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Federation Newsletter No. 43 December 2019

Editor Chris Womack

National

TEXAS STATE CHAPTER

Wild Turkey www.txnwtf.org

Dedicated to conservation of the wild turkey and preservation

of our hunting heritage

Check us out on social media!

NWTF-Texas @nwtf_texas txnwtf

Photo courtesy of Jason Hardin—see page 12 for TPWD Report

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From your Texas State Chapter President… Craig White Hello fellow NWTF members!! The New Year has arrived and we are ready for a great 2020!!

NEW BOARD MEMBERS!!

We were honored to add three new board members to our State Chapter dur-ing our Fall Board Meeting. Cory Harris, Paul Korthuis, and Preston Northrup all joined our board and are eager to help in filling voids and help-ing us thrive as a board. Find their contact information, as well as the entire State Chapter on the back of this newsletter, and contact us if we can ever be of assistance. We would like to extend a huge thanks to Lance and Melinda Gray for once again opening their home to us for our Fall Board Meeting Weekend back in October.

TURKEY RESTOCKING IN EAST TEXAS

In the last newsletter, I informed you of two new co-ops that were approved for restocking, and I am thrilled to let you know that we are currently releasing another large group of Eastern Wild Tur-keys in East Texas!! This year’s stockings are taking place in Northeast Texas (Titus County). As always, we would like to extend a huge thank you to our TPWD Turkey Program Coordinator Jason Hardin and our TPWD team for coordinating the catching, testing, transportation, and releasing of these birds.

PASSING OF THE TORCH

Our January board meeting will present a change in leadership. I have wrapped up my two term limit as your State Chapter President and will be step-ping down as we elect a new president. We will also have a new Vice President for our South Region, and a new Treasurer. These newly elected individuals will be wonderful additions to our Executive Committee and help us grow into the future as a State Chapter.

2019 STATE AWARDS/VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! January 25th will be the date for our State Awards/Volunteer Appreciation weekend held in Bryan/College Station. Find the details in this newsletter and make plans to come see us for a fun-filled night of entertainment!!

2020 NATIONAL CONVENTION

Our NWTF 2020 National Convention will once again be held in Nashville, Tennessee from February 12-16. If you have never attended, put this on your to-do list!! It is a must!!

In closing, I hope 2020 proves to be a great and successful year for all of you! It has been a huge honor to serve you as your Texas State Chapter President. Thank you!

State Board of Directors meeting in Marble Falls

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Continued on Next Page

East Texas District Biologist Report – Winter 2019

Greetings from East Texas! I hope everyone had a great year!

Here is a recap of our East Texas conservation activities in 2019:

Texas Parks and Wildlife Projects

We reclaimed 5 dove fields on the northwest side of Lake Ray Roberts PHL and completed installation of a

new parking lot for easier access to these dove fields. We also closed out three stewardship projects on TPWD

wildlife management areas (Old Sabine Bottom WMA, Caddo Lake WMA, and Cooper Lake WMA).

Through funds from timber harvested off these WMAs, we were able to complete a large-scale herbicide treat-

ment on Chinese Tallow on Caddo Lake, reopen thousands of acres of access on Old Sabine Bottom through

an infrastructure project, and purchase equipment for Cooper Lake to maintain their prescribed burning pro-

gram.

United State Forest Service Projects

We closed out 3 timber sales under the USFS Stewardship program this year, which gives us more room to

start new projects! The Hickman Branch timber sale on Sam Houston National Forest began, and there are

more in the works. Stewardship is a great tool for us because we are able to harvest timber and use the pro-

ceeds for service work on the National Forests and Grasslands of Texas. Fun fact: this year NWTF was the

fourth largest purchaser of USFS timber in the country!

Northeast Texas Conservation Delivery Network

With so many agreements closing out this year, it has given me more time to devote to the Conservation Deliv-

ery Network’s Habitat Incentive Program (for more information, see my article in the summer 2019 NWTF-

Texas Newsletter). We had a record year this year and are trending to have an even bigger year in 2020!

Through the FY19 Standard Habitat Incentive Program, we impacted 5,314 acres of private lands for

$138,534.88. Project treatments included prescribed fire, construction of fire breaks, herbicide application,

hardwood tree planting, pine tree planting, mulching, and native grass establishment. Through the FY19

Neches River Habitat Incentive Program, specifically designed for habitat conservation for wild turkeys in the

Neches River corridor, we treated 1,128 acres with prescribed fire and herbicide for a total cost share assis-

tance of $72,292.35 to private landowners. Since the program began in 2017, the CDN and NWTF have treat-

ed 6,858 acres for $340,167.15. In FY20, we have 20 projects planned, which if completed, will impact 5,483

acres for $222,142.47 of cost share assistance, where 84% of the practice acres are prescribed burning. For

more information on these Habitat Incentive Programs and how you can get cost share assistance, contact me!

