The NWTF April AWOL Chapter in the Nacogdoches, Texas area recently made a $20,000 donation to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the Northeast Texas Conservation Delivery Network’s Habitat Incentive Program.

This increased funding will provide critical habitat enhancements in priority areas in northeast Texas, such as where the Eastern wild turkey has been reintroduced into Texas as part of TPWD’s Super Stocking Program.

Once prevalent in east Texas, the Eastern wild turkey was reduced to an estimated 100 birds in the mid-1900s. Since 2014, the TPWD’s Super Stocking Program, the process of releasing 70-plus birds at a time, has provided east Texas with excellent results and a bright future for the subspecies in the region.

However, TPWD only releases birds on quality habitat where the translocated turkeys will have a higher chance of survival and reproduction. This includes at least 10,000 acres of contiguous land and the essential habitat features that turkeys need to flourish. Habitat is scored and approved before translocation efforts can begin.

Quality habitat is where the April AWOL’s contribution will be allocated.

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Results:

• 593 wild turkey observed (down 28% from 2021)

• 131 unique observations (under 200 goal)

• 0.68 Poults per hen (down 66% from 2021)

• 2.92 Poults per brood (down 30% from 2021)

• 16% of Hens were with Broods (down 71% from 2021)

• 0.77 Males per hen

• 7.08 turkeys per 1,000 miles driven (down 43% from 2021)

• Hope to increase observations in 2023 by enlisting LE assistance

Research Update – Banding Study

Survival, harvest, and population size of Rio Grande wild turkeys in Texas. Published in the Journal of Wildlife Management’s August 2022 edition

• Texas State Chapter of NWTF played a huge role bankrolling the reward bands for this study

• Pairs harvest rates with TPWD’s Small Game Harvest Survey numbers

• 7-year average male abundance was 228,709

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Let’s give a big ole’ Texas welcome to Nashville’s Jordan Rowe, Whitney Duncan and Jenna LaMaster as they visit our great State to harvest birds and share a little music along the way.

“Featuring Texas in this film series means a lot to all our local chapters, volunteers and members right across the State,” says Tony Hawley, NWTF Texas State Chapter President. “It’ll go a long way in helping us get more people involved in the NWTF mission and the hunting experience here.”

Country music, Rio Grande turkeys, first-time turkey hunters and new hunting adventures are the heart of the upcoming “Gobblers and Guitars: Texas Edition” digital video series from the National Wild Turkey Federation, Winchester Repeating Arms, Shine United and HuntStand.

Set to kick off the week of July 3, the three-part series will follow Nashville singer and songwriters Jordan Rowe, Whitney Duncan and Jenna LaMaster as they hit Mason, Texas, to chase Hill Country turkeys and share in the camaraderie of the outdoors.

The avenue into the outdoor lifestyle is never a set path, and the same holds true for the musicians featured in “Gobblers and Guitars.”

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National Wild Turkey Federation member and wildlife journalist Chester Moore was honored by the Press Club of Southeast Texas for journalistic work on wild turkeys and wild sheep conservation at their Excellence In Media Awards.

His article “Conservation In Action: Angelina County Eastern Turkey Release” took first place for environmental writing.

Moore has photographed and written on the Eastern turkey releases at that site since they began in early 2021.

“It’s such an honor to be recognized for that story as what I have seen Texas Parks & Wildlife, NWTF and the Middle Neches Eastern Turkey Cooperative do in Angelina County has been amazing. It’s true environmental stewardship,” Moore said.

His “Wild Sheep Pandemic” public service announcement took first place in the Public Service Announcement category and was written, narrated and edited by Moore to raise awareness to the issue of pathogen/disease transmission between domestic and wild sheep.

His radio program “Moore Outdoors” on Newstalk AM 560 KLVI, took first place for radio talk show for an episode he did on Texas’ desert bighorns with Froylan Hernandez, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Desert Bighorn Sheep Program leader.

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Dr. Samuel Prescott McManus was born on March 16, 1933, in Gulfport, Mississippi, to parents Sidney and Dixie.

He and his older brother, Hugh, spent many days fishing on the coast and exploring the woods together every chance they could.

Sam played sports in High School, was as smart as a whip and the President of his class. He was active in the U.S. Naval Reserve and then attended Ole Miss, where he met and married his soulmate and the love of his life, Lee.

Sam was passionate about the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), tirelessly giving his time and talents to the organization at the local and state level for over 50 years. What was important to Sam was sharing the experience with others, spending time in the woods and promoting the stewardship of the land. In his early days you had to be quick to outdraw him on a gobbler, but in later years he gracefully made sure to put his hunting partners in the best position for the shot.

Forever the optimist, he was always convinced that another gobbler was just over that next ridge.

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We will be awarding Jaci $2500 to be paid to her school of choice.

Jaci is a worthy recipient of the Dr. James Earl Kennamer Scholarship because of her involvement in her community, her extra curricular activities, maintaining a high GPA and class rank and still be able to hunt and preserve our hunting heritage.

Jaci started hunting at the age of six. Whether it was deer, turkey, or even an oryx she was always ready to go hunt. Being raised in an environment where her family hunted, she learned very many lessons and understood how important the outdoor and hunting are.

Every year she looked forward to attending the Cross Timbers Chapter banquet because it was her dream to win a gun. One year, she recalls, she bid on a pink .22 Crickett against other kids and was lucky to snag it even after raising her hand a few more times than her parents may have wanted her to.

Jaci is thankful for the opportunities that she has been given to get outdoors and hunt because she has been able to learn, grow, and share memories with her family. Eventually, she would like her kids to have those same opportunities she did as a child.

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NWTF Texas Chapters were back in Nashville, February 16-20, 2022, for the 46th Annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show at the beautiful Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center for a weekend packed with the latest hunting gear, live and silent auctions, entertainment and much more.

NWTF Chapters in Texas received national recognition for their hard work. Awards were given to the following Chapters for their achievements:

• LA Dixon Outstanding Chapter, 2,500-4,999 Members - 3rd Place - Montgomery County Chapter, Conroe

• LA Dixon Royal Slam Club - Pineywoods Chapter, Lufkin

• LA Dixon Grand Slam Club - April Awol Chapter, Nacogdoches

• LA Dixon Grand Slam Club - Highland Lakes Chapter, Burnet

• NWTF Partnership Award - Kauffman County Double Beards Chapter, Terrell | Cross Timbers Chapter, Decatur | Cottonwood Creek Chapter, McKinney

Click the link below for the Convention recap:

https://www.nwtf.org/convention/recap

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A cutting-edge study to examine the lives of Eastern wild turkeys has crossed the Sabine River from Louisiana into East Texas.

Louisiana State University (LSU) researchers with the cooperation of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) and help from the National Wild Turkey Federation are fitting Eastern turkeys with GPS collars to track their movements.

TF&G Editor-In-Chief Chester Moore got to document the first collaring in Texas with Chad Argabright, a graduate student at LSU overseeing the project in the field alongside TPWD biologists.

LSU graduate student Chad Argabright fits an Eastern turkey captured north of Lufkin with a GPS transmitter. (Photo by Chester Moore)

In this edition of Higher Calling Wildlife, Chester interviews LSU’s Dr. Bret Collier who has studied the birds in Louisiana for a decade.

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A great time was had by all who attended the 2021 NWTF TX Awards Night and Volunteer Appreciation Banquet, held at the Lufkin Civic Center on January 15, 2022.

Thanks for coming out to show your support for the National Wild Turkey Federation in Texas and all the good work this organization does across the country in promoting responsible hunting and championing the conservation of our nation’s precious natural resources.

Our banquet would not be a success without the support of our members, sponsorship partners and donors.

Thank you for helping us and the NWTF save the habitat and save the hunt in Texas for generations to come.

We appreciate you!

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There was a whole lotta cluckin’ and yelpin’ at the Bryan College Station Texas Best Western goin’ on last weekend at the 2021 Texas State Turkey Calling Contest. Contestants of all ages came from all over to win fabulous prizes and grab their place to compete at the National Championships in Nashville next year.

When you make turkey calling sounds, you speak a second language. To do so effectively, you need to know the calling sounds to imitate birds and fool them into range.

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Thanks to everyone who came by our booth, this weekend, at the Dux Expo.

Congratulations to one of our newest members Tracey P. She was our lucky winner of a Custom Turkey Call handcrafted by Bill Crowell at Crowell Custom Calls especially for the Dux Expo.

The family friendly DUX extravaganza (June 25-27) featured the latest in outdoor expertise, equipment and today’s hottest rising Country Music stars.

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Chester Moore, Co-founder at Kingdom Zoo: Wildlife Center, Editor-in-chief at Texas Fish & Game Magazine, Founder and Managing Director at Higher Calling Wildlife - and a great friend of NWTF in Texas - receives 10 awards for writing, photography, radio and video at the Texas Outdoors Writers Association banquet at the Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur.

Thanks to this great organization for providing this platform for journalism and camaraderie.

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Local Texas Chapters were recognized for their hard work in 2020 at the Volunteer Appreciation and Awards Night held recently.

Below is a list of Appreciation Awards earned by deserving local Texas NWTF Chapters honoring them for a job well done in 2020.

We appreciate your efforts in saving the hunt and saving the habitat in Texas.

Thank you for all you do!

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Craig White of Huntington, Texas, has received national recognition from the National Wild Turkey Federation as the recipient of the Roger M. Latham Sportsman Wild Turkey Service Award for his leadership in in the Lone Star State.

“It is truly an honor to be nominated and to receive this prestigious award,” White said. “As I look at the list of past recipients, I’m humbled to be in the mix with some of the greatest volunteers to ever contribute to the NWTF. I was asked to join my local chapter several years ago by a good friend, but soon thereafter, I developed a love for the mission of NWTF, and I was ready to do everything I could to make it better and help enable our younger generation to carry on our legacy. I look forward to continuing our efforts and working to reach new milestones as the years pass.”

White received one of five Roger M. Latham Sportsman Wild Turkey Service awards presented at the 45th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show, held virtually in 2021.

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Jason Hardin, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Wild Turkey Program leader, was awarded the NWTF’s Henry S. Mosby Award for his significant role in the restoration of the Eastern wild turkey in east Texas.

“It is an honor to be considered for the Henry S. Mosby Award and a real surprise to actually receive it,” Hardin said. “The NWTF Technical Committee has allowed me the opportunity to work with wildlife biologists from across the country with responsibilities for the wild turkey, and I have gained much more from those experiences than I can ever give back. I was a member of NWTF long before I became the Wild Turkey Program leader at Texas Parks and Wildlife. I was inspired by NWTF’s mission then and continue to be inspired today. The National Wild Turkey Federation, beyond being a great partner, provides Texas with the degree of services a state agency cannot achieve alone.”

Hardin accepted the Henry S. Mosby Award during the 45th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show, held virtually in 2021.

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Annie Farrell of NWTF releases one of the Eastern turkeys in Titus County

Check out Chester Moore’s article on the Titus County turkey release.

TWPD and NWTF Turkey Release Inspires

Wild turkeys are fast on their feet and often flee from danger by running instead of taking to the air.

They can however fly quite fast and as each box opened on a private tract of land in Titus County, TX, the flying ability of the wild turkey was on display.

Marked with the logo of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), these six boxes held six Eastern turkey hens captured in Missouri and transported to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials at the Dallas-Forth Worth Airport.

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We are once again selling Texas NWTF gun calendars for 2021.

These limited edition calendars are $50 each and they give you one chance a week to win one of 52 guns to be given away. That comes out to .96 cents a week.

Only 1,000 calendars will be sold at $50. Each calendar gives you a chance at all 52 guns. The winning number is determined by the Wednesday evening "Pick 3" Texas Lottery drawing.

Once contacted, the winners will be posted on this page as well as the NWTF Texas Facebook Page.

They make great gifts for friends, family, co-workers, employee’s, customers, etc., etc.. Christmas is just around the corner.

Contact us or your local NWTF chapter to get one of these great calendars and your chance to win fabulous prizes!

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As an active National Wild Turkey Federation member, you understand our organization and the sacred relationship between wildlife, wild places and people. The last four months have changed all our lives and challenged us to re-evaluate our priorities and our passions. In short, COVID-19 has threatened lives, livelihoods and the NWTF.

To help sustain our mission, we have had to streamline our organization to better fit the financial reality of today. These measures were painful but helped us reduce expenses substantially. However, it is not enough; we still need your help to keep our mission, our operations and our field work alive. Replacing the lost revenue from shutting down our fundraising events this spring will ensure our beloved mission lives on for future generations. This is the reason we had issued a rare Call for All to raise an additional $5 Million this summer.

Since we issued the Call for All we have raised $6,030,100 towards our goal. Thank you for your continued support.

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The NWTF Northeast Texas Chapter members worked extra hard last Thursday to host an event this year despite a pandemic and a downturn in the Texas economy. The event was held outdoors this year to accommodate the new world we live in.

Tables were set up social distance style and we started a little later than usual waiting for the heat to break.

A delicious dinner was served as guests arrived so there were no waiting lines.

Guests were given the option to stay in their vehicles and park up close so they could feel comfortable in safely taking part in the festivities.

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Check out our newly designed newsletter. It’s full of what’s new with the NWTF Texas State Chapter. It’s full of stories of the conservation projects we’re working on and the great things our members are doing across our great State to help promote Save the habitat, save the hunt. There’s fun things to do too. Check out our calendar events page for the date of your local chapter banquet or event.

Click here to read the newsletter. Don’t miss out!

Send the link below to anyone you know who is interested in hunting, conservation and the outdoors in general.

Click here for the link.

We appreciate your getting the word out.

Send us your favorite hunting or outdoors pictures or stories you’d like to share with our members.

Click here to send us your photos and stories.

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