission is our focus and everyone has an opportunity to be more connected with it.

It will mean more to be an NWTF member. The organization’s commitment to its mission and the improved communication of our accomplishments will help every member know why they’re here and feel compelled to stick around.

Thanks to each of you for your part in our success moving forward. Delivering on Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. has a chance to be the most fun we have ever had doing hard, worthwhile work. We’re glad to be in it with each of you.

// George Thornton, NWTF CEO

// Vern Ross, NWTF President

Our future starts now

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Net Revenue $ 64,728,586 $ 63,388,814Net Expenses $62,946,798 $ 62,302,248Increase (decrease) in fund balance $ 1,781,788 $ 1,086,566

income statement hiGhliGhts 2013 2014

balance sheet hiGhliGhts 2013 2014

For every dollar raised, 91 cents goes to mission delivery.Since 1985, NWTF volunteers and partners raised and spent more than $488 million. Through the Hunting

Heritage Super Fund and Outreach Fund, this year alone, nearly $4.1 million went toward our mission of conserving upland habitat and preserving our hunting heritage.

2014 EXPENSESEducation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 .4%

Membership activities . . . . . . . 6 .0%

Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 .5%

Conservation activities . . . . . 26 .1%

Program services . . . . . . . . . . 53 .0%

Cash and cash equivalents $ 17,104,450 $ 8,317,619 Fund balance $ 23,909,803 $ 24,996,369

2014 REVENUE Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 .0%

Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . 3 .1%

Membership dues . . . . . . . 17 .5%

Mission delivery . . . . . . . . 21 .4%

Program services . . . . . . . . 56 .0%

Go to www .nwtf .org for complete financial information.

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Where We’ve beenWhen the NWTF was founded in 1973, there were about

1.5 million wild turkeys in North America. After decades of dedicated work, that number soared to almost 7 million turkeys. The foundation of our success? Strong partnerships and standing behind science-based conservation and hunters’ rights.

todaY’s missionOur mission is no less urgent today than it was in 1973. What

we do in the coming decades will be instrumental in not only enhancing wild turkey populations but also in the continuation of hunting and quality habitat for countless species.

We’re losing 6,000 acres of habitat every day. Hunters fund conservation, but less than 10 percent of Americans hunt, so our funding source is going away. The NWTF is leading a collaborative effort to solve these problems with our Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative, and our contribution is our dynamic volunteer base.

our futureSave the Habitat. Save the Hunt. is a 10-year initiative to:Conserve or enhance 4 million acres of upland habitat.

We’re bringing focus to our conservation delivery by identifying

areas of habitat that provide the most positive impact for wildlife.Create 1.5 million hunters. We’re securing the future

of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation by increasing the number of hunters, who pay for a significant portion of wildlife conservation through license sales and excise taxes on guns, ammunition and more.

Open 500,000 additional acres to public hunting. Because lack of access to hunting lands is a main reason people stop hunting, we’re ensuring there’s opportunity for everyone to find a place to go.

Laying the groundwork for the next decade

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nWtF expands reach oF save the habitat. save the hunt. With historic mou

Four of the nation’s largest wild bird conservation organizations have joined forces to ensure that habitat conservation and our shared hunting heritage remain strong for generations to come. The NWTF, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) this year with the goal of furthering sporting traditions across North America.

The goals of the partnership will be achieved through the support of an engaged and growing community of sportsmen and women and other outdoor enthusiasts, including the members and supporters of the partner organizations, who all share similar visions.

“We have major challenges facing wildlife conservation and hunting,” said NWTF CEO George Thornton. “We know we can’t solve this alone. It’s bigger than one organization.”

This historic partnership takes cooperation to an entirely new level, proving that conservation organizations aren’t always competitors. Rather, this MOU shows how separate organizations can come together to achieve common goals.

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The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is the foundation for the United States and Canada’s wildlife conservation practices. We can thank the Supreme Court justices of 1842 who decreed in Martin v. Waddell that wildlife resources are owned by no one person, but held in trust by the government for the benefit of all people. This public

trust doctrine came at a time in our country’s history when the Industrial Revolution, westward movement and ensuing population growth took gross advantage of natural resources and drove some species to near extinction.

“To me, the model represents the triumph of the common man for the common good, much like the popular uprising

that resulted in the American Revolution,” said Tom Hughes, NWTF assistant vice president for conservation programs. “Our forefathers, as hunters/conservationists, recognized how badly our habitat and wildlife resources had been abused and worked together to enact change. The model they produced worked, and it still works.”

Our foundation for Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.

Since I announced I was joining the NWTF, I have had many friends and colleagues ask me why I made the move. The answer is plain to me.

It is a sense of inclusion that brought me to the NWTF. Our mission includes both habitat conservation and hunting conservation.

It includes both wildlife and people’s use and enjoyment of wildlife.

We are a group that reaches out to include new hunters — female and male, old and young, able-bodied and those with challenges.

We look for ways to bring in individuals who did not grow up hunting.

And we include our partners.Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. is much more than

an initiative. It is an ideology that drives our work, our partnerships and our policy. I am proud to be part of this inclusive effort along with the dedicated professionals and volunteers who will continue to help us succeed in saving what matters most to us. — Becky Humphries

Becky Humphries joined the flock this year as NWTF Chief Conservation Officer. A respected expert in wildlife and habitat conservation, she oversees the NWTF’s conservation efforts, its expanding team of wildlife biologists and our Hunting Heritage Programs. She’ll also play a leadership role in the establishment of the NWTF Hunting Heritage Center.

An inclusive mission is the cornerstone of our success

Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. is much more than an initiative. It is an ideology that drives our work, our partnerships and our policy.

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the north american model oF WildliFe conservation

The seven pillars of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation have kept us on course in the last century when it comes to wildlife and hunting. 1. In North America, natural resources are managed

by government agencies to ensure we always have wildlife and wild places to enjoy.

2. Because we all own wildlife, it is illegal in North America to sell the meat of any wild animal. In some cases, the hides, teeth, antlers and horns of game animals and the hides and meat of a select few furbearers may be sold.

3. Every citizen of the United States and Canada has the right to help create laws to conserve and manage wild animals and their habitats.

4. Every citizen has an opportunity, under the law, to hunt and fish in the United States and Canada.

5. In North America, we can kill certain wild animals under strict guidelines for food and fur, self-defense and to protect property.

6. Wildlife and fish migrate freely across boundaries between states, provinces and countries.

7. Science helps us make good decisions and become better stewards of wildlife.

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Most experts agree that within the next 50 years we will see shortages of food, energy and clean water on our planet. As the world’s population increases, we will have to become much better at sustainable management of our country’s landscapes to provide the goods and services we need and desire from our lands. Coupled with these overarching goals, we also need to recognize and respect that much of our working land base in the United States is privately owned.

How do we promote sustainable, working lands? Through a common vision, mutual respect and open dialogue.

Watching Congress wrestle with trying to pass a new Farm Bill this year reinforced a few lessons.

The United States is becoming more urban every day, and with it the majority of members of Congress will represent urban, rather than more rural, districts.

Historically, the Farm Bill has tied agricultural programs, conservation programs and nutritional programs into one large package, bringing together members of Congress from urban and rural districts to help pass this huge, bipartisan bill. This year, we saw congress separate nutrition programs from

agriculture and conservation programs to reach an agreement.Conservation groups and agricultural groups worked

together to help members of Congress filter through the many voices speaking out on Farm Bill legislation and identify the most important ones. While we have tried to do this in the past, and tried again this year, we must get better at working together and working out our differences.

We have a lot in common as stewards of the land. We also have a lot to learn from one another to produce food, fiber and energy, keep our water clean, and maintain habitat for healthy wildlife.

Working landscapes, common ground

More than two dozen Eastern wild turkeys from Tennessee and Missouri call the Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area home, thanks to the efforts of the NWTF and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The turkeys were captured in early February and transported to a TPWD facility in Tyler, where they were inspected, tagged with metal leg bracelets and fitted with GPS tracking devices. The transplanted turkeys traveled an hour to the Gus Engeling WMA and were released into the wild as part of a “super stocking” initiative to restore the bird to its historic range in East Texas.

“The birds were essentially wiped out by subsistence and market hunting along with extensive habitat loss in the later parts of the 19th century,” said Jason Hardin, TPWD upland game bird specialist. “But with the help of the NWTF, we’ve restored the birds across the country. Although more than 50 counties in East Texas were stocked during the 1980s and 1990s, only 28 counties are open for turkey hunting today.

So we started looking at why we were not as successful as other states at keeping the Eastern wild turkey population flourishing in its historic range.”

The NWTF Texas Chapter plays a significant role in transferring the birds. Helping pay for gas and plane tickets has been a real boost, Hardin said. “We couldn’t do what we do without NWTF volunteers and employees. This is all part of the NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative. Hopefully, one of these days Texas will have enough birds that we won’t need to rely on other states for our Eastern wild turkey restoration efforts.”

Wild turkey “super stocking” project under way in East Texas

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nWtF applauds the neW Farm bill

After years of work since the Farm Bill of 2008 expired, in February, President Obama signed a comprehensive bill that includes strong provisions for conservation and sportsmen.

The Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act, or 2014 Farm Bill, includes key conservation components that benefit the country’s wildlife and natural resources, and our sporting heritage. Important provisions of the Conservation Title include:

• tying crop insurance to conservation compliance• extending stewardship contracting• enhancing forestry provisions that strengthen forest

management across the United States• providing mandatory funding for voluntary hunter

access programs“We are extremely pleased with the Conservation Title

in this Farm Bill,” said NWTF Chief Conservation Officer Becky Humphries. “It consolidates and simplifies programs, is more streamlined, but provides key provisions for quality conservation.”

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Traditionally, hunters have been Caucasian, rural, with two-parent families. The national hunting base today is aging and hunters are overwhelmingly male, outnumbering women 9 to 1, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

But times are a-changing.2012 United States Census projections indicate the U.S.

population will be considerably older and more racially and ethnically diverse by 2060. Research shows that these minorities now comprise 6 to 8 percent of all hunting populations.

Federal and state agencies and other organizations are devoting time and money to address the steady decline of licensed hunters.

For many years, hunter recruitment efforts across the country focused on youth. It is important to include youth as part of the equation, but research shows these programs are only marginally successful at producing new license buyers, because most participants come from families who actively hunt, shoot and fish.

If we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we will have the same results — declining hunter numbers.