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Here are the overall acreage totals for 2019:

As always, thank you everyone. Be proud of this work, because without volunteers like you, my job would

not be possible. If you ever have any questions, comments, or stories, feel free to reach out to me at

afarrell@nwtf.net or (903) 539-0279. Until next time, stay warm this winter and happy hunting!

Acres

Access 4,000

Conserved/Enhanced 9,645

Equipment (prescribed burning) 3,971

Total 17,616

Prescribed burning project

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1 year post-burn on Habitat Incentive Program project.

Post-burn on Habitat Incentive Program project.

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Proud Sponsor of the NWTF in Texas

NWTF Director of Development Update

Greetings,

My name is TJ Goodpasture and I am the new Director of Development for Ok-

lahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. You may have previous-

ly worked with my good friend and predecessor, Luke Lewis, who has gone to

work as the Assistant Chief of Wildlife for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commis-

sion.

I have worked for the National Wild Turkey Federation since 2016 as the Western Oklahoma Regional Direc-

tor. Prior to that, I was a volunteer for my local chapter in Oklahoma. I also spent nearly 10 years in law en-

forcement in Tyler, Texas where I met my wife Amanda.

Amanda and I currently reside in Enid, Oklahoma. We enjoy hunting, fishing, reading, cooking, and spending

time with friends in our spare time. Our true passion is inspiring others to try the outdoor lifestyle and not feel

ashamed or embarrassed to do so. I truly love seeing all the great work the National Wild Turkey Federation

does for our habitat and hunting heritage and look forward to many years of building friendships & swapping

hunting stories with each of you. I believe together we can inspire others and truly leave a legacy for future

generations of sportsmen & women.

I invite each of you to reach out if you have questions regarding your life to date totals or if you would like to

discuss how pledging at different levels can help your local banquet. We have already seen situations in Texas

where our development program has helped put significant dollars back into the state and my hope is that we

all work together to continue this trend.

If you are interested in hosting a Major Donor event in your area or would like to be learn more about the Tex-

as Major Donor Event Committee I am putting together, please contact me at tgoodpasture@nwtf.net or 903-

253-1593.

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Regional Director Update— South Texas

Mike Shouse

mshouse@nwtf.net

What have I been hearing this fall????

“…. in the blind with my son-in-law who has never been hunting.”; “Got my

granddaughter her first deer…….”; “…taking a rookie I work with duck hunting next week….”; and,

“Planning to teach some folks how to cook up some wild game and try some Texas wines!”

It is all about sharing the hunt!!! And our NWTF folks have been making it happen, leading the charge of

introducing the “newbees” to our great outdoors and hunting heritage. KEEP IT UP!. Send us your stories,

we love to hear it.

Many of my best hunting buddies are guys and gals 30+ years my junior. Some are family, but many are not.

Folks I met at NWTF banquets (or elsewhere) who said they had never been hunting but didn’t have anybody

to take them. Sign me up!!! So exciting for me to see their energy, excitement and I don’t have to do the

heavy lifting anymore!!!!

So if you aren’t recruiting and taking new hunters out in the field, you are missing the boat. That extra doe or

cull deer is 10x the fun if your new buddy takes it (and you get to watch him/her clean it). Breakfast pan-

cakes taste so much better after that first teal came in perfect to your spread and your protégée folded it. No

better Christmas present than some time spent in the field with friends and family.

Speaking of Christmas, how about a gift that keeps on giving: “The Texas Gun Calendar”! A chance to win

a gun every week in 2020! Check with your local chapter or reach out to me if you need a great present for

that hard to buy for friend, family or client/customer.

Looking forward to starting the spring banquet season and especially excited about focusing on starting some

new chapters. With my move down to Sugar Land from Georgetown, I am motivated to see about expanding

our coastal bend area chapters. If you know folks down around Alvin, Victoria, or Corpus Christi (or any-

where else) let me know of any folks who might be interested in helping out!

Good luck pursuing that big Texas buck or those birds, and have a great Christmas and New Years!!!!

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Texas NWTF Officer of the Year

Submitted by Captain Scott Jurk

I am proud to nominate Texas Game Warden Theron

Oatman for NWTF Officer of the year. Oatman has earned

the respect of his peers and colleges through his hard work

and passion for conservation law enforcement. He leads by

example and is an FTO for incoming officers. Oatman ex-

emplifies the mission of conservation for future generations

through building relationships with landowners, conserva-

tion groups and constituents. Thank you for the opportunity

to nominate this outstanding officer for this award.

