NWTF: Putting words into action

I don’t turkey hunt. Somehow I’ve escaped the fever in my 50+ years of outdoor pursuits.

But I do have great respect for those that do turkey hunt. It’s a challenging, one-on-one sport. And I have even more respect for those who put their love into action to help preserve and maintain the sport. Among those are the members of our local Union Long Spurs group. The group is active all year long, not just during turkey season. They work hard to raise money and awareness for their parent organization, the National Wild Turkey Foundation. My hats off to them!

Last week, the group held their annual Hunting Heritage Foundation and raised thousands of dollars for the group’s projects. According to local outdoor columnist and turkey enthusiast Peyton McKinnie, there was a record crowd of 283 people at the banquet, including 40 sponsors. That’s fantastic. They put their words into action.

With groups like this one and others around the state, the NWTF has spend nearly $2.5 million since 1985 on projects within our state. Projects like habitat enhancement, hunter safety, turkey management and special programs for  women in the outdoors, handicapped hunters and youth hunting have made this sport one to be proud of.

Thanks again to the Union Long Spurs, the committee that set up their fantastic banquet and to all who take part. It’s great to see a group that takes the lead in growing its sport, not just waiting for somebody else to do it for them. You can find out more information about the group on their Union Long Spurs Facebook page.