Expanding our reach to create hunters

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WOMEN IN THE OUTDOORS • Bass pro shops • Browning • daisy outdoor products • federal premium ammunition • mossy oak • o.f. mossberg & sons, inc. • realtree outdoor products, inc. • remington arms co., inc. • winchester division/olin corp. WHEELIN’ SPORTSMEN • american electric power • Bass pro shops • Browning • daisy outdoor products • disabled american Veterans • fQs Bear equipment, inc. • mossy oak • o.f. mossberg & sons, inc. • realtree outdoor products, inc. • remington arms co., inc. • usda forest service • winchester division/olin corp. JAKES • academy sports + outdoors • Bass pro shops • Benelli • Browning • camp-younts foundation • daisy outdoor products • l.l. Bean, inc. • marlin firearms co. and H&r 1871, llc • midwayusa • mossy oak • o.f. mossberg & sons, inc. • realtree outdoor products, inc.• remington arms co., inc. • usda forest service • winchester division/olin corp.

<2014 HUNTING HERITAGE PROGRAM SPONSORS>

We are about two years into the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative, and our Hunting Heritage Programs team has put into play many strategies to help NWTF volunteers create 1.5 million hunters over the next decade.

One of those strategies is to identify, train and empower a volunteer Save the Hunt coordinator in each state. We already have 37 in place who will serve as liaison between the state and NWTF headquarters on behalf of our Hunting Heritage Programs — Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin’ Sportsmen and JAKES.

Many NWTF chapters have begun the process by

restructuring current event models to inspire would-be hunters and create new ones. Hunter creation is not a new concept to most of our chapters, but we are embarking on a concerted effort to make the most of our resources to achieve a common goal.

With about half of NWTF chapters hosting Hunting Heritage events, it is an opportunity for growth. State Save the Hunt coordinators will be there to assist chapters that want to get started, as well as provide guidance to those that are already active but

need help better aligning their current activity with the initiative. The job of the coordinator is to teach and implement this simple event strategy: introduction, education, engagement and experience, with the goal to create lifelong hunters and hunting advocates. These coordinators also work diligently with state agencies, so we can maximize efforts together. — Mandy Harling, NWTF Hunting Heritage Programs manager

Proud sponsor of the NWTF Hunting Heritage Program’s state Save the Hunt coordinators

state save the hunt coordinators selection underWay

// Mandy Harling

alabama department of conservation & natural resources • arkansas Game & fish commission • california department of fish & Game • connecticut department of environmental protection • florida fish & wildlife conservation commission • Georgia wildlife resources division • illinois department of natural resources • indiana department of natural resources • kansas department of wildlife & parks • kentucky department of fish & wildlife resources • louisiana department of wildlife & fisheries • minnesota department of natural resources • mississippi department of wildlife, fisheries & parks • nebraska Game & parks commission • ohio division of wildlife • oklahoma department of wildlife conservation • pennsylvania Game commission • south carolina department of natural resources • south carolina forestry commission • tennessee wildlife resources agency • texas parks & wildlife department • Vermont department of fish & wildlife • Virginia department of Game & inland fisheries • west Virginia division of natural resources • wisconsin department of natural resources • wyoming Game & fish commission

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Representatives from state wildlife agencies gathered with NWTF staff and volunteers for a weekend of training and collaboration aimed at solving the biggest problem facing both conservation and hunting industries — lack of hunter recruitment and retention. The NWTF is the first nonprofit organization to unite state and federal wildlife agencies with a dynamic volunteer base and form a solid foundation to solve the challenges facing North America’s sportsmen.

The innovative meeting was held in Augusta, Georgia, and at NWTF headquarters in Edgefield, South Carolina.

“The information learned from the weekend is perhaps the most important step in continuing our Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative,” said NWTF CEO George Thornton. “The NWTF is committed to creating 1.5 million hunters, because our hunting heritage and the future of our wildlife depend on it.”

Matt Dunfee, program manager for the Wildlife Management Institute, gave a presentation on hunter recruitment, retention and reengagement as well as the Hunter Adoption Model. During breakout sessions, event attendees evaluated their state’s programs to determine where they fell within the model and how effective

the programs truly are at creating hunters.“For years, hunter recruitment has been focused only on

youth, but we are trying to change that,” said Jay Johnson, hunter recruitment and retention coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Along with several other states, we are piloting efforts targeting new-to-hunting adults who have the motivation, means and decision-making ability to not only try but continue hunting if properly introduced and supported.”

NWTF hosts groundbreaking meeting to increase hunting participation

— John Frampton, president and CEO of the Council to Advance

Hunting and the Shooting Sports

We were thrilled to be an integral part of such a cutting-edge workshop. The NWTF is a leading organization in recruitment, retention and reengagement, and we’re pleased to partner with them to help ensure active participation in hunting and the shooting sports for future generations.

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The illinois state chapter supports the Illinois Resource Access Program, which opens hunting access on private lands. Volunteers are planting sunflowers on 10-acre private land plots and, in return, hosting youth and adults on their first dove hunt.

Supported by major funding from the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative, the NWTF worked with the arizona game and Fish department and other partners to purchase rights of way totaling 3⁄8 mile across two private properties to provide permanent access to 18,500 acres of Arizona State Trust Lands and the Coronado National Forest.

The Kansas state chapter has provided financial support for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Park and Tourism’s Spring Walk-In Hunting Area program since 2006, provided more than $48,000 to help open nearly 55,000 acres.

NWTF has partnered with the texas parks and Wildlife department to expand landowner participation in the Private Lands, Public Hunting program. By hiring a private lands leasing biologist, the NWTF has increased landowner participation in the program by over 9,000 acres since 2013.

Sustainable wildlife habitat. Our hunting heritage. One cannot exist without the other. Budgets for state wildlife agencies drive the research and work

that restores essential habitat for game and nongame species. Hunters pay for 80 percent of that budget from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and a voluntary federal excise tax on the sale of sporting arms and ammunition. If we lose hunters, we will lose the funding base to save the habitat.

Here’s the challenge: Many hunters struggle to find places to hunt. And lack of access is a top reason why hunters drop out of the activity.

If we don’t have hunting access, we lose hunters and ultimately wildlife.

Providing greater land access is one of the NWTF’s main objectives of the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative — to the tune of 500,000 additional acres for public hunting in the next decade. Hunting lands can be made more accessible by securing

access to rights of way across private lands to existing public lands, fee-title purchases of private lands from willing sellers or support of state programs that provide access to private lands.

“Our objectives in doing this access work are extremely important, not only for access but for the whole initiative,” said Joel Pedersen, NWTF director of lands and policy. “Access is a critical component and brings stability to the other two initiative objectives, much like the third leg of a stool.”

Access brings balance to Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.

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Together, we can save habitat. Together, we can save the hunt.

State Strategic Plans Progress planning in progress

plan in action

Gears are turning and plans are in motion. The NWTF knew from the start the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative would be a steep hill to climb. The climbing has begun, and the success stories are many.

This initiative is about conserving or enhancing land that is open and accessible for hunters to enjoy. Mark Hatfield, NWTF director of finance administration and certified wildlife biologist, strives toward this goal.

“We want to keep the uniqueness and identity of each state

while being proactive,” Hatfield said. “Each state is helping create a road map. We’re seeing different groups work together to reach a common goal.”

The initiative is also about creating hunters and introducing men, women and children to hunting and the shooting sports. That’s what motivates Dave Mahlke, NWTF senior vice president of operations and volunteer relations.

“Through the process, we learned we have a number of challenges that are the same across the country,” Mahlke said. “We have also discovered unique challenges and unique solutions.”

That’s where our state strategic plans come in. And they are working.

“While the overall goals of the Save the Habitat. Save the

Hunt. initiative are aggressive in national scope, we’re confident in achieving those goals, just as the NWTF has always achieved success — through the passion and efforts of our grassroots volunteers on the local and state levels,” Mahlke said.

save the habitatEverything is bigger in Texas. It holds true for the state

chapter’s monumental plans. They are opening up 30,000 acres for hunting each year and plan to score 100,000 in the next three. Super Fund money is paired with grant money to make this outstanding initiative possible.

Things are getting done in the Cumberland Plateau. Super Fund money, along with grant money from groups such as the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, is being put to work to restore over 15,000 acres in Kentucky and Tennessee.

save the hunt

For 15 years, Minnesota has hosted a massive youth turkey hunt where they mentor kids and their

parents. This event attracts 200 to 300 kids each year. “To see the joy in kids’ faces when they hear

their first gobble or bag their first bird makes it all worth it,” said NWTF Regional Director Tom Glines.

The Kansas First Upland Pioneers Chapter hosted its first Women in the Outdoors hunter creation event.

In a single day, participants took hunter education, purchased their first hunting licenses and took part in their first mentored dove hunt.

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Building a conservation legacy

Building a world-class educational facility does not come cheaply. But the NWTF’s grassroots members, banquet committees and chapter leaders will be comforted to know the entire project is being funded through partner contributions and direct donations.

“No Super Fund or chapter dollars are being used to build this facility,” said Tom Stuckey, NWTF senior vice president of development. “We are firmly committed to generating lasting

partners who have the same vision as we do about the importance of such a facility in furthering our Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative and its long-term benefits to conservation and our hunting heritage.”

Several supporters and partners have already stepped up in this first year of construction and program development. Many thanks to:

• South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

• John L. Morris of Bass Pro Shops• Colin Reed of Ryman

Entertainment• Cabela’s• Blue Ridge Knives• Bad Boy Buggies• Bayer Crop Science• Estate of Elliott Donnelley• Heath Davis Family• Promatic• Ken and Marcia Polhamus• USDA Forest Service

• John Cassimus• City of Edgefield

Funding a vision

There are an estimated 13.7 million hunters in the country who, through buying licenses, firearms and ammunition, contribute $38.3 million each year toward conservation and the economy. Pittman-Robertson funds are generated by an excise tax paid on firearms, ammunition, bows and arrows, and this tax revenue is returned to state wildlife agencies to pay for conservation efforts on many game species.

While the amount generated by hunters alone is staggering and takes on the burden of conservation funding, the more than 20 million recreational shooters in America contribute nearly $10 billion to conservation and economic growth, and without them, the success of conservation efforts would be deeply hampered.

“It’s becoming more popular knowledge that hunters play a huge and vital part in funding programs to conserve habitat and wildlife in the United States,” said NWTF CEO George Thornton. “But an unsung hero in conservation is the shooting sports community. These shooters may not even realize the impact they are making with every box of shotgun shells they buy, or every .22 bullet they send downrange. They’re

just having fun, but without their contributions, conservation programs would be in a sad state.”

That’s the “why” behind the NWTF Hunting Heritage Center and Palmetto Shooting Complex, located on the 700-acre Wild Turkey Center campus in Edgefield, South Carolina.

The vision has become closer to reality with each day this year. Soon the sounds of conservation will fill the air around Edgefield. But what’s important to remember, however, is those sounds will echo across the nation as our message of Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. becomes the beckon-call for hunters and shooters to work together for the future of hunting, wildlife and our chosen way of life.

John L. Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, stands behind his company’s long-standing partnership with the NWTF. Morris also is a valued donor to many NWTF special projects, including the Palmetto Shooting Complex.