Case Involvement: Game Warden Oatman is knowledgea-

ble and a leader in the enforcement of all aspects of game

warden duties in the State of Texas. In addition to investi-

gating many big game, turkey, and waterfowl cases; War-

den Oatman files cases involving commercial deer breeders,

taxidermy violations, fishing and boat fraud cases. Oatman

is also very active in water safety and BWI enforcement and

is requested by other areas of the state to come and assist

with enforcement efforts in all areas. Warden Oatman also assists the covert investigation team in doing buys

for protected species to ensure that the sellers are apprehended. Warden Oatman had a great case this April

where he received a call concerning a suspicious vehicle that was possibly hunting. Warden Oatman responded

to the scene and waited for the individual to return to the vehicle and exit the location. Warden Oatman

stopped the subject and immediately noticed a dead turkey on the rear seat of the truck and observed an AR

style rifle on the front seat. Warden Oatman interviewed the suspect who admitted to killing the turkey. The

suspect was a contractor that had access to the property but did not have permission to hunt. Warden Oatman

continued to investigate and found the suspect had two turkey fans and beards on cardboard drying in the back

of his truck. The land owner was contacted and the submitted the hunt without consent documents which were

needed for warden Oatman to file charges. The turkeys were seized and a warrant was issued for Hunting with-

out Landowners Consent and No Hunting License.

Public Relations: Warden Oatman is a champion for spreading the message and mission of TPWD. He has

done numerous television and media programs to inform the public of the importance of what we do and why

we do it. Theron does programs and presents our message to civic groups, schools, and other constituents to

promote compliance and overall conservation of our natural resources in the state. Theron uses his outdoor

knowledge and experience to explain the importance of conservation and enforcement to all hunters and peo-

ple that he comes into contact with in the field. He is never too busy to spend time making sure that those en-

joying our natural resources are educated and informed. Theron is an active member in NWTF, DU and Texas

Trophy Hunters.

Attitude: Warden Oatman is a leader in the district and state. He promotes a positive attitude and is often the

one others call for a peer opinion on topics of discussion. Even when questions seem to be unnecessary or un-

warranted warden Oatman explains them with a positive message and encourages others to understand the pos-

itive reasoning behind those situations. Theron works in all the counties in the district and is requested by out

Continued on Next Page

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of county captains to assist in their special patrol efforts because he brings a positive “can do” attitude and

works extremely hard to complete the mission. Theron works well with every division in the agency and has

developed a rapport in sharing information.

During a recent deer breeder investigation, Warden Oatman coordinated with our wildlife division to follow

the proper protocol for dispatch and disease monitoring of the herd in question.

Enthusiasm: Theron never has to be told what to do or where to work. He is always looking to find new and

different tactics to enforce the rules and regulations of TPWD. Theron works in all counties of the district and

Region when needed or requested. He responds to natural disasters and call outs on a regular basis. Warden

Oatman self-initiates most of his cases and works on the state wide TPWD dive team and answers calls all

over the state. Theron responds and assists the public with whatever needs arise. Whether it is a poaching call

or needing help to remove a wild animal Theron does it with professionalism.

Attitude to Other Department Employees and Other Law Enforcement Agencies: Warden Oatman works

with many agencies in his area of responsibility and others. He goes out of the area to work and is now

requested by judges to come back because of his professional demeaner and how he works with everyone. Oat-

man’s relationships with outside agencies has afforded area wardens the ability to have a detective from the

sheriff’s office do forensics on cell phones in large wildlife cases. Oatman works with wildlife and fisheries

staff to ensure proper enforcement of regulations and especially with deer breeders and CWD monitoring. The-

ron works well in a group setting and can be the lead or follow as needed.

Professionalism: Theron always shows his professionalism in dealing with the public and with other agencies

and other wardens. He is well respected by his peers and those he comes in contact with. He builds strong land

owner relationships that benefit the wardens and the wildlife. Theron requested the opportunity to be the war-

den in charge during the Captains absence and during this time a game warden vessel was struck by another

vessel while on patrol. Theron handled the situation with a calm confident manner. He insured the safety of the

officers, the protection of the scene and notified the chain of command. This was a highly stressful incident

and he did an excellent job. He also activated our CIT team and the Chaplin to assist the officers and their fam-

ilies during a time of need.

Dependability: As you can see by the example above warden Oatman is a well prepared officer that can han-

dle anything thrown his way. He responds to all calls in a timely manner and self-initiates most investigations.

