This last Saturday, the California State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) held its annual State Leadership Day and Awards Banquet in Anderson, CA. The State Leadership Day is open to all NWTF members, and is a great opportunity for local chapters to get caught up on what the NWTF is doing in California to Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. This year began with a presentation by Bill Gaines, of Gaines and Associates, and Joel Pedersen, National Director of Government Affairs for the NWTF, on State and Public Policy that the NWTF is actively engaged in. Topics ranged from California specific gun right issues, all the way to language that the NWTF helped to add into the Federal Farm Bill.

The National Wild Turkey Federation’s Director of Government Affairs, Joel Pedersen, thanking the great volunteers of California in their efforts to Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.

The next speaker was Grand National Calling Champion and overall wild turkey master, Joe Slaton. Joe gave a fantastic and in-depth presentation on “Calling and Hunting the Wild Turkey.” You can catch the entirety of this presentation as it was recorded live to the NWTF-California Facebook page. The next presenter was Kevin Vella, California and Nevada District Biologist for the NWTF. Kevin highlighted all of the conservation projects that have occurred in California since the inception of Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. with a total of 11,204 acres conserved/enhanced since 2014. The last presenter was Jolene Begley, California and Western Nevada Regional Director for the NWTF. Jolene updated all of the chapter leaders on changes to the Event Management System, and ways to help streamline efficiencies into 2019 fundraising banquets.

Later that evening, the California State Chapter held its Awards Banquet where several chapters were recognized for their outstanding achievements in fundraising for the mission of the NWTF: