Turkey Call All Access

Jesse Warner, the NWTF's Northeastern R3 coordinator, is on location in Mobile, Alabama for the 2024 R3 symposium where more than 220 R3 professionals gathered to engage in and discuss hunting and shooting sports participation. Warner is joined by Bre Bashford, Georgia R3 coordinator, and Michael Addison, Nebraska R3 coordinator, to recount their spring slates of education and outreach successes, talk about the need to grow the ranks of those who support the outdoors pursuits and more! Visit www.nwtf.org to learn more about the NWTF's dual mission to conserve the wild turkey and preserve our hunting heritage. 📸 :Zach Brewer

That's a wrap! Turkey season is over and we're joined by Beau Brooks and Maggie Williams to talk their favorite moments from the season, traveling for turkeys and more. Cover Photo by Casey Lyon. Become an NWTF member here.

Conservation is contagious! On this episode of the Turkey Call All Access Podcast we're talking with the NWTF North East R3 Coordinator, Jesse Warner, NWTF National R3 and Relevancy Coordinator Morgan Evans and Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife R3 Coordinator Astrid Huseby about all things R3. R3 stands for recruitment, retention and reactivation. Whether that's outreach through mentored hunts, JAKES days or other efforts, R3 is a core part of the NWTF mission.

On this episode of the Turkey Call All Access Podcast, we're talking the 200 year cicada hatch! This convergence of two periodical cicada broods only happens about every 200 years and we are lucky enough to witness it in our lifetimes. Colton Zirkle of the Missouri Hunting Heritage Federation and NWTF District Biologist talk the life cycles of cicadas, their impact on turkey recruitment and more. Learn about MHHF here. Get connected with NWTF Events here.

On this episode of the Turkey Call All Access Podcast, we're talking with Jonathan Wilkins, hunting guide, turkey fanatic, writer and cook. We cover everything from Kentucky Burgoo to DIY hunting vans. He is the owner of Black Duck Revival, a lodge in Arkansas, which you can learn more about here. Get connected with an NWTF Chapter in Arkansas here.

In this episode of the Turkey Call All Access podcast, we're talking with James and Cody Harrison of Harrison Custom Calls about the oldest calling competition in Missouri, insights into the competition calling world and more! Find local calling competitions here

On this episode we're with the Hunting Public as they talk hunting pressured turkeys. From strategies on how to deal with hunting pressure to calling tips, there's something useful for everyone!

It's Turkey Week! We're sitting down with Jason Phelps and James Harrison of Phelps Game Calls to talk turkey calling with locator calls, MeatEater's Turkey Week and more. A special thanks to our partners, Nomad, Sawyer and Bass Pro Shops! Learn more about Phelps Game Calls here and make sure you check out the Turkey Week Episode from the MeatEater Podcast here! Photo Credit: Monte Loomis

On this episode of the Turkey Call All Access Podcast, we're talking with Matt Light, 3x Super Bowl Champ and founder of the Light Foundation, an organization that focuses on connecting youth with outdoors experiences and building the long term values and skills they need to be successful! Matt is a lifelong outdoorsman and passionate turkey hunter. We're excited to share this conversation! You can support the Light Foundation's mission by entering their Turkey Touchdown Raffle and get a chance at winning a once in a lifetime turkey hunt. Enter here.

We caught up with Bret Collier, Mike Chamberlain and Mark Hatfield to talk wild turkey research, questions about turkey behavior and more. Learn about our recent partnership with the Wild Turkey Lab here as well as our record investment in wild turkey research here! Photo Credit: Jeff Perot

This episode is all about convention! Get the scoop on some of the most exciting auctions, seminars and events at the 2024 NWTF Convention and Sport Show in Nashville. Whether you're watching the best turkey callers show off their skills at the GNCC or perusing the hundreds of vendors available on the show floor, it's sure to be a great time. If you haven't purchased event tickets, there's still time! Get registered here. Don't forget to check out our online auctions, where you can bid on once in a lifetime hunts and more! Learn more here.