Oatman will take on any and all assignments and brings a positive attitude to the group. Many of the other

wardens call him for advice and when they have questions. He thinks beyond the district level and explains

why things are important and being done across the state.

Investigative Skills: Oatman is a great investigator who uses all the available tools to ensure a thorough inves-

tigation. Theron is part of our covert program that is used to set up undercover buys to protect natural re-

sources. He uses social media and technology to locate subjects and build cases. He has written many search

warrants and developed warrants for others to use. His investigations are thorough and complete and he

reaches out to our special operations investigators if needed. Oatman uses remote cameras and other devices to

help build strong cases that are easily prosecuted.

Supports Hunting Heritage: Whether it is on his family ranch or at a youth hunting or wounded warrior

event Theron promotes the outdoors and love of hunting. He has hosted hunters from all over the US on his

ranch and has been active in running youth operation for 13 years. Theron is the Co-Lead for all our hunting

activities that take place in the district.

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Each year he gets volunteers to provide corn and supplies to keep the program going. On average we do 3

youth hunts and 1 large wounded warrior and family hunt within the district. Oatman teaches his own kids and

many others about the importance of conservation and is a staunch supporter for the preservation of turkeys

and water fowl which he loves to hunt.

Outstanding Activities: In addition to the outstanding turkey case, large deer breeder cases and the leadership

Oatman has shown he also has performed his day to day duties as a Texas Game Warden. Oatman has

patrolled over 320 hours on state waterways, patrolled over 22 thousand miles by land and has filed over 165

cases this year. I hope that you will respectively consider Theron Oatman as the NWTF Game Warden of the

Year.

Regional Director Update - Northwest Texas

Erika Martinez emartinez@nwtf.net The holidays are a great time to be generous, but they are even a better time to be thankful for what we have and show gratitude towards others. Be thankful for the things that you already have. The Holidays aren’t just about asking for things that we want, they are about showing appreciation and showing thanks for the blessings we already have. This year I have so many things to be thankful for especially in Northwest Texas. This year we've seen our share of ups and downs, but the ups outweighed

the downs. Northwest Texas gained 2 new chapters this year. The Permian Basin NWTF Chapter in Midland and the Wichita County NWTF Chapter in Wichita Falls. The Northwest area is starting to gain momentum and we are thrilled to get this area going again. I'm also thankful for the opportunities that I've been given. I was able to do a Turkey 101 Class in Chickasha, Oklahoma for a group of kids. They were already learning archery so they were thrilled to be able to learn the basics of Turkey Hunting. Remember, gratitude and thankfulness can be big or small. You don’t have to measure your gratitude, as long as it has an effect on you is all that matters. Here's to a great 2019 and an even better 2020!

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NWTF Texas Wheelin’ Sportsman Events

By Tim Webster - State Wheelin’ Sportsman Coordinator

Most of us enjoy life in the outdoors and are blessed to have the opportunities.

The silence of the morning before the sun starts rising and the anticipation of

what we might experience. Like a light switch, all of a sudden the birds start

singing, the leaves rustling as our hearts begin to beat faster then we get a

glimpse of God’s creation.

Now think about how it feels to those who don’t get to witness this in their lifetime. It will leave a lasting

impression on you and the person you share it with. Our NWTF Mission pushes us to share this with those in-

dividuals. To be honest the reward is far greater when we share.

Recently, several of our Chapters in Texas got this opportunity through our Wheelin’ Sportsman Program. In

partnership with local land owners, Texas Parks and Wildlife, US Forest Service and the US Army Corp of

Engineers we were able to host 27 Physically Challenged Hunters, with the youngest being 12. It’s an honor to

share the experiences, all with such a positive attitude enabling their

abilities.

They learn firearm/archery safety, ethical shot placement and state

and local wildlife laws. They learn to process the game they harvest

hands on. When sitting around the campfire sharing stories with so

much positive energy, some with red stripes on their cheeks. Laughs

and smiles all around.

The impact these hunts have will likely last years for each and every

person involved. Congratulations to our hunters. Special Thanks to all

our partnerships. It wouldn’t be possible without you!