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The NWTF Hunting Heritage Center encompasses the Palmetto Shooting Complex, Outdoor Education Center and Wild Turkey Center. It is a community aimed at building the future of hunting and wildlife conservation.

NWTF Hunting Heritage CenterPalmetto Shooting ComplexOutdoor Education CenterWild Turkey Center

Legend

OBSERVATIONPLOT #2

DOVEFIELD

RV CAMPING &CAMPSITES

AMPHITHEATER

POLLINATORAREA

BEGINNER ARCHERY& AIRGUNS

CHAIRMAN’SCABINS

OBSERVATIONPLOT #1

LAKEMORRIS

HISTORICRAILROAD BED

OBSERVATIONPLOT #3

SPORTING CLAYCOURSE #2

COURSE #3MULTIUSE

SPORTING CLAYCOURSE #1

ARCHERYCOURSE

SANCTIONEDARCHERY AREA

RIFLE / PISTOLRANGE

VEHICLE & TRAILERPARKING

VEHICLE & RV PARKING

ARCHERY CABIN

WELCOME SIGNENTRANCE

NWTF HEADQUARTERSENTRANCE

5 STAND

PAVILION

TRAP & SKEET

GAMEFIELD

MAINTENANCE /STORAGE BLDNG

PRACTICE RANGE

ROUND HOUSE

DOVEFIELD

DOVEFIELD

Sporting Clay Stations

Forestry Demo

5 Stand

Pollinator Area

Gravel Roads

Paved Roads

Forested Wetlands

Observation Plot

Pond

Oak Savanna

Long Leaf Pine Demo

Orchard

Dove Field

Food Plots

Pine Savanna

0

300’ 1200’Feet

1 Acre

10 Acres

600’

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Still under construction, the Palmetto Shooting Complex will offer sporting clays, skeet and trap, pistol and rifle ranges as well as beginner and advanced archery courses and other activities as it grows.

Spread out over 300 acres, three 18-station sporting clays courses, five trap and skeet fields, 5-stand, archery courses and pistol/rifle/3-gun ranges — all of which will be ADA compliant — will allow thousands of people to participate in plinking, fun shoots and tournaments, while learning about habitat management and the roles hunters and recreational shooters play in conservation.

“Each station on the sporting clays course will have a conservation theme,” said Scott Vance, NWTF assistant vice president for hunting heritage and executive director of the NWTF hunting heritage centers. “Stations may be planted in

native grasses, demonstrating ideal upland habitat, and the clays might be thrown to mimic flushing quail.” This type of theme continues throughout the three sporting clays courses, where each station is unique and demonstrates proper habitat to match the targets being thrown.

Outside of active shooting areas, the property will be intensively managed for bobwhite quail, wild turkeys and other game and nongame species.

“We will burn the pine savannas and warm-season grasses in winter and spring, plant year-long food plots and continue to actively manage our timber resources,” said Vance. “Not only are the shooters enjoying the sport they love but they also are learning about conservation, habitat, wildlife and their contributions to it all.”

< n W t f h u n t i n g h e r i tA g e C e n t e r >

Aiming for conservation

The Roundhouse is the crown jewel of the Palmetto Shooting Complex. It’s modeled after the famous USAMU Patton Roundhouse and will have a pro shop, beverage service and meeting space.

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“Education is key to the success of the Hunting Heritage Center,” said NWTF CEO George Thornton. “Not only educating young shooters on firearm, hunting, treestand or bow safety, which will be a big component of what we do, but educating lifelong shooters and hunters and instilling a sense of pride in their accomplishments as heroes of conservation is paramount.”

The education component stretches far beyond the Palmetto Shooting Complex, however. In addition, 400 acres of demonstration forests, food plots, observation decks, wetlands, and even fish habitat, are at the core of the expanded outdoor education center.

“Everywhere visitors look, they will see conservation in action,” said Vance. “People will see what they can do on their lands to benefit wildlife at a low cost. They’ll see how thinning pine stands, performing controlled burns, or even strategically planting hardwoods and fruit trees can greatly improve the attractiveness of their property for wildlife.”

Future plans also include installing primitive campsites and cabins for Boy Scout groups, families and organizational outings, corporate team building and NWTF volunteer leadership training.

Visitors will have full access to the network of interpretive trails, wildlife observation decks, fishing ponds, the Winchester Museum and the shooting complex. They also can participate in customized curricula developed by NWTF education staff.

“It is no question our visitors will leave here knowing exactly what we’re trying to accomplish nationwide through the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative as well as the value of hunting and shooting to the overall conservation effort in North America,” Vance said. “As a center of excellence, we will be formulating, testing and reviewing best practices for hunter recruitment, retention and reactivation. Through strategic NWTF volunteer leadership training, members will go back to their chapters with a passion to mold the next generation of hunters.”

Outdoor Education Center A lesson behind every tree

The Pavilion will house classrooms for various hunting and shooting education courses.

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< n W t f v o L u n t e e r s >

People are the NWTF’s most valuable resource. It was the elbow grease of NWTF volunteers, biologists and state agency partners who made the wild turkey’s comeback a reality. It was the elbow grease of many of these same people who built our outreach efforts to grow our ranks and create hunters in the

process. And it’s the elbow grease of that NWTF family that will make the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative a success.

People will always provide the passion behind what we do. But in today’s world it takes money matched with the efforts of our volunteers to drive our mission. And when the two work

together, we can see it take shape all around us.That’s why we say we’re in the business of saving a lifestyle.

Our lifestyle. And, together, we can protect our way of life.

Our dynamic workforce

NWTF Volunteer Spotlights

yolanda hatch GEORGIAPart of the Save the Habitat. Save the

Hunt. initiative is to create hunters. Yolanda is a success story of NWTF efforts and now gives back by volunteering for the organization on state and local levels.

Kim potts harper TExASKim serves as her local chapter

president and works tirelessly to help Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. in Texas by leading outreach programs.

slade Johnston ALABAMA

Slade (bottom right) serves as the chapter president for the University of Alabama NWTF Chapter. He leads his team on many community projects and raises money for the NWTF mission.

Keith Fritze MASSACHUSETTS

Keith serves as president of his local chapter as well as his state Save the Hunt coordinator. He takes joy in bringing countless new hunters to the outdoors.

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< s tAt e s t r At e g i C P L A n s >

a letter oF thanKsTo those whom much is given, much

is expected.Reading that phrase stirs something deep

inside me. Perhaps it does for you, too, especially if you’re an NWTF volunteer.

You are the ones who made the restoration of the wild turkey a success. The ones who help introduce more than 100,000 people to the outdoors every year. The same ones who see to it that their fellow hunters benefit from properly managed habitat and increased opportunity.

And you will see to it the NWTF saves the future of hunting and conservation with the success of its Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative.

NWTF volunteers – people who give of their time – have a share in a resume of which we can all be proud. They work hard because they believe that to those whom much is given, much is expected. NWTF employees share that same belief.

We can never say thank you enough to the volunteers who have made this great organization what it is today. The beauty of it is, we don’t have to. The smile on an 8-year-old’s face the first time she shoots a bow or a shotgun does it for us. The joy stemming from new friendships made in the turkey woods does it for us. The thunder of a gobble at 30 yards does it for us.

All we stand for — our mission, our core values — is good enough to assure us that we are in the right place, doing the right things. — Doug Saunders, NWTF executive vice president of marketing and development

// Doug Saunders

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Great things happen when we get togetherTurkey hunters and conservationists from all over North

America once again gathered in Nashville, Tennessee, for the 38th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show.

“This year’s attendance of 48,530 eclipsed last year’s total by almost 2,000 participants, and all of them left with a better understanding of our Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative,” said Karen Lee, NWTF vice president of communications.

Even though Mother Nature didn’t cooperate, blanketing several regions with snow and ice just a couple days before the event, the sport show drew a record 420 exhibitors, making it one of the nation’s largest.

Inside the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, the temperature stays a steady 70-something degrees, but the warm vibes and enthusiasm felt during that weekend had one source —

Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.Hearing volunteers’ plans to conserve or enhance habitat,

create hunters and open access to more land for hunting energized NWTF staff and board members.

Finding everyone in good spirits, celebrating the success of the year, hearing the happy voices and warm greetings … it’s not just a convention; it’s a family reunion.

2014 convention sponsors

Academy Sports + Outdoors • ALPS OutdoorZ • ATK/Federal Premium Ammunition • Bad Boy Buggies • Bass Pro Shops • Benelli • Big Tex Trailers • Bird Dog Whiskey • Browning • Cabela’s • Flextone • John Deere • Marlin Firearms Co./H&R 1871, LLC • Mountain Khakis • Nationwide Insurance • Nature Blinds, LLC • Rocky Boots • War Eagle Boats • Weatherby • Wild Wings • Winchester/Olin Corporation • YETI

Full strut sponsors

longbeard sponsors

gobbler sponsors

TENNESSEE

The NWTF Sport Show spanned 258,700 square Feet.That’s about the size of 41⁄2 football fields.

matt van cise of Brookville, Penn., captured his third consecutive and fifth overall Senior Division Grand National Calling Championship.

Turkey folks spent6,334 hotel room nights at the Gaylord Opryland and four other area hotels.

Four guitars autographed by Blake Shelton, Buck Owens, Craig Morgan and Toby Keith brought in $12,000 for Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.

Convention-goers enjoyed performances from entertainers thompson square and the issacs, as well as seminars by professional hunters and celebrity autograph sessions.