We sat down with BuckVentures at 2024 SHOT Show in Vegas to talk our new partnership and shared passion for conservation! Founded in 2003, BVO has gained acclaim for its high-quality outdoor shows, including "BuckVentures" and "The Woodsman." As part of the partnership, BuckVentures Outdoors Productions will feature NWTF's conservation efforts in episodes of "BuckVentures" on the Outdoor Channel, "The Woodsman" on the Sportsman Channel, and on their YouTube channel. This collaboration is expected to bolster the NWTF's membership outreach and create new avenues for engagement across the nation.

On this episode of the Turkey Call All Access Podcast, we're sitting down with Brian Wright of Williams Gun Sight Company to talk their new Low Reflex Sight, specifically designed with turkey hunters in mind! If you're looking to upgrade your turkey gun in anticipation for the 2024 spring season, you won't want to miss this! You can learn more about the LRS sight here.

On this episode of the Turkey Call All Access Podcast, we're sitting down the former NWTF CEO and turkey hunting legend Rob Keck! We talk the beginning years of the NWTF and some of the challenges of laying the groundwork for fifty years of conservation work. If you missed our other conversation with Rob Keck, you can watch the full thing here!

This episode is all about the five gift rule! It's the holidays and if you're looking to get a thoughtful gift for someone who loves the outdoors, you know it can be tricky to pick something. The five gift rule is giving someone a gift they want, one they need, something to wear, something to read and an experience. We hope this holiday prompt sparks your creativity! Check out our Holiday Gift Guide here. To join the NWTF or gift a membership, you can sign up here.

On this episode of the Turkey Call All Access Podcast, we're talking bourbon, white oaks and how all that ties back into wildlife habitat! We're joined by Ryan Boyer, Heather Wortley, Nick Mueller and Brandon Nutt. White oak trees are a vital part of a healthy forest ecology, occupying more than 104 million acres of public and private forest land across much of the central and eastern U.S. The importance of these majestic oaks is difficult to overstate in terms of their economic and wildlife habitat impacts. Sales of white oak trees generate billions of dollars annually, providing needed materials for furniture, flooring, cabinetry and the wine and spirits industry. In addition, white oaks are a key component of habitats supporting a diverse range of insects, pollinators, birds and mammals. That's why we're working hard to invest in the future of white oaks through the White Oak Initiative. You can learn more about the White Oak Initiative here.

We're talking with Ryan Boyer, Pat McFadden, Doug Little and Scott Fetters about an exciting project that's establishing diverse, native plant habitat on golf courses! With their expanse of acreage — well over 100 acres on average ― golf courses provide untapped potential to benefit wildlife. That is why the NWTF is partnering with the U.S. Golf Association, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pheasants Forever and other partners to facilitate new research being conducted by Purdue University's Turf Science and Entomology departments. You can read more about the project here.

This episode of Turkey Call All Access is all about the Farm Bill and what it means for wild turkey conservation! Matt Lindler, Doug Little and Jared McJunkin dive into programs funded by this legislation and how it benefits both private landowners and the general public. Read more about the Farm Bill here.

On this episode, we're talking with Joe Bartozzi, President and CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Jared McJunkin, Director of Conservation Operations in the Central Region. Whether you're a new gun owner or firearms have been in your family for generations, firearms safety is one of the most important topics to stay fresh on. We cover tips on how to create safe habits for firearms both in the home and field, how to introduce children and new hunters to firearms, and more! Learn more about Project Childsafe and how you can prevent firearm accidents and suicides here: https://projectchildsafe.org/

The Rio Grande wild turkey, a distinct subspecies of North American wild turkey found primarily in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, and Nebraska, face many threats, such as habitat loss, urbanization, climate change, disease and parasites, and these factors play a significant role in impacting the overall health of Rio Grande wild turkey populations. Recognizing their importance, a new study emphasizes the critical need to closely monitor the health of these populations to ensure their long-term survival. This project is one of 10 new research projects across nine states the NWTF is funding, with $582,374 invested among these vital projects. These research projects are part of a nearly $9 million investment into wild turkey research in 2023, supported by the NWTF and its partners.