Lucas Stockton and proud Grandad Rick

Franklin Herring getting “hands on” his deer

T.J. Fischer & daughters with his deer

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TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE TURKEY REPORT: By Jason Hardin Turkey Hunting Forecast Texas has observed very low nest success and poult survival across most of the Rio Grande wild turkey range the last few years. The 2019 nesting season was preceded by excellent winter moisture providing early greens which allowed wild turkey hens to begin putting on fat reserves in February. Timely spring rains helped keep the land-scape green and produced valuable nesting and brooding cover. By early spring, poults were already being report-ed across Texas. Recruitment continued through Septem-ber with young poults being observed in East Texas in late September by deer hunters. Many of those young birds have now been recruited into the Texas turkey pop-ulation and will provide a welcome population boost. Hunters should expect to see an increased number of Jakes and Jennies in the spring population. Texas hosts approximately 80,000 turkey hunters annually. The Texas Hill Country has the highest density of spring turkey hunters and harvest followed by the Cross Timbers. However, there are good turkey numbers along major riparian areas throughout the central part of Texas from the Panhandle through the South Texas Brush Country. The top 5 counties for turkey harvest in Texas in recent years have been Coleman, Kinney, Tom Green, Kimble, and McCulloch. Eastern turkey harvest reporting declined during the 2019 season. This was expected, considering the chang-es in regulations delaying the season opener by a week to April 22nd and reducing the season length by a week. However, TPWD would like to take this opportunity to remind eastern turkey hunters to report all harvested birds. Harvest reporting is mandatory in east Texas and is one of the only means for TPWD to track turkey populations. Hunters are required by law to report their wild turkey harvest within 24 hours of the time the bird was taken in Bowie, Cass, Fannin, Grayson, Jasper, Lamar, Marion, Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Polk, Red River, and Sabine Counties. Hunters can report their harvest on TPWD’s website at www.tpwd.texas.gov/turkey or on the My Hunt Harvest App, which is available at the App Store or Google Play.

Turkey Habitat Management Eastern wild turkey populations in Texas mark the western extreme of this subspecies range in the U.S. These birds are typically found in island popula-tions in southeast Texas and northeast Texas, with large areas of unoccupied range in between. Texas Parks and Wildlife is working with our conservation

Download the App today and

Report your harvest

Restocking success story

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partners not only to restock wild turkeys into suitable habitat in currently unoccupied range, but also to deliver conservation incentive programs aimed in part at increasing available turkey habitat. Land managers in East Texas are encouraged to visit with the local experts such as TPWD biologists, TFS foresters, NRCS district conservations, and NWTF biologist about conservation programs available for improving habitat on your land. NWTF and TPWD have partnered with the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture’s Northeast Texas Conser-vation Delivery Network to provide incentives to land managers for improving wild turkey habitat in the Neches River corridor. The only way to grow a wild turkey population is to create more useable space through open pine forests bordering open habitat. Key management practices in the Piney woods of East Texas include regular prescribed fire and forest openings. Prescribed fire creates and maintains an open forest understory, which is critical for wild turkeys, and open habitat, especially those openings with lots of sinuous edge, pro-vides critical bugging areas and serve as travel corridors. Wild turkeys live on these habitat edges. The most limiting habitat feature for Rio Grande wild turkeys in Texas is roosting cover. This is especially true as one moves west across the Rio Grande wild turkey range. The Rolling Plains, High Plains, and South Texas Brush Country often see a lack of wild turkeys where roosting habitat is limited. Managers in these ecoregions should make a concerted effort to protect existing roost trees and make plans for future roosting cover. Con-sider planting cottonwood poles or locally utilized roost trees in areas where old roost trees such as cotton-woods exist, but young trees are absent. Those old roost trees will die someday, and turkey will abandon sites when adequate roosting cover is no longer available. Wild Turkey Restocking Efforts: TPWD will continue to restock wild turkeys in East Texas this winter. TPWD has a goal to release 160 eastern wild turkeys along White Oak Creek in Franklin and Titus Counties this winter. TPWD hopes to release anoth-er 160 Rio Grande wild turkeys along the Trinity River in Kaufman and Navarro Counties this winter. If suc-cessful, TPWD will have released close to 1,500 wild turkeys in East Texas since 2014. This effort is made possible by our TPWD staff, the Texas State Chapter of NWTF, other state agencies trapping efforts, and nu-merous private landowners. The goals of this restocking project are to tie together fragmented turkey popula-tions across East Texas and promote sustainable populations that will provide future hunting opportunities. Hunters are paying the bills for these restocking efforts with their purchase of hunting licenses and stamps. We want to repay those hunters by providing more birds to hunt across more areas in Texas. For more information on the restocking program please contact TPWD’s Wild Turkey Program Leader, Jason Hardin, at 512-934-8306 or email at jason.hardin@tpwd.texas.gov

Turkey release in East Texas

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Regional Director Update - East Texas

J. B. Wynn Regional Director

3332 Walkers Mill Road

Hallsville, Texas 75650

903-910-9588

Jwynn@nwtf.net

It is great to be back working in East Texas, where in 1993 I fell in love with

being a part of something that shaped my future for the last 26 years--The Nation-

al Wild Turkey Federation !!!