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million dollar sponsors Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Chevrolet John L. Morris MidwayUSA Winchester/Olin Corp.

three quarter million dollar sponsors BASF O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. USDA Forest Service Weyerhaeuser Co.

halF million dollar sponsorsInternational Paper Company Remington Arms Company, LLC U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Wild Turkey Bourbon

one quarter million dollar sponsors Bank of America Bombardier Motor Corp. of America Cabela’s, Inc. Campbell Timberland Management, LLC Chop Express Duke Energy Federal Premium Ammunition Haas Outdoors/Mossy Oak Brand Camo International Paper Jim Gayton Jordan Outdoor Enterprises, Ltd. KIWI Safaris of New Zealand Laughlin Racing Marathon Oil Company Mark Tate Marlin H & R 1871, Inc. MeadWestvaco Miller Brewing Company Richard King Mellon Foundation The Outdoor Channel U.S. Repeating Arms Co., Inc.

centurion liFe sponsors Aaron Tippin Baron Technology c/o David Baron Bill Walker Browning/Simpson Sales Company Charles Daly/KBI Consol Energy Creel Foundation Daisy Outdoor Products Dave Constantine

Dave Schleis David Crockett Don Bald Duke Energy Ed Hutter Eddie Montgomery Edgefield Co. Foundation Elliott R. Donnelley Family First USA Foxy Huntress Frank Freshwater Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center Heath Davis Husqvarna Forest & Garden Co. James C. Cox Jeff Foxworthy Jim & Kay Hinkle John Anderson John A. Larsen John Michael Montgomery John Whiddon Josiah T. Austin Kentucky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife King Ranch Knight Rifles L.L. Bean Larry Glaze Leland Reynolds Mark Elpers Mathews, Inc. Michael E. Brown Michael M. Tull Missouri Department of Conservation Monsanto Company National Shooting Sports Foundation National Fish & Wildlife Neal Cost* Ohio Division of Wildlife R. S. Keck Ron Jones Southern Company Sportsman’s Warehouse Trophy Plus Outfitters Troy Gentry Tudor Farms W. B. Dunavant

guardian liFe sponsorsA:Shiwi/Zuni Chapter Allen Franklin Anthony Quarino Arizona Game & Fish Department Beretta USA Corp. Bud Wendell Charles & Mary Jo Burke Cordoba Hunting S.A. Dave Murphy Doug Benefield Earl T. Groves Eugene Upward Franklin A. Coble Georgia Power

Georgia Transmission Georgia-Pacific Corporation Hadley Companies Hal S. Atkinson Hunter’s Specialties, Inc. Island Explorations James P. Newbill Jerry Zimmerman* John Buhay John M. Parker John A. Ruthven Joseph Bland Keith DeHaan Ken & Marcia Polhamus Kent Rockwell Kansas Dept. Of Wildlife & Parks Lynn Boykin* M. Gordon Vines Maers & Goldman Mathews Bows, Inc. Michael Lapp Mike & Becky Evans Missouri State Chapter Molpus Timberlands Management, LLC Peggy Anne Vallery Rare Breed Resource Management Services, LLC Robert M. Mead Rod Bauer Ron Fretts Ronald J. Kistler Steve Sharp The Marlin Firearms The Outdoor Connection, Inc. Thomas S. Berenz Tom Rainey Tracy Byrd Trophy Game Safaris Turner Foundation Will Primos Willamette Industries William & Paula Declerck William M. Henkel Yamaha Motor Corp. USA

patron liFe sponsors Alabama Alabama Power Foundation Allen Averette Bob Cheyne Dick’s Sporting Good Jere Peak State of Alabama Tourism & Travel Tuscaloosa ChapterAlberta Rugged OutfittingArizona Arizona Public Service Bob Joy Dayne Phillips

Emmett G. Buffington W. G. Denton William J. Denton Wingshooters LodgeCalifornia Bill D. LaFayette James R. Oates Weatherby, Inc.Colorado Carey L. Quarles Fidelity Exploration & Production Company Larry Holjencin Tom StephensConnecticut Sturm Ruger & Company, Inc. Vincent M. RosdahlDistrict of Columbia American Forest & Paper Association Suzie BrewsterFlorida Bill D’Alonzo Florida State Chapter Jeff Budz Katie-Dids Originals, Inc. Marc Stepbach Marvin T. Hartley Southwest Florida Water Management District W. Bradford Ingalls Charitable TrustGeorgia Beaver Creek Plantation Bob Fountain Chris M. Albrecht Chuck Stephens Club Car, Inc. Georgia Forestry Commission Jack Parker MBNA Marketing Systems Randy Ryan Smith Barney Steven Fishman The Expedition Company The Lodge at Cabin Bluff Thomas E. Day Walter BeckhamIllinois Collin Cain Doug Phalen Frank Nix Illinois State Chapter Karl L. Williams Otter Creek Hunting Club Rocky Branch Outfitters Ron Doering Shiloh Spurs ChapterIndiana Patrick J. Early Tom Hodnett

Iowa Aaron VolkmarKansas Gus Bader Kansas Whitetail AdventureKentucky Greg Kline Hank Patton Kentucky State Chapter Kevin Turner Knight & Hale Game Calls National Band & Tag CompanyLouisiana Dennis R. Aucoin Entergy Michael P. Rainwater Randy Stafford Robert MerrickMichigan Al Stewart Albert C. Bobrofsky Alto Precison, Inc. Frank A. Brazynetz Nadalynn E. Conway TrustMinnesota Gander Mountain Ron Welle Tom Glines Wildlife ForeverMississippiAlbert Paul Bad Boy Enterprises, LLC Forestry Suppliers Howard NettervilleMissouriBass Pro, L.P. Charles Drury Darren Buddemeyer Green Woods, LLC Jeff Lampe Mike Helbing Nick Pelligreen Robert F. “Doc” DettmerMontana Musselshell Outfitters Shane AlexanderNebraska Gerald & Alice DentonNew Mexico JS Outdoors Pueblo of Zuni Fish & Wildlife Dept.New York Crosman Corporation Delaware Fur Corporation Marty Huber Quaker Boy Turkey Trot Acres

North Carolina Forrest Parker Helme Tobacco Company John Deere Perry HarrisOhioAcuSport CorporationAmerican Electric PowerJames SextonJay J. BurnworthJohnstown Community Sportsman ClubTony LamantiaOklahomaGary M. PurdyOntarioAl MorhartJack PlayneRandy M. RolosonOregonBob & Mary TjomslandLeupold & Stevens, Inc.Michael CareyPennsylvaniaAnadarko PetroleumAudrey ZimmermanBill PattonDan Christ Dick’s Sporting GoodsJames NyceJanet D. NyceJody RohmNew Holland North AmericaNorthwind ConstructionPennsylvania Game CommissionRobert EhleScott BasehoreTimothy FrettsSouth CarolinaCharles SchulzeGeneral Motors - Chevy Truck DivisionIrving WhittJerry BruceJohn W. RheneyLouis YountMichael TourvilleRobert Dennis Axson

Sandy MillerSharp Facets GallerySouth Carolina State ChapterSouth DakotaMark S. AndersonRuss RobertsTennesseeBryan WhiteCraig MorganDaryle SingletaryHardwood Forest FoundationHeather Farms Nursery, Inc.Rhett AkinsSam A. MarsTennessee State ChapterTexasBriley Manufacturing, Inc.Briley OutfitttingCharles S. StockstillEl Canelo RanchManuel EnriquezTexas State ChapterWalls 10x Products GroupWill LindsayUtahConfederated Tribes of Goshute PlantationGoshute Reservation Nature Res. Dept.Hunt’n BizVirginiaDennis CampbellImperial Schrade, Corp.James H. CrumleyJohn & Laura MetzgerNeil SmarteWashingtonMicrosoft CorporationWest VirginiaCarl P. KiefWisconsinWilliam TorhorstWyomingAfrica Motsomi Hunting AdventuresArmando KleinCarl & Michelle SauerweinDumukwa Safaris

Elandpro SafarisJeanette Rudy*John Adkins*John Barton* Kanuka Wilderness Hunting/ Slogan Outdoor Kudu Adventure SafarisMelody African SafarisThe Brunton Co.Whitetail Creek Outfitters

diamond liFe sponsorsAguascalientesDon Julio Diaz TorreAlabamaAlabama Power Co. EnvironmentalAlabama State ChapterAltec IndustriesAndy AndrewsAnna RushB. King CurryBev M. LeighBuchanan Timber & Forestry, LLCBud FosheeCecil N. DurrettCharles E. JohnsonCraig L. ScruggsDavid HudsonDavid SchneiderErnest W. CollinsGeorge E. KurttsHarlan M. StarrJ.M. Wood Auction, Inc.James Albert HolmanJames A. LockwoodJames PiperJanneman GroenewaldJess MartinJim & Nancy PooleJohn T. CrowderKen J. GatesLeo M. LynchMichael Clark TurnerMike ColquettMike D. PentecostPete ElkinsPhil & Kathy SavageRobert G. PitmanRonnie H. HolmesSalem Saloom *deceased

Ken and Marcia Polhamus, of Illinois, are Guardian Life Sponsors. They serve as the NWTF Illinois JAKES and Women in the Outdoors event coordinators.

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Scott BryantSedgefields Plantation ServisFirst BankSpectrum OutdoorsStarr BoykinStewart JimmersonTerry B. CampbellTom KellyAlaskaAlaska Fur GalleryLinda HeathThe Cove LodgeArizonaDan AdlerGeorgia-Pacific Management, LLCJim WarrenMark AdkinsArkansasArkansas Game & FishArkansas State ChapterBadgwell’s River Bend FarmsConnie HarrisDonald & Sarah ClarkGary HarrisGary WattsGeorge H. DunklinGerald HarpGreen Bay PackagingJeannette BadgwellJeryl JonesJohn C. SimmonsJudy StoryMark BadgwellMike NevinsPaul L. JohnsonRobert EasonStan LouksSteven H. ColeSummer R. CullomTammy Taylor ColeTim MarianiWar Eagle BoatsXpress BoatsBritish ColombiaHorseshoe Creek OutfittersRay JacksonCaliforniaDarrell C. FrancisEdward S. MaloneyHugh Hill ChathamKanati CallsLee JohnsonMark LathropRobert CrawfordSierra PacificTejon RanchWilliam HaynesColoradoCraig FinkFirst Creek OutfittersJulie HoljencinKeith HoljencinKristy HoljencinStephan Roets

USA Shooting TeamWilliams Exploration & ProductionDelawareMBNATed PalmerDistrict of ColumbiaLouie PerryFloridaAustin M. HeacockBabcock RanchBill TippitBill VincentBobby Moore Properties, Ltd.Brynn SummerlinCharles HerringtonDale S. WesslingDaniel P. WhighamDavid & Mary McCarthyDiann HaubnerDon WilliamsDoug UpdikeEdith HartleyEmmett EvansFlorida Wildlife UnlimitedGary L. RuhlGlenn PrickettGulf Power CompanyHeartland Wildlife & IMC AgricoHenry C. MansonJ. Vereen SmithJames Scarborough*Jim DallarosaKaitlin N. DallarosaLarry AndersonLee LonesLou HaubnerMichael D. PhelpsMichael RearkMike R. ThompsonOmar RodriguezPaul FairclothRichard P. DaPoreRichard Langdon HanasRobert HollandRoger WilsonRosita MorrisStephen M. SheaSteve HollandSteve MunzT. R. YoungTall Tine OutfittersTerry SteeleTerry YoderThomas BrooksThomas J. WallaceTim SandfordTim TolbertTony GelchTrey SmithVan CollinsW.R. FewoxWilliam MarvinWilliam SearlWilliam E. Sullivan