A new study in Florida is trying to better understand the survival of hens, their choices in habitat selection, nesting chronology and nest site selection. It will look at survival rates of Osceola wild turkeys, including both adult birds and their poults, while closely examining the factors that are linked to their mortality. It will also focus on quantifying the survival and behavior of adult male wild turkeys in hunted and non hunted populations. Researchers aim to gain insights into the impacts of harvest management strategies and season structure on wild turkey populations. This project is one of 10 new research projects across nine states the NWTF is funding, with $582,374 invested among these vital projects. These research projects are part of a nearly $9 million investment into wild turkey research in 2023, supported by the NWTF and its partners.

Through our 2023 commitment to wild turkey research, the NWTF has granted funding to an ongoing research project in Oklahoma. It aims to understand the decline of wild turkey and brood survival in the state.Through monitoring hen survival, poult survival, habitat selection and exposure to disease, researchers are taking a comprehensive approach to understand these issues at a deeper level. This project is one of 10 new research projects across nine states the NWTF is funding, with $582,374 invested among these vital projects. These projects are part of a nearly $9 million investment into wild turkey research in 2023, supported by the NWTF, its state chapters and its partners.

Wildlife managers in numerous Eastern U.S. states have observed decreasing patterns in yearly Eastern wild turkey offspring and have proposed that a diminished number of successful hatches could influence declines in local populations. In Wisconsin, a new research initiative intends to shed light on crucial aspects of turkey survival, recruitment (when new individuals are added to a population) and population dynamics (the factors that affect the increase, stability and decrease of populations over time) using innovative methods and technology. We talk with Christopher Pollentier about the project and wild turkey populations in Wisconsin. Read more here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/integrating-data-sources

As part of its 2023 investment in wild turkey research, the NWTF is helping fund a new project led by Kansas State University; the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; and the U.S. Geological Survey, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. To establish a poults-per-hen ratio of two or higher, the success of a hen raising a healthy brood and recruiting poults to juveniles is essential. The emerging research will examine the diets of poults and hens in their most critical stages for recruitment: the first two weeks for poults and nesting periods for hens. This project is one of 10 new research projects across nine states the NWTF is funding, with $582,374 invested among these vital projects. These projects are part of a nearly $9 million investment into wild turkey research in 2023, supported by the NWTF and its partners.

In 2019, a report in Science made headlines worldwide, stating that North America's bird population had decreased by 3 billion birds since the 1970s. Researchers deciphered this staggering number using advanced statistical methods integrating wide-ranging data sources, including multiple annual bird censuses, historical data and even weather radar data that can quantify migratory birds. Now, researchers at the University of Florida want to take a similar approach with wild turkeys, painting a clearer picture of wild turkey abundance across the country. "Currently, there are few methods to reliably estimate wild turkey abundance, meaning that managers and practitioners often rely on indices, such as poults per hen and hunter harvest, to track trends in populations," said Corey Callaghan, Ph.D., assistant professor of global ecology at the University of Florida. "Our approach will utilize these indices as well as multiple large-scale datasets to develop a method to estimate wild turkey abundance at multiple spatial scales, which will benefit state agencies in decision-making processes." Read more here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/integrating-data-sources

State-of-the-Art Wild Turkey Research Continues for Second Year. Traditional methods of estimating turkey populations have proved difficult, but this study aims to improve population estimates by genetically analyzing fecal matter and feathers from an area to track individuals. This effectively allows researchers to create a database of individual wild turkeys on a specific project site by analyzing genetic material in the field. Learn more about the project here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/pioneering-wild-turkey-research-underway-in-mississippi