There have been a lot of changes since I left in 2006. Target 2000 restoration of the wild turkey nationwide

was a success but with the ever changing habitat in East Texas, Eastern Turkey restoration was not successful

in all counties. Thus focus on Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt became the new mission for our dedicated vol-

unteers!

The East Texas NWTF volunteers have always been a big part of the who, what, when and where of all things

NWTF!!! I have been back since August and have had the privilege of meeting and working with some old

friends and many new ones whose dedication is even stronger today than in the past!!

Sportsman Care Food Drive in Marshall in Nov. Big success!

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JAKES Take Aim Trailer and BB gun range

The State of Texas has 2 Take Aim Trailers available for use by any chapter. These trailers carry an inflatable

BB gun range designed for use in urban settings such as a Walmart parking lot or a city park. They can be used

for any Jakes Event or other outdoor functions where the NWTF can be promoted and kids can learn safe

shooting habits. If you would like to use the trailer at your event, call your regional director or send an email to

txnwtf@gmail.com.

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

Hunting Heritage Programs

The NWTF believes in doing what’s necessary to conserve wildlife habitat and preserve our hunting heritage.

We are at a critical juncture for the future of wildlife habitat conservation and the preservation of our hunting

heritage. Because hunters pay for wildlife and habitat conservation, we must work hard to create hunters and

provide more places to hunt.

For youth 17 and younger the JAKES and Xtreme JAKES programs offer opportunities to explore the out-

doors through local hands-on events and hunts.

The JAKES Take Aim program offers opportunities for youth to try target shooting, clay target shooting,

shotgunning or archery in a safe, fun environment. (see more info below)

Wheelin’ Sportsmen provides people with disabilities opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Through chapter

events, participants can enjoy activities, such as hunting, fishing and shooting.

Women in the Outdoors provides hands-on outdoor education for women using activities, such as archery, shotgunning and various introduction to hunting classes.

For more information about these programs and learning how you can get involved, see the Texas State Chap-ter website at www.txnwtf.org. Also, reach out to your local chapter or one of the State Chapter Board Mem-bers for help. (contact info on back cover)

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Outdoor Education Update By Kim Potts - Outdoor Education Coordinator Fall has been beautiful this year and watching the leaves turn shades of red, orange, and gold from my deer stand is always my favorite time of year. It was every bit of 4:30 Sunday afternoon when I finally got into the woods and locked my safety harness safely into place, but I didn’t care. Bagging a deer or a hog is always on my radar of course, but I am completely content with observing God’s creation around me and not ever pulling the trigger. As I laid my head against the tree behind me and let the late afternoon sun warm my face, I closed my eyes and just listened. My eyes do not work as well as they used to so I rely on my ears more than my eyesight for hunting these days. As I began to relax and let the stress of the week and fast paced weekend slip away, I realized that I had room once again between my ears to absorb something relaxing and enjoya-ble….sounds; just sounds. That is how busy we all get at times. We don’t even

allow ourselves to enjoy the awesome sounds around us or the brilliant colors of the passing scenery as we rush from one destination to another. I was so amazed at how many sounds I heard that I began counting them and I stopped at 15. I heard everything from ducks flying overhead to acorns falling from the trees as they hit limbs on the way down to a neighbor in the far distance running a chainsaw. However, the sound that made me smile the most was the rifle shot that I heard at dusk letting me know that somebody’s shot was well placed and south of me. Immediately following the shot my phone began to vibrate. My son and future daughter-in-law were hunting north of me and were inquiring as to whether the shot was mine. My response was short and sweet, “Nope, bow hunting”. Mat’s response was, “Gotcha”. There is one thing that I love about bow hunting that drives some people away from it and that is the obvious fact that you have to be closer to your target, therefore, you must be very still, hence the shorthand texting technique….lol! I guess I am easily amused and easy to please because time in the woods with my family has always been some of the most memorable times I had while growing up and I have been amused for years with my kids in the same fashion. I was raised to love and appreciate the outdoors and I followed my dad’s lead and raised my kids with the same love. This is the reason that I support and serve the National Wild Turkey Federation in their efforts to expose kids to the outdoors and educate them on their efforts to “Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt”. If you are interested in learning more about the Outdoor Adventures Program, I encourage you to call me at 903-348-1845. I would love to visit with you about the program, how it can benefit your district, stu-dents and their families, and the funding possibilities available through the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation, and Texas Parks and Wildlife. Now this little one believes in getting close to his target. He’s getting ready for bow season! (picture below)

State Archery Tournament

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West Texas District Biologist Report

Gene T. Miller - December 2019

Holiday Greetings from West Texas! It was pretty wet in much of the state this past spring; in fact, per the National Weather Service as reported on The Weather Channel, my main stay each morning with coffee in the office or on the road, the month of May 2019 was the wettest in recorded history in Texas and Oklahoma! But, in spite of some doomsday forecasts during flood events, we grew some wildlife, including our favorite ground-nesting game bird, the wild turkey. Anyway, I hope everyone who reads is having a great fall hunting sea-son! Time will tell as spring of 2020 unfolds on this year’s wild turkey produc-

tion, but I have it on good authority from Jason Hardin, TPWD’s Wild Turkey Program Leader that 2019 was the best year we’ve had for production since 2016!