GeorgiaAGL ResourcesAllen JenkinsAnheuser-BuschAnita FountainAnn Carter Burdell BoardmanAtlanta ChapterBroderick F. HeadBruce HowellC. Royce and Alice LeggettCharles RyanClaibourne DardenDanny SparksDavid J. DickeyDon BristolDonna LeggettDouble Dime RanchDouble Gobble ChapterF.A.T.S.Flatrock Hunting PreserveGeorgia State ChapterGreg S. BrownHelen Frushtick FursIllinois ConnectionJames & Debbie JacksonJames H. NewbillJohn H. AmbroseJohnny SumnerKirk ThomasLHS Family, LLCMasterbuilt ManufacturingMichael E. WaddellMorris CommunicationsPhoenix Commercial PrintersRichard E. DicksonRicky PeekRobert W. WilliamsRobert F. WrightRonald GoodmanRonald K. ReaginRyan KleskoSavannah Fiber Supply Procurement OfficeShane BerryStan StanfillSteve TarvinTimothy L. BeachUSDA Forest ServiceWilliam C. ArcherIdahoBarnabas KokaBottom Line ElectronicsScott LunaTheresa LunaIllinoisAdams Co. Sharp SpursBig Cypress Duck ClubBig Muddy LongbeardsBig River Longbeards ChapterBill & Shirley D. SwangoCalhoun Co. Cutters & StruttersCampbell Illinois WhitetailsCentral Illinois OutfittersChristopher BurkeD. Alan and Sharon DavisDavid Von Miller

Don DayEagle Lakes OutfittersFox Creek OutfittersGary FranklinGeorgia Helen RosenliebGerald F. BoisGerald SnyderGlynn & Marjorie ShubertGregory H. ShafferIke TrickieIllinois Conservation FoundationJack RobertsonJack WintersJames & Jennifer AlexanderJoseph Dave WrigleyKeith CarsonKendall County Gobblers ChapterKevin R. SchmittLake County Longbeards ChapterLeland & Debbie BanksLewis & Clark SportsmanLittle Egypt LongbeardsMichael L. HitchcockMichael LanceMichael SpenceMike CrabtreeMike & Lisa KingMonroe County LongbeardsOlin CorporationPhilip L. HouserPin Oak Thundering TomsPlano Molding Co.Rebecca NixSaline Valley StruttersSamson’s RidgeSpring View AcresStephen LathropSteve BoenteSteve WilkeTerry BanksTim KappertTim Grounds Championship CallsTimberland OutfitterTimothy R. SchmittTodd AndersonTom FranksWild Africa Hunting SafarisWild Rural Park OutfittersWinchester AmmunitionIndianaBill WitskenBob WeilBrian SparksBryan & Krista CoxGreg LarrisonGregg R. SnyderIndiana State ChapterJames G. MainJames P. OrenderJay A. BuzzardJay JorgensenJoseph BurchKen Klein

Martin IngramMichael McNarneyMike DalhoffMonte SinghRandy ShowalterRick FerraraRoger Davis*Ron SnyderSchuyler OltScott GalleyScott RoyerStacy B. KueberSteve Gage Steve NeviusTim SandersonTownsend Chemical DivisionIowaAlliant EnergyBug-Out Outdoorwear, Inc.Dave WhittleseyMaquoketa Valley OutfittersMark CreeryPat PauleySharon WhittleseyThe Fred Bear EstateWhitetail Ridge OutfittersKansasCarl W. KurzClint SmithCole GeorgeDavid GeorgeDavid StillwellDouglas UnruhDwane GeorgeGarrett BaderGus BaderKurt NunnenkampLarry A. CurtisLewis MullMarc BuntingMark MillerMid-West AdventuresRyan BaderTim GeorgeVerdigris Valley OutfittersWolf River Outfitters, LLCKentuckyAllie RawlingsBradley L. CarsonCentral Kentucky ChapterChristopher GodbyDaniel Boone Chapter of NWTFDavid GodbyDonald McDonaldElk Creek Hunt ClubErnie M. AkinsHarry W. WhiteheadJames L. WilliamsJeremy GinnJesse EvansJonathan A. DavisLicking River OutfittersMurph’s Automotive AccessoriesPat K. WilliamsPatrick Cardin

Patrick RitchiePhil RawlingsRobert Bo SpencerSouth Central Kentucky ChapterTyler JasperVirginia BlandWild Turkey Bourbon/Rare Breed DistillingLouisianaBayou Pierre ChapterBill MayoBill T. MurphyBob G. JonesBoise Paper SolutionsCharles Milton MayChris G. CampbellDale IngramE.R. “Bo” CampbellEdward Chip R. CampbellEdward DonaldsonFrank StewartGlenn HebertJ. C. GilbertJames G. DicksonJanet RascoeJohn DupontJoseph P. CagnolattiLouisiana Delta PlantationLouisiana State ChapterLuke LewisLyons Land CompanyMike BrownPaul FerrellRaney SilmonRon & Jackie BartelsRuss BordelonTom JonesMaineHelen NanneryTom NanneryMarylandAdrien L. HansenBenelliBilly MooreChris C. KunzlerDavid L. RiceDewey H. ReedDon ColburnMaurice W. ScottRandy GardinerRobert E. BryceRobert H. JenksTed CapelThomas BuckmasterThomas F. BryceWilhelm GoebelWilson ReynoldsMassachusettsJames HousleyJoseph M. Hamilburg FoundationMichiganAmeristepBert Vander Weele

Bud GovernoCharles N. HazenDenise RubinFlat River ChapterFrances BourdoGrand Valley ChapterJeff PoetJim D. CurtisJoseph A. MacomberJoseph L. MagginiKathy KarstenKirk GrahamKurt & Lisa BomersLeroy ChuppMenominee Strutting TomMichael R. WoodMichigan State ChapterMike R. StewartMorris DomkeNorth Kent LongbeardsRichard A. CunninghamSW Michigan Longbeards ChapterScott J. HodgesSebewaing Gobblers ChapterSkipper BettisThornapple Valley ChapterTom KarstenTony SnyderWhiteford Valley GobblersXander TkaczMinnesotaATK/FederalBonansa Valley Royal StruttersChris WallCormorant Lakes Sportsman’s ClubCyrus MahmoodiDavid A. MaassDick SnyderDonald GamboniEric RiceHarland DonnayJames H. ThomasJeff StcynskeKevin FuerstneauLarry StcynskeLeah FontaineLevi GlinesPatti StcynskeRon ScharaShirley GlinesSteve SeidlWild WingsMississippiAbby Manufacturing Co.Becky McManusCircle M PlantationEast Mississippi ChapterGary CressGary & Mary HillhouseGus PrimosJoe WoodMark D. UtleyMarshall HollisPhil Cook

Preston E. PittmanRansom JonesRobert A. HigginbothamScott CumbestSteve ThomasStructural Steel Services, Inc.The Campbell GroupTom McDonnellTom RhodenMissouriAdlphus BuschAugust RitterBass Pro ShopsBB&H Hunting ClubBernie R. GriceBill FarleyBilly BessBrad MoncriefBrock PfostBruce HutsonBryce EvansBuddy BessDan ZerrDanny Foutz Hunting & Fishing ShopDavid LangeDon BedellDonald HillDouble Deuce RanchE. Niles OesterleGlenn A. SchumanGunn Creek Outfitters & Guide ServiceHazel Creek, Inc.Hickory Hills HuntsHolloway Carpet OneJackie RoweJeff FriedmannJoe TroutJohn B. LewisKent S. FreemanLarry L. NealMark DruryMike “Tater” HavilandMike McDonaldMike PoeOak Creek Whitetail RanchOscar HunterOut of Africa Adventurous SafarisPast Sporting Goods, Inc.Randy PersonsRichard F. BangertRoy St.ClairSpank MarriottSteve BoyersTerry HoytTim J. SchwentTravis ScottTriStar Sporting ArmsWes & Tammy SappMontanaBig Sky CarversMike WatkinsPowder River Outfitters

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*deceased

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NebraskaComstock LodgeHilltop Hunting LodgeJason MorrowKevin & Donna JechKyle NicholsMark StutterheimRoss AlcornTerry A. DoyleTimothy HindeNew BrunswickReese JensenNew JerseyChristian N. KarinjaDavid CoteLouis GambaleRichard H. KinneyScott E. HillNew MexicoChad MarshallNew Mexico Department of Game & FishPNMVermejo Park RanchNew YorkA. J. “Tony” LeibBert R. DaileyBill & Jan NolisBret M. EcclestonClinton A. SmithDale LaneDave KimelbergDebbie HuberEnchanted Mountain LocalGary L. CampanieIthaca Gun CompanyJeremiah HuberKevin ReillyLake Plains ChapterMartha HuberMichael D. WitterRichard R. HarwoodRobert E. BeschTioga TravelVoss Signs, LLCWilliam E. WilburNorth CarolinaAndy PhillipsBarry PerryBrad GunnBruce ElliottBryan J. BurhansBryan PerryCarl C. DixonChristopher N. GoochCJ BrownConnor O’Neal GoochCrescent Resources, Inc.Daniel WistehuffDave PollardEddie GeorgeEldon E. McDanielFred E. CoxGary West

Glenn C. HarrelsonGreg CookHancock Timber Resource GroupJake HodgesJames Neal WeaklyJoann & Harry WilfongJoe R. FowlerJohn D. ChalkJohn F. IvesterKim GoochLane SwindellMark McDowellMichael E. BealeMitch WalkerNorth Carolina State ChapterParton Lumber CompanyRick CottonRobert Chad RaySusan FowlerThe Color WorksTom P. PhillipsNorth DakotaSheldon’s Waterfowl & Upland Bird Hunts

OhioAlex OmanAndrew StephensAppalachian LongbeardsBryan EquipmentCaldwell Chrysler-PlymouthCarol HimesDon Marlin WatkinsDrew HutzelEarl Buddy FryGene GoodwinJohn P. WihlJohnathon ParkerKenneth L. LaVanMaple Country ChapterMarathon Ashland PetroleumMichael L. BeersMike & Tammey GoschinskiOhio State ChapterRenee O’BroktaRocky Shoes & BootsShane R. BurnworthShawn DickeySouth Hills Longbeards ChapterTerry Thompson Thomas W. MooreTimothy PontiusTom O’KeefeWayne Vickers

OklahomaAlicia D. PurdyArt CousatteBill ArnoldBill BucknerChris PurdyDaniel R. DuckwallDavid N. YoungGregory AllenJames AldridgeJerry D. Christian