What is impacting the wild turkey population to a higher degree: increased predators or lack of sufficient habitat to avoid becoming prey? Or both? This question is at the heart of a comprehensive wild turkey research study in southeastern Iowa – where there is no shortage of predators and the five-year poult-to-hen ratio averages 1.9, indicating the population is in decline. The ongoing project is being conducted by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Luther College and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The NWTF Iowa State Chapter is providing funding for the project, and the NWTF also invested in this project as part of its 2023 investment in wild turkey research. Learn more here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/wild-turkey-research-to-receive-nearly-9-million-from-nwtf-and-partners #wildturkey #research #iowa #nestpredation #nestpredator #wildlifehabitat #hunt #hunting #nwtf #conservation

As part of its 2023 investment in wild turkey research, the NWTF is helping fund a unique project out of the University of Tennessee examining potential factors that may be causing wild turkey eggs to fail to hatch. The project will occur between the 2024-26 wild turkey nesting seasons. And while the work is happening in Tennessee, the research findings may have applications beyond state lines. In fact, many state wildlife agencies are participating in Gerhold's project. "Various state wildlife agencies will gather unhatched eggs either by nest searching, word of mouth by the public or finding nests of radio-tagged hens as part of other ongoing wild turkey research," Gerhold said. "We estimate at least 800 eggs will be analyzed per year." Once eggs are collected, the research team will record various data, including if the eggs are from a nest where other eggs have hatched, have been predated or have been abandoned by the hen. After the eggs are brought to the lab, the fertilization disc within the egg will be stained and examined under a UV microscope. The team will be able to see clearly whether the egg has been fertilized or not. This project is one of 10 new research projects across nine states the NWTF is funding, with $582,374 invested among these vital projects. These projects are part of a nearly $9 million investment into wild turkey research in 2023, supported by the NWTF, its state chapters and its partners. #nwtf #wildturkey #tennessee #conservation #research #wildlife #wildliferesearch

On this episode, we're talking with Mandy Harling and Teresa Carroll about recruiting new hunters, what makes a successful outreach event, and more. If you're interested in mentoring new hunters, this is a must listen! It's Conservation Week and National Hunting and Fishing Day is just a few days away. It's a great opportunity to bring someone out into nature with you! If you're interested in volunteering and meeting likeminded hunters, you can get connected with a local chapter here: https://www.nwtf.org/chapters To see what events are happening near you, check out: https://your.nwtf.org/members/events/

On this episode we're talking with Jared McJunkin, Patt Dorsey, and Doug Little about our latest conservation projects. We're touching on the Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative, our new Habitat for the Hatch and Wild Turkey Research programs, how private land owners can get involved in improving their habitat, Waterways for Wildlife, and more! If you're passionate about wild turkey conservation, this is the episode for you! Don't forget that it's also NWTF Conservation Week. Tag us in your outdoors adventures and habitat work at #nwtfconservationweek.

On this episode of Turkey Call All Access, NWTF communications staff sit down with folks from Reaper Boats and Full Strap and Stringer outfitters to discuss the NWTF's 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes, the love of waterfowl hunting, and how – whether it is a boat, a guided hunt or the necessary gear – the prizes in the NWTF's 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes are sure to create some happy hunters and a lifetime of memories. Make sure to enter the sweepstakes before 9/30 to take advantage of the early bird special, which allows entries to be doubled! You heard that right! The Grand Prize Includes: · Reaper Boats Model 656 in Mossy Oak camo Branded with NWTF the 50th anniversary logos and trailer · Full Strap and Stringer Duck Hunt for Two in Central Louisiana with one night lodging and dinner · GatorTail Boat Motor GTR40XD · Chene Gear Mossy Oak Original Bottomland Waders · Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 in Original Mossy Oak Bottomland Camo · NWTF 50th Anniversary Retro Camo Gun Sleeve by Boyt · Two Cases of Federal Ammunition 12ga Black Cloud Steel Shot Additional Prizes And Exciting Trips! First Place Winner will receive a Foxtail Lodge 4-day Duck Hunt for Two in Kodiak, AK with Lodging and Meals included. Second Place will receive an Island Number Thirty-Four Duck Hunt for Two. Third Place will win a Williamson Outfitters LLC, Duck Hunt and inshore Fishing for Two "Cast n' Blast" in Northern Florida with 2 nights lodging included. Don't miss this awesome opportunity at some of the best experiences and gear. Register for the Sweepstakes now!