NWTF’s Save the Habitat. Save The Hunt. - NWTF’s national habitat and hunting heritage initiative continues to move forward in the Lone Star State with habitat acres accruing in some of your NWTF Focal Landscapes and beyond from west to east, and north to south. Since 2014, we have enhanced or conserved over 100,037 acres of habitat on public and private lands through state and federal partnerships. As well, public access has been opened in Texas on 93,278 acres for that same time period with our assistance through hiring of three NWTF Private Lands Leasing Biologists for TPWD. UPDATE: TPWD has ap-plied for new Voluntary Public Access Program money from USDA and if successful, will sign a new agreement with NWTF to host another new Private Land Leasing Biologist position (one) in Texas for ~3-4 years which would start on September 1st, 2020. Cross your fingers and stay tuned!

We completed additional hunter access projects in late summer at Lake Ray Roberts Public Hunting Land in Grayson, Cooke, and Denton Counties with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, including burning of brush piles, mowing of native vegetation on public dove hunting fields, installation of new fencing, signage, and gates, and parking areas. Many thanks to Ms. Annie Far-rell for managing this project for improving hunter access. I hope that some of your readers/members in that area of the state have utilized those areas…really nicely done with your name on them.

Oaks & Prairies Joint Venture - Now that we’re well on the way to implementing a $2.95M grant from USDA-NRCS on behalf of the Oaks & Prairies Joint Venture to treat ~60,000 acres of grasslands and oak savannah habitat in Central Texas and Oklahoma, work with interested private landowners has begun. Total value of the 5-year project is $6M including private landowner contributions, and habitat for grass-land birds including northern bobwhite, white-tailed deer, Rio Grande wild turkeys will result chiefly from invasive woody plant removal and promotion of Rx burning/grazing to enhance land for wildlife and live-stock. This work is happening in partnership with state and federal agencies, plus other conservation or-ganizations like Pheasants Forever, Inc./Quail Forever, Quail Coalition, and the Noble Research Institute, all on private working lands, farms and ranches.

Caddo-LBJ National Grasslands 5 Year Challenge Cost Share Agreement - National Wild Turkey Federation has now completed work (all current funding used) on the LBJ (Wise County) and Caddo (Fannin County) National Grasslands through a Challenge Cost Share Agreement. We are thankful for this opportunity to have partnered with U. S. Forest Service and proudly acknowledge Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas A&M Forest Service as excellent cooperators in this work. The U. S. Forest Service came behind all the mechanical work done during 2014-2018 on LBJ National Grassland and Caddo National Grassland WMA with extensive Rx burning operations to further add value to the

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work and monies expended. This is getting some good habitat reclamation work done for sure! UPDATE: We are a co-applicant for a new $2.2M Joint Chiefs’ Project to secure funding for continuation of this long term work there. Again, cross your fingers and stay tuned!

Final ramblings - Without you, our members and volunteer leaders, we would not have an NWTF. If any of you ever have questions for me, please contact me at gmiller@nwtf.net and 806/803-0180 (office) and we’ll visit. Until next time, be well, be safe, and good hunting!

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Caddo-LBJ National Grassland mulching shots…firebreaks and prairie with Jennifer Barrow, TPWD look-ing over some of our work…

Merry Christmas

And A

Happy New Year

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Texas State Chapter

National Wild Turkey Federation

129 Birdsong Lane

Terrell, Tx. 75160

Craig White—President PO Box 714 Huntington, Tx. 75949 936-552-1942 craigswhite@yahoo.com

Jennifer Barrow—Treasurer 121 CR 3131 Decatur, Tx. 76234 (w)940-627-5475 (c)940-393-8908 jbarrow1994@gmail.com

Stuart McManus-Secretary 40910 Roundup Rd Magnolia, Tx. 77354 281-684-3584 smcmanus@corn-inc.com

Dr. Sam McManus

11424 Richmond Ave. #122

Houston, Tx. 77082

713-851-9349

Eddie Hines

VP—South Region

2429 W CR 327

Lincoln, Tx. 78948

903-227-2006

hines.eddie@yahoo.com

Lance Gray

VP—Panhandle & West Region &

Jakes Coord.