Jerry RushJoe & Rhonda CalistroJohn A. BachelorNewley HutchinsonOklahoma State ChapterTammy DuckwallOntarioConnor TownsendDale and Lisa ScottEmily TownsendKevin TownsendOregonAlesa CareyBrandon CareyJackie CareyLeupold & StevensLinda A. BrownPennsylvaniaBob KellerBobby KeenCNX Gas CorporationDale E. RohmDonald C. HeckmanEQT FoundationFoxPro, Inc.Fry Communications, Inc.Gary HuffHarry G. HaskellJohn Darin BarryJohn ShaskasKathy Poole-PriceKen FernburgLarry A. MazziottaMark FerdinandMartin KapustaMichael JonesPennsylvania State ChapterPhyllis V. KeckRandall RakersRange ResourcesRobert H. GrimmingerRobert HunterRobert Keck*Sandee MaleSean N. WarringtonStony Valley ChapterTalisman Energy USA, Inc.Valerie StagerVernon R. RossWildlands ConservancyRhode IslandPat ThompsonSaskatchewanHigh Point Buck RanchScott CowieSouth CarolinaAllen McKinneyBank of AmericaBarney HouserBecky HumphriesBernie B. EdmundsBeverly & Scott QuarlesBig Woods OutfittersBill Dennis

Billy HooleBlack River ChapterBobby MaddreyBrian GodfreyBuddy MorganButch Pendarvis*Cadillac Dealers of the SouthCarl J. BrownCarolyn Keck WrightCharles L. ComptonCharlie B. LongChristi HenryChuck B. HunterChuck O. MulkeyClary DawsonConnie R. WallaceCraig HenryDan ChismDan J. LemanskiDan W. RobinsonDaniel YoungDanny L. BerryDarlene WhittDarryl W. MoranDave MahlkeDavid BanksDavid P. BaumannDavid E. PressleyDebbie L. LeCroyDee E. GarvinDon L. GoingDonny RayDoug G. GaymanEdward D. GilmerEllen M. LintalElliott BotzisEmelia Blair AdkinsErnest W. RabonFrank E. BrewerGary CarverGary A. CaughmanGeorge DenkaGeorge & Beth ThorntonGlenn GreeneGlenn & Michele TanisGlenn TeacheyGlenn WilliamsonGrady TillGreg M. LipeH & H Insurance BrokersH. Neel HippHampton DennisHarry KoutroulakisHeather ReynoldsHenry B. MoreeHulsey, McCormick and Wallace, Inc.J. Richard WilliamsonJ.D. HarrisJames Rhett CallihamJames Crawford HarrisJames Earl KennamerJames SparksJames A. StevensJames Dennis WatersJanice StevensJason White Construction

Jenny Kay BrownJim & Betty SchafferJim Booth Art GalleryJoe FinleyJohn GravesJohn W. WilliamsonJohn M. SmallJulie ClineJulius LearyKaren FinleyKenny OverholtL J HendrixL.B. B. AdamsLarry MillerLawrence W. DeasLee Franklin KennamerLeslea FarmsLinda J. RosenliebLindsey RosenliebLisa R. DennisLouis P. BatsonLynn ParrishLynn Kennamer SmithM. P. FerrisM. B. NicklesM. Lynn WallaceMac McewenMarion MooreMark CookMary KennamerMatt LindlerMeadWestvaco CorporationMichael G. McShaneMichael W. CampbellMichael D. HarringtonMichael JohnsonMike SmallsMike WatersNeil “Gobbler” Cost*Norman PulliamOdell IndustriesOne Stop Hunt N Fish, LLCPam BrewerPhil AnnieR. Dunlap Thornwell IIIRalph AndersonRichard J. MorganRichard D. RosenliebRichard B. & Mark WardRobert P. AitkenRobert J. HolmesRobert W. PhillipsRoby HaleRock Hill ChapterRoger D. BishopRyan DennisSandy SparksScott A. CrosbyScott WishartShannon S. TollisonShealy’s BarbecueShelton VineyardsSouth Carolina Electric & GasStephen DavisStephen C. MannSteve Cobb

Steve DavisSteve F. JordanSun ConstructionSusie L. BrownTeresa PowersTerry A. KingsmoreTerry LeCroyTerry WhiteThe Clinton HouseThe Ducane CompanyThe Office Supply CenterThomas S. DavantThomas T. SmithTim SnyderTom StuckeyTravis B. StevensonUSDA Forest ServiceVelux America IncVernon G. MeekVictoria Blair AdkinsW. Terry LeCroyWachovia BankWm. Gary BerryZach FarmerZoe SanchezSouth DakotaBurnell GaskinsEric & Mary OlsonRandy GaskinsRobert NelsonSports Link LTDTennesseeAndrew DavisBrenda ValentineChip RoneyChris C.C. CummingsChris CummingsColin ReedCountry Music TelevisionDave W. KingsleyEddie FultonFred SmithGary L. WestGray Ghost SafarisHoward HarlanIrlene MandrellJames & Marsha RaleyJames Pat WalshJane HeltonJeanne PruettJim C. CortnerJim HagerJoe UsherJohn H. DobbsJohn NorfleetJon HagerJosh TurnerJulie A. SchusterKevin BayLarry M. ProffittLee CrispLee A. KiesLeonard KayeLong Hollow Longbeards Chapter

Mark E. JacksonMark NathansonMark WarmathMaureen PetersMichael R. OppizziMike RuppertMike SniderNashville Convention & Visitors BureauNeely MalloryPhilip LawrenceRichard RobinsonRonald JonesSteve B. TurpinTim SamplesTriton BoatsWilliam T. HibbsWoods and WildlifeTexasAmavisiAnnette Andrews-KomandoskyBar H Working Dude RanchBig Tex TrailersClyde F. NeelyDana BowmanHeli-HunterHuntVeJ. D. WilliamsJ. B. WynnJohn Thomas JamesLarry HornbeckLarry NobleLone Star OutfittersPriefert ManufacturingSimon WinstonT. W. & Claire GarrettT. D. HowellTimothy S. GeppertTrammell CrowTrees, Inc.Yukkutz Hunting- Campeche MexicoUtahBrett JohnsonHunt’n BizRoss MesserlyRuby River Steak HouseUtah State ChapterVermontCentral Vermont Public ServiceGary TannerMichael TveraasNick MicalizziOrvis CompanyVirginiaBrian HyderG. Wayne CrumpParks D. ShackelfordPerfection Turkey CallsRandall H. SuslickSherry S. CrumleySteve MartinTim Merry

WashingtonBecky JohnsonDan McKinleyDave RasmussenJames H. GrimesPug PowerSportsman-Landowner Hunting ClubWashington State Chapter

West VirginiaBrian A. PrimGreg GibbsJ. D. “Peck” MartinRobert A. FarkasovskyShon A. ButlerWest Virginia State Chapter

WisconsinAaron ConstantineAdam ConstantineAlliant Energy Corp. ServicesAmerican Business TechnologyBill EmeryCarson David ConstantineChris UtkeDarlene GroenierDavid BurkeEarl DuckettFox Valley ChapterGary KallasGerry KrausHager Valley LLPHoward WohlgefahrtJames J. BerenzJames SchiffnerJim GroenierJohn BertelsonJon’s Sports/Black River Trading Co.Karyl UtkeMegan BurkeNancy ConstantineNick D. BurkeRandall McLauryRivers Edge Tree Stands, Inc.Robert J. PutneyRyan BurkeScott MavesScott R. SlajusScott StaleySportsman’s WarehouseTom & B.J. MuenchWisconsin State ChapterWyomingAbie SteynAfrica Maximum SafariAlferdo LamadridAuthentic African AdventuresBennie BoshoffDalerwa Ventures for WildlifeDave L. HudsonEkuja Hunting SafarisFrontera WingshootingGraham Sales Safari GuidingHubert Vogel*

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*deceased

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Jaime Diaz TorreJames WetzelJavier Cuadrado Hunting & FishingKent ElliottL & S Hunting Co.La Montana RanchLimcroma SafarisMountain Woods FurnitureNancy HudsonNick MisciagnaPJ SafarisRangeland Hunting AdventuresRanginui HuntingRivers South Safaris of New ZealandSafari Nordik, Inc.Seven J OutfittersTwo Waters SafarisWade JohnsonWiets SafarisWintershoek SafarisWyoming Edge Outfitters

gold liFe sponsorsAlabamaAndy CobbLyle PoteetAlaskaSheep River Hunting CampsArizonaRalph E. AndersonSturm, Ruger & Company

ArkansasThayn MortonCaliforniaDonald N. GeivetThe Thomas Kinkade CompanyColoradoAtkinson ExpeditionsChris VaughnFloridaWilliam MoodyZack Morgan

GeorgiaCliff D. WhiteEvents and More by WickIndian Rock PlantationMike W. RedfernMike WolfeRobert WinthropThomas DurkanIdahoElk Springs OutfittersTom MansanarezIllinoisBret GuinH & S HuntingHarold E. RungeJarod JacksonWilbur EngelhardtIndianaDan D. GarrettWinchester SafesKansasRob WhitleyRoger DemanetteKentuckyAbby RawlingsDarby Dan FarmKehl HilbertKentucky River ChapterLouisianaBlind River Boss GobblersJames E YuleMaineLawrence Dyer & Sons OutfittersMassachusettsPat ThompsonMichiganButch & Lori JohnsonHerb E. LorentzJim CowardScott MulderMississippiJimmie DanielsMissouriAnheuser-Busch, Inc.Evans Sports, Inc.Gary DrewingHerefordale RanchPaula FrazierTommy Lee Neal

MontanaLinda L. SchottNew YorkDave StrebHenry Repeating Arms Co.Howard M. TravisMike E. JoynerPete & Sherry ClareSkyline CamouflageWayne DanleyNorth CarolinaCharles D. PetersonEnergy UnitedJames M. KernodleKaren McIsaacLance, Inc.Nolan BurhansNorth DakotaShannon BerghOhioCharles E. DavisChristopher J EstadtKyle HutzelMickee L. FryOntarioRandy FordRussel H. DaviesSlayer BroadheadsOregonGreg C. O’NealPennsylvaniaAnthony J. HudakRalph J. PermarThe Asplundh CompanySaskatchewanLucky Lake OutfittersSouth CarolinaBen TeacheyChris & Nan TroutClark K. BushDon PerryGene GibsonJenny T. GodfreyJohn L. BrownMike HoffstatterMount Vintage Plantation GolfMount Vintage PropertiesOak Ridge Plantation Hunting ClubOscar McCurry

Peter F. San MiguelSouth Carolina Forestry CommissionSouth DakotaJoe KirwanJohn GeimanJulie ThorstenLodgepole Creek OutfittersReddest Guide ServiceTennesseeArchie RichardsonBruce GoodrowClarence DiesJeff McKameyM.L. TallentWayne WhiteTexasBill GaitherIndio OutfittersRyan Rhino HaeckerWatler IsenhourVermontBlue Mountain Forest AssociatonVirginiaDoug A. HowlettReed SchweickertWashingtonPotlatch CorporationWisconsinBrian MeroDavid ScharmerTed KlapperichWyomingCheyenne Security Systems, Inc.Double Y OutfittersElwarth Hunting SafarisHR Big Game Outfitters & FishingRon DubeThomas Ranch Outfitters

silver liFe sponsorsAlabamaAndrew SmithBrett LoftinCentral Alabama Electric CooperativeCody & Robin HarrisDan GarnandGary FinchGeorge DykesGil P. SelfJenifer GloverMidsouth Paving, IncSky Box BlindsTim Wood