In this episode we're chatting with John Nasson, Business Director for Nosler, Madi Woodward, Marketing Director at Nosler, and Chase Davidson, NWTF Southeast Regional Director. As a way to support our mission to conserve the wild turkey, Nosler has created an awesome raffle. Enter here before it closes! https://www.nosler.com/ultimate-gear-package.html Episode Artwork Credit: Monte Loomis

On this episode, we're talking with Andrew Little, assistant professor of landscape ecology and habitat management at the University of Nebraska. He is also the director of the AWESM (Applied Wildlife Ecology & Spatial Movement) Lab, which develops solutions to the growing wildlife conservation and management needs in multi-functional landscapes. We're covering wildlife conservation on agriculture centered landscapes, turkey research, the role of private land owners in helping turkey populations and more! You can learn more about our latest investment in wild turkey research here.

This episode is all about the Southeast! We're talking with NWTF's Chase Davidson, regional director in Alabama; Davy Blessing, regional director in Virginia and West Virginia; and Johnny McKinion, regional director in Mississippi. We cover the new Habitat for the Hatch initiative aimed at addressing turkey declines in the Southeast as well as the next generation of passionate turkey hunters and conservationists. Check out Episode 47 for a deep dive on Habitat for the Hatch and also read more here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/nwtf-introduces-new-initiative-to-combat-turkey-declines-in-southeast

In this episode, we're talking Habitat for the Hatch, a brand new initiative focused on turkey decline in the Southeast. Doug Little, Director of Conservation in the East Region and Derek Alkire, District Biologist get into the initiative, what they hope to accomplish and the challenges the Southeast faces. You can learn more about the project here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/nwtf-introduces-new-initiative-to-combat-turkey-declines-in-southeast

This episode is all about wild turkey research! We recently announced a historic $9 million investment into 10 vital research projects aimed at bolstering wild turkey populations. Director of Development Paul Campbell and National Director of Conservation Services Mark Hatfield get into the weeds on that project, wild turkey research approaches, and more! If you're passionate about the wild turkey and conservation, you won't want to miss this episode! Read more about our latest investment into wild turkey research here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/wild-turkey-research-to-receive-nearly-9-million-from-nwtf-and-partners

On this episode, we're sitting down with Kyle Green of The Green Way Outdoors. He shares with us how The Green Way Outdoors got started and we dive into turkey hunting, paddlefish snagging, bison hunting and more! Their new show is airing soon on the History Channel and you can catch more of their episodes on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGreenWayOutdoors Learn more about The Green Way Outdoors here: https://thegreenwayoutdoors.com/about-me/

On this episode we're talking drones and AI in conservation! Allison Schumacher gives us the scoop on a collaboration between the University of Missouri and Texas Parks and Wildlife to utilize drones equipped with thermal imagery to fly over roosted birds in order to gain much needed population data. Derek Alkire, NWTF District Biologist, talks the use of drones for controlling invasive plants and for prescribed fire. Special thanks to Nomad, Sawyer, and Bass Pro Shops. You can read more about drones in conservation here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/drones-and-conservation Get a limited edition retro gun sleeve here: https://your.nwtf.org/campaigns/?action=home&campaign=OldSchoolGunSleeveSocial