1850 CR 404

Spicewood, Tx. 78669

830-385-6059 lancegray43@yahoo.com

Chris Womack

VP—North Region &

Communications Officer

129 Birdsong Ln.

Terrell, Tx. 75160

972-965-7768 w2cmack@hotmail.com

Tony Hawley

VP-East Region & Save the Hunt Coord

PO Box 146

New Baden, Tx. 77870

830-889-5819 fbg710@yahoo.com

G.R. (Dick) McCarver

Past President

425 Tennison Road * Mt. Pleasant, Tx. 75455

(h)903-717-8670 * (c)903-563-4748

gr.mccarver@yahoo.com

A. Dean Castillo

5317 Sandalwood Dr.

McKinney, Tx. 75070

469-525-6551

adcibt@aol.com

Norm Wade

4902 Connorvale Rd.

Houston, Tx. 77039

281-682-3264

lastofmochians@yahoo.com

Paul Korthuis

10314 Burgoyne Rd

Houston, Tx. 77042

713-578-0505

paul.korthuis@gmail.com

Dorothy McCarver

Women in the Outdoors Coord

425 Tennison Road

Mt. Pleasant, Tx. 75455

(h)903-717-8670 * (c)903-577-2674

dorothy.mccarver@yahoo.com

Richard Sewall

391 HCR 3134 N

Hillsboro, Tx. 76645

254-855-2902

rsewall@sbcglobal.net

Larry Noble

2705 Red Hill Dr.

College Station, Tx. 77845

H 979-693-2024

C 281-639-9185

Noble.turkeyman@gmail.com

Robert Linder

Past President & Texas Political Liaison

3302 Vista Ln.

Marble Falls, Tx. 78654

(h)830-693-9515 * (c)713-825-0425

rlinderhaus@aol.com

Kim Potts

Outdoor Ed. Coord

7623 FM 514

Emory, Tx. 75440

903-348-1845

kpotts@reg8.net

Lee Zimmerman

PO Box 428

Tomball, Tx. 77377

713-823-2958

Texaz7@outlook.com

Tim Webster

Wheelin Sportsman Coord

8325 FM 2727

Terrell, Tx. 75161

214-558-8592

timw_@live.com

Bobby Engledow

120 Pawnee Way

Sommerville, Tx. 77879

979-229-7372

brengledow@yahoo.com

Justin Curry

175 Tejas St.

Carthage, Tx. 75633

903-404-2722

curry2316@gmail.com

Tammy Womack

129 Birdsong Ln.

Terrell, Tx. 75160

972-965-0795

w2tmack@gmail.com

Cory Harris

266 E Austin St.

Giddings, Tx. 78942

337-789-6358

cory.harris.kucs@statefarm.com

Preston Northup

14430 Hwy 290W

Burton, Tx. 77835

979-451-2302

p-sfirearms@att.net

2019 Texas State Chapter Board of Directors & Officers

Regional Field Staff

Barry Woods—NWTF

Sr. Director of Event Fundraising

West

620-417-0692 * bwoods@nwtf.net

Mike Shouse—NWTF

Regional Director—South Texas

512-966-9539 * mshouse@nwtf.net

Gene T. Miller, CWB

NWTF District Biologist—West TX & OK

P.O. Box 8824 * Amarillo, Tx. 79114-8824

(o) 806-803-0180 * (m)806-316-0232

gmiller@nwtf.net

Jason Hardin—TPWD Wild

Turkey Program Leader

4652 CR 2612 * Oakwood, Tx 75855

512-934-8306

Jason.hardin@tpwd.texas.gov

Tom Spezze—NWTF

Sr. Director of Conservation

Western Region

(c)970-765-4231 * (o)970-641-2550

tspezze@nwtf.net

Annie Farrell—NWTF

District Biologist—East Texas

PO Box 2670 * Lindale, Tx 75771

903-539-0279

afarrell@nwtf.net

Shawn Roberts—NWTF

Director of Field Operations

Central Region

903-573-4570 * sroberts@nwtf.net

Erika Martinez—NWTF

Regional Director—North-West

Texas

580-305-2389 * emartinez@nwtf.net

J.B. Wynn—NWTF

Regional Director—East Texas

903-910-9588 * jwynn@nwtf.net

Jamie Hooker—NWTF

Forester

936-234-0550 * jhooker@nwtf.net

T.J. Goodpasture—NWTF

Director of Development Mid South Region

903-253-1593 * tgoodpasture@nwtf.net