AlaskaAlaska State/Tundra Toms ChapterAlbertaDale SmithRanchland OutfittersArizonaAllen HawkinsCharles M. KerrJulia AndersonMichael V. WentzMuy Grande OutfittersRomana AndersonTower ElectricArkansasGrady A. StoryKerry C. SimmonsLeatherwood ArtsMichael R. SmithMotorolaOutdoor CapRandy HedgeRich-N-Tone Duck CallsStone County IronworksTim MorelandTommy DrewCaliforniaAntonio VispettoBill ChappellBob MangerDarrell BresslerEverything Metal ImaginableMitch OliverSimmons Outdoor/BlountThe Chevron CompaniesColoradoBlack Canyon Bulls at Top Rail RanchCharles W. StockstillJames StockstillJoel F. SturtevantLarry AllenRobb NelsonDelawareDon WigginsDistrict of ColumbiaAmericas Natural Gas AllianceFloridaBen L. DuncanBest Fishing Tour.comBob CourseyBrandon StoreyDennis AnsbroGarrett WhatleyGlenn A. LingleHiram C. CampbellJamie AdamsJamie NanceJanice Bailey NicowskiJohn Berry

Kelly W. ConleyLaverne VincentLittle Lake LodgeMike BlantonMorgan RuhlPaul RuhlPaul E. YatesPhil J. BennettRodman PlantationSean MasonSonny MowbraySporting Clays MagazineSports Marketing GroupSteve ShaferSteven W. DavisTeddy SpencerTimothy Creek DecoysTLG Management Group, LLCGeorgiaAndy IveyAtlanta Convention & Visitors BureauBeers ConstructionBellsouthBob ThompsonCharles CunninghamCharles A. LanfordDick AdcockDon A. WaltersDonald BohanonDoris ThomasDwight G. HarleyDwight JonesE-Z GoHevi ShotHewitt Associates, LLCIntellisystemsJack E. StricklandJerry PionessaJerry & Susie RamseyJim S. ThomasJohn DavisJohn PierceLafarge Building MaterialsLindy E. McDonaldMacon Beverage CompanyMark LuettersMark MullinaxMichael Holland Mike LancasterMike PetersPamela PeekPhyllis R. SparksQuality Wildlife Service Russell BeardSabrina BrownTimothy A. KeadleWindsor JewelersHawaiiJon SabatiIdahoIron Man SafesMike McKeanPaul Waldon

IllinoisAnheuser-Busch, Inc.Apple Creek OutfittersAudrey HouserBrandon PhelpsCarla J. HouserCentral Illinois Fantails ChapterChad FranklinCindy SpillmanDarrell & Diane HaffordDave GrohneDavid A. JarvisDoug A. KingDrew N. HouserEdwin R. SchmittFelicia NixGary L. MichlGerald D. LivelyGordon RhineHarry UlrichJason TangeroseJeff L. ArnottJeff ButlerJim DesterJim WetheringtonJohn ZitoKeith JacksonKen WilberLarry W. GresserLarry B. HanoldLucky OutfittersMatt KapruanMax ThompsonMichael W. BrownMickey StewartMidland States BankMike CrabtreeMike LowderNilo FarmsNorth Safety ProductsRay JohnsonRobert J. WeberRuss Adams Heating & A/CSteve BovaSteve R. KellyThomas L. BatesThomas M. BlankenshipWabash Outdoors, Inc.William L. MoodyIndianaDale BudzowDan ChenowethDavid PughFrank ContrerasGrant Schimmele John L. Abrams Paul A. MooreRandall T. HardySouth Central Indiana REMCIowaBoyt Harness CompanyBridgestone Americas Tire OperationsDaniel BartlettDavid F. AgnewDavid Bridges

E. Jay CoonEugene A JuliusGary ReederJim KindigLarry DunnStephen J. ShannonVaness I. OdenJaliscoManuel Ignacio Salgado BaldorKansasAnna K. GeorgeBarry WoodsBecky WolfeBushnell Performance OpticsCentral Kansas OutfittersDaniel BellDoug FoxJeff LouderbackJohn HowerLeon WinfreyMcKenzie MullRick GanoungRodney KellySam MooreThomas HuelskempTom JohansenKentuckyAnita CardinBucks and BeardsConservation Marketing SpecialistsDavid SimmonsGeorge WofordJim EubankLance D. KaufmanMac WarrenMike FalconiteNicholas MetcalfPine Valley Golf Club & ResortSie JewellSteve StacyWilliam E. HubbardLouisianaGene OhmstedeJerry N. AntleyJohn C. GordonLeonard E. JordanLynn KellyMaineFred ThurstonMarylandBrenda PaulBrian D. DoyleBruce W. ChaneyGene HyattMichiganBobby ThompsonChris EderDave GodleyDumukwa Safaris UCEastman OutdoorsHuron Valley Chapter

< n W t f s u P P o r t e r s >

Curt Borcherding of Boyt Harness stands at the helm of the shooting accessories company and is the driving force behind its partnership with the NWTF.

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Keith RubinKurt BisballeLarry R. LenzRich LafrinereRichard J. SikkengaThomas M. KarstenTodd RubinTom LosiewskiTrail Creek LodgeMinnesotaATK/FederalBradley SchultzBruce SchottCindy FuerstneauDamon SchleifDavid BacikDurk StarkGary S. CookICSCJames M. LoefflerJason StuckyJim & Karen KillenJim PeifferLoon Lake DecoyMike HamiltonMike StelznerMinnesota State ChapterOttertail Rod & Gun ClubPatrick CrousePatti StcynskePaul SpyhalskiRichard PlasscharetStearns Co. Thunderin’ TomsTerry MccollumWest Metro Struttin’ Zone ChapterMississippiAllen EdwardsBob PersonsBobby BerthelotClark GordinDale GarrisonGuest TekHartwood, LPJames Terry FarrisLongleaf CamoPatricia WoodRonnie HigginbothamSam E. LawrenceSouth Mississippi Electric Power AssociationSteve GulledgeTerry KnightTrebark BigwoodsWylie PrewittMissouriAmerican Arms IncBaker MilesBear Paw LandingBee Rockland & Outdoor AdventuresBill WehrleBucks and Beards Outfitters, LLCCanyon Creek OutfittersChris Parrish

Dale BrandDan MinorDanny GuyerDavid BeairdDavid HammDavid L. LovanDavis MintonDennis BallardEric WilcoxonFour Rivers ChapterGary BallardHarold A. GoodingJames L. MurrellJoe C. ReamJurgen F. BraswellKaren A. DettmerKathy DicksonLarry W. WheelerMarvin B. BehnkeMichael W. FiehlerMichael D. McClendonMike BeneckeMike JeffersonMitchell L. NorrisPatrick L. RobertsR.L. BennettRichard L. AshRick WelkerRuss WorsleyStuart D. RuehlingThe Big Horn RanchTim BesancenezTimothy W. BrooksMontanaJana WallerNine Quarter RanchNord L. JohnsonNebraskaBunker Hill Hunting Resort & ShootingCabela’sDenton Valley RanchJim D. KuhnLaughing Water Ranch OutfittersLeon KrieselReece & Jane JensenNew JerseyAllentown Area Hunters, Inc.Highlands ChapterJesse EriksenPaul TomeoRobert E. Eriksen

New MexicoBill ZeedykBob RaughtFlying W Diamond RanchJ. Richard BrownJess RankinJim BakerManzanon Madness Game CallsRegina RomeroThomas Waddell

New YorkArnie JonathanBill SpauldingDan CookeDouglas C. KerrFay A. SorrellsGil DeLudeHerbert F. DarlingJohn F. CarpenterJoseph C. HerdmanLarry G. BeckerLonnie MeeusenMichael A. CaliNew York State ChapterNico LourensRandy OpferbeckRandy A. RussellRobert G. BamannRobert WinthropWally Urf

North CarolinaBrian RapeCameron M. HarrisCharles SearsD. L. Phillips Investment BuildersDonald R. CarterEddie SmithGeorge H. LutzGil CutchinGreg DrakeJ. Ralph SquiresJerry A. DavisJim F. DrakeJulie HayesKenneth A. MooreLarry M. SmithMartha Hope SmithMike BatteyPat Foy BradyR & R HuntsRichard BowersRichard PlattenbergerRuben C. ButlerRyan Kirby

OhioAmanda IngramBill SuliksBrent LambertBudweiser Callmakers & Collectors Association of AmericaGreg HutzelHuntington National BankJeff ShawJeffrey SchweinLindsey IngramOhio Bow & Arrow OutfittersPatrick MahaffeyPenelia CarterRebecca RobertsRichard MatzScott A. HofackerTim MontgomeryWilliam Wolfe

OklahomaJohn MaschmeierOklahoma Governor’s OfficePete MesslerWCR Quail Hunting Resort, LLCOntarioKenneth Dale HollandLen UgarenkoMarg TownsendOregonBob R. GedlickDwayne & Kelli CraftJan MessersmithRainbow King LodgePennsylvaniaAllison Crane & RiggingAssociated Petroleum Industries of PennsylvaniaClay SmerkarDavid A. BargoDonald W. O’brienDwight E. SandersonFrancis Ed MaczkaGerald Gib HayesGlenn O. HawbakerHorseshoe Hill OutfittersHoward E. MeyersJ.W. PowerJames BargoJames R. HardenJohn SidelingerJoseph YarzabMarcellus Shale CoalitionMike StagerMountain Trails BasketsPennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas AssociationRichard TroutmanSpencer L. MillerTom BaldrigeTom GriceWayne LloydSouth CarolinaAlvin WillisArgentina Wild WingsBert W. PlattBill CrymesBilly C. RamseyBrenda YoungBritt BarkerC. K. DunlapCentral Carolina ChapterChelsea GaultChester LewisChip RobinsonDan G. AskinsDelane W. MillerDon CheeksDoug SaundersHerbert S. YarboroughHugh B. BlandJamie AlfordJean Reel