We're talking with Emilie Cram, NWTF Maine State Chapter board member and Cliff Cadet, president of the NYC Metro Longspurs. They give us an update on their turkey seasons as well as upcoming events in their states. If you're from Maine or New York and are looking to connect with like-minded hunters, make sure you get in contact with them. Show Notes: NYC Metro Longspurs: https://www.nwtf.org/chapters/nyc-metro-longspurs-ny NWTF Maine: https://www.nwtf.org/chapters/maine-state-chapterme East Texas Superstocking Efforts 👉 https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/eastern-turkeys-return-to-angelina-county-texas Vermont Vintage Turkey Film 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnSCfp6LM3k Special thanks to our sponsors Tetra Hearing, Nomad, Bass Pro and Sawyer!

In this episode, we're talking the Timber Transfer Pilot with Patt Dorsey, Director of Conservation Operations West Region, Tom Spezze, National Director of Field Conservation/State Policy and Communications Director Pete Muller. This new partnership with the USFS is one of the first programs being delivered through the Master Stewardship Agreement, which seeks to restore healthy ecosystems in the west and address the current wildfire crisis.

In this episode we sit down the Bret Collier aka Dr. Short Spur to talk turkey oddities and how to potential identify dominant toms! From multiple spurs, beards, to unusual coloring, we cover it all! Make sure to subscribe and rate so you never miss an episode.

The last of our convention conversations features Janis Putelis of MeatEater. We talk hound hunting, the turkey stories project, turkey leg recipes and more!

On the final day of our Convention sit-down interviews, you will hear from Matt Morrett, Mary and Zach Phillips of Country Outdoors, Blake Rice, Nina Rogers, Maggie Williams, Aleah Garner, Wayne Saunders, The Greenway Outdoors and 24.7 Hunt! Thanks for tuning in!

Day 2 of the 2023 NWTF Convention and Sport Show podcast conversations are now available! On day 2 you'll hear from Mark Prudhomme, Bill Dickinson, Bret Collier, Daniel Haas w/ Jason Hart, Brock Hutchinson, Lauren Plunkett, Alan Probst, Mark Drury, Simon Khiabani, Ronnie Evans, Drew Sorenson, Dr. John Delony, Omar "Crispy" Avila & Dan Compton!

Day 1 of the 2023 NWTF Convention and Short Show podcast conversations are now available! On day 1 you'll hear from co-CEO Jason Burckhalter, Cuz Strickland, Robbie Kroger, Al Stewart, Matt Hughes with Sandy Brady, Matt Light, Sydney Broadaway, Beau Brooks, Aaron Warbritton, Helen Cho & Durrell Smith!

It's time for the 47th NWTF Convention and Sport Show! We're just scratching the surface on this one. We discuss the LIVE podcast sessions, Special Events for our Upper Level members, Seminar schedule and speakers, and talk about the GNCC and Hall of Fame.

This week on the podcast, we sat down with UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes and dedicated NWTF volunteer Sandy Brady to bring you a story of resurrection and redemption. We discuss Hughes' tragic accident and how a random act of kindness spurred a friendship and gave a new purpose to one of MMA's more legendary fighters.

This week we caught up with Al Stewart, education director at the Nimrod Society's education center at Hillsdale College in Michigan. Stewart has 50 years of trapping and managing wild turkeys and is the only wildlife professional to have both trapped and harvested all five subspecies of the American Wild Turkey and the Ocellated turkey. We discuss his career, his adventures and more.

This week, the NWTF's own Fred Bird and Gilbert Randolph got together virtually for some holiday fun. They discuss the gift guide recently posted to social channels and also share in some holiday-themed banter.

On this episode, we're LIVE from Flaghill Distillery and Winery in Lee, New Hampshire! We sat down with Daniel Vitalis, AJ DeRosa, Emilie Cram, and Brian Ferguson to talk the future of hunting, the centrality of habitat work for sustainable wildlife populations, and much more. A special thanks to our title sponsor, Nomad Outdoor.