Joe BuggyJohn A. ChickJohn W. KempJohn TylerKaren LeeKenneth V. MacKayLarry YonceLouis P. BatsonPure Gold ChokesR.E. Goodson Construction Co.Ryan MaddreySarge KnivesSharon G. BoneySolutia, Inc.Tim PresleyTommy & Sandy RhodesTony DudleyTrish Lynn BerryWateree ChapterWayne HoltWentworth Printing Corp.William A. JamesWilliam R. WarnerWinyah Chapter GeorgetownSouth DakotaBlack Hills OutfittersDC’s Bird HuntsDuane SatherJoe KrizanJoseph ReinartOglala Sioux Parks & Recreation AuthorityTennesseeAdam MilesBarry RiceBob WisemanCalie F. JacksonGeorge Coors ArthurGibson GuitarsHenry MorganIndustriesJay LangstonL. F. CoxNorm BlanchardPhillip Crowe Rut N Bucks OutfittersTim AgeeTexasAcademy Sports & OutdoorsCanadian River ChapterDavid StockstillFayetteville Express Pipeline, LLCJane Metz Fine ArtJerry ThrasherMayfield RanchMychal MurrayNature Blinds, LLCRancho El HalconSam P. McManusThomas W. HumphriesWilliam H. MasdenWinadeer.com

UtahChris BullockSteven J. WhiteVermontEquinox HotelNicholas SmithVelcoVirginiaCarson QuarlesClifford N. PresleyDavid VaughanGabriel TorresGary C. ArringtonGreg CrandolJames Vance JoynerJohn A. HastingsMason BrownMichael BarkerUltra PipeleineWard BurtonWilliam C. MacCartyWashingtonAlaska’s Wilderness LodgeCarrie McKinleyDouglas Aaron NixHancock Timber Resource GroupLake Washington ChapterLimbSaverNeal C. Cameron

West VirginiaAmvest WV Coal, LLCGarton OriginalsGlen BarnesMarsha FarkasovskyMeredith FarkasovskySteve M. EstepWisconsinArtistic AntlersBluff Country OutfittersBruce William MommaertsCasey UtkeChuck ZornClarence ‘Butch’ KochDavid R. BlockG. Heileman BrewGreg ShermoJames GabrickJim GillmanJoe Gafner Joel ClerJohn & Jean HedtkeJohn C. KochKarl MelnikKevin PoeschelKristopher UtkeMichael R. SkaifeNeshoto Toms ChapterRichard BrownVortex OpticsWilliam J. Miller

WyomingBillyRose M. GaskinsChris Jolly Hunting and FishingCody Jo GaskinsDwker SafarisHuntley Ferreira SafarisManuel OlaguibelMexafariMike SchmidSteve NicksonSteve DoughertyWeits SafarisWintershoek SafarisWyoming State Chapter

< n W t f s u P P o r t e r s >

the nWtF Welcomes tom stucKey as senior vice president oF development

Tom Stuckey, a well-respected and seasoned outdoor industry professional, joined the NWTF this year to lead the team responsible for discovering and cultivating relationships with upper-level donors.

“I am thrilled to join the NWTF at such an exciting time,” Stuckey said. “The hooks were set the first time George Thornton gave me a tour of the future site for the Palmetto Shooting Complex and outdoor education center.”

Stuckey worked for Outdoor Marketing Group prior to joining the NWTF. His extensive contacts and influence in the hunting and shooting sports industries bring value to our effort to secure long-term financial supporters of our mission.

// Tom Stuckey

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Chief Executive Officer — George thorntonDevelopment Advisor — james earl kennamer, ph.d.Chief Conservation Officer — Becky HumphriesChief Financial Officer — ellen lintalExecutive Vice President of Marketing and Development — doug saundersSenior Vice President of Volunteer Relations and Field Operations — dave mahlke Senior Vice President of Development — tom stuckeyVice President of Communications — karen lee

< n W t f L e A D e r s h i P >

Chairman — sam mars iiiPresident — Vern rossVice President — marvin HartleySecretary — Bill BucknerTreasurer — Vincent rosdahlChief Legal Counsel — richard morgan

dr. frank a. coble sherry crumleyrobert dettmer, m.d.mike evans robert Higginbotham scott Hill jim Hinkle

national board of directors

nWtf foundation boardChairman — jim BlomeVice Chairman — Heath davisSecretary — ryan klesko

MEMbERSrodney Barretotoxey Haasmarvin Hartleysam mars iiiVincent m. rosdahlVern ross

HONORARy bOARD MEMbERStrent colesherry crumleyallen jenkinscraig morganBrenda potterfieldBrenda Valentinepeggy anne Vallerymichael waddell

executive staff

Alabama — phil savageAlaska — josh andersonArizona — steve samsArkansas — terry thompsonCalifornia — joe pecsiColorado — john fosterConnecticut — john juneDelaware — tom spanglerFlorida — edith HartleyGeorgia — ronnie reaginHawaii — jon sabatiIdaho — don jenkinsIllinois — steve mcneilIndiana — steven l. GageIowa — Gary reederKansas — Vance ralstinKentucky — scott davis

Louisiana — joe waltersMaine — scott cyrMaryland — Bobby BoarmanMassachusetts — matthew sawyerMichigan — tony snyderMinnesota — dick snyderMississippi — nelson estessMissouri — timothy w. BrooksMontana — edward suggNebraska — kent BoughtonNevada — pyke BowlesNew Hampshire — chip pageNew Jersey — tim BlumNew Mexico — david eldridgeNew york — Bill wilburNorth Carolina — richard plattenberger

North Dakota — marc kurzOhio — matt mcdermottOklahoma —james aldridgeOregon — ron smith (interim)Pennsylvania — sam mccartneySouth Carolina — Glenn tanisSouth Dakota — mike mckernanTennessee — keith HickmanTexas — dick mccarverUtah — dave worwoodVermont — Brett ladeauVirginia — rick layserWashington — kurt BeckleyWest Virginia — scott wilsonWisconsin — david BurkeWyoming — casey dickinson

state chapter presidents

Members of the building committee of the national board get an on-site update of Palmetto Shooting Complex construction progress.

jere peak Bryan perryparks shackelford Harlan starr peggy anne Vallery louis yount

NON-VOTING DIRECTORSBecky Humphriesjames earl kennamer, ph.d.ellen lintalrichard morganGeorge thornton

Alabama Division of Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries steve Barnett, joel GloverArizona Game & Fish Department rick langley, amber munigArkansas Game & Fish Commission Brad carner, jason HoneyColorado Department of Natural Resources ed GormanConnecticut Department of Environmental Protection – mike Gregonis, Howard kilpatrickDelaware Division of Fish & Wildlife – matt diBonaFlorida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission roger shieldsGeorgia Department of Natural Resources kevin lowreyHawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources – Hans sinIdaho Fish & Game Department – jeff knetterIllinois Department of Natural Resources (vacant)Indiana Department of Natural Resources steve BacksIowa Department of Natural Resources jim coffeyKansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism mike mitchener, jim pitmanLouisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries jimmy staffordMaine Department of Inland Fisheries mark caron, kelsey sullivanMaryland Department of Natural Resources Bob longMassachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife dave scarpittiMichigan Department of Natural Resources al stewart, dave luukkonenMinnesota – Bryan leuthMississippi Department of Wildlife, Fish & Parks adam Butler, dave GodwinMissouri Department of Conservation jason isabelle, kevinn Hedgepeth Natural Resources Conservation Service kurt simonNebraska Game & Parks Commission alicia Hardin, jeff lusk

Nevada Department of Wildlife Brian wakeling, shawn espinosaNew Hampshire Fish & Game Department mark elling-wood, ted walskiNew Mexico Department of Game & Fish Barry HaleNew Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife tony mcBrideNew york Department of Environmental Conservation – michael schiavoneNorth Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission david sawyer, chris krehNorth Dakota Game & Fish Department stan kohn Ohio Department of Natural Resources ken duren, mike reynoldsOklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation rod smith, jack waymireOregon Department of Fish & Wildlife dave Budeau, tod lumPennsylvania Game Commission mary jo casalena, ian GreggRhode Island Department of Environmental Management – Brian tefftSouth Carolina Department of Natural Resources charles ruthSouth Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks chad lehman, travis runiaTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency roger applegateTexas Parks & Wildlife Department – jason HardinUSDA Forest Service – steve BlattUtah Division of Natural Resources jason robinsonVermont Department of Fish & Wildlife – amy alfieriVirginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries Gary normanWashington Department of Fish & Wildlife Brian calkinsWest Virginia Division of Natural Resources curtis taylorWisconsin Department of Natural Resources scott walterWyoming Game & Fish Department joe sandrinibureau of Land Management – john sherman

nWtf technical committee

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< n W t f s u P P o r t e r s >

Off ic ia l Publ icat ion

MEGA Trophy Room Inside!

Song DogsHunting coyotes is

easier than you think

GREAT NWTF STUFF

Page 25

Late-WinterWindow

Catch more largemouths in winter than spring

Eider Here or DareEider ducks put extreme-weather waterfowlers to the test

BIGMOUTH

Easy tips to using mouth calls for turkeys

Be a

GREAT

Page 25

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Plant seed that supports wildlife and creates better habitat. Buy a variety of mixes at www.OutdoorDealHound.com. Ask your local or state NWTF chapter representative about its seed program, where major companies donate seed for wildlife habitat plantings.

GroW.Learn how you can make a positive impact through our new Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative by contacting your NWTF regional staff representative. Find their information at www.nwtf.org.

volunteer.Tune in to the Pursuit Channel and watch “Turkey Call,” “NWTF 365” and “Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.” TV. See NWTF volunteers and partners chase game and show grassroots work in action. Shows air on DirecTV and Dish Network.

Watch.Not only do adult NWTF members receive Turkey Country magazine and youth get the quarterly JAKES Country, your membership fees support our mission. NWTF members also receive discounts on products and services and get plugged in to a network of people who value wildlife, wild places and the hunt. Or attend a local Hunting Heritage Banquet or an NWTF-sanctioned event. Go to www.nwtf.org to find an event in your area or become a member of the NWTF.

join.

Adult NWTF members receive Turkey Country, the official publication of the organization, sharing the NWTF’s goals and activities six times a year. There are sections on turkey hunting, land management, wildlife conservation and second amendment issues. JAKES Country goes to our youth members, and features hunting adventures and tips as well as educating readers on how to get involved in shooting sports.

read. Give.Learn about the different ways of giving to support the NWTF — planned giving, workplace giving, corporate and foundation support. Discover the benefits of upgrading your commitment to conservation by contacting the NWTF Development Department at [email protected].

Stay in the loop by following @NWTF_official on Twitter and finding us at www.facebook.com/THENWTF. Discover NWTF successes in your state at www.nwtf.org/volunteers, then sign up for action alerts, designed to inform and mobilize members on legislative issues that matter to sportsmen.

folloW. shop.Browse a wide selection of outdoor gear, land management tools and NWTF logo wear at www.OutdoorDealHound.com.

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Page 28: A Groundbreaking Year · Open 500,000 additional acres to public hunting. Because lack of access to hunting lands is a main reason people stop hunting, we’re ensuring there’s

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATIONWild Turkey Center770 Augusta Road • Post Office Box 530Edgefield, South Carolina 29824

Phone: (803) 637-3106 • Fax: (803) 637-0034

www.nwtf.org