10/14/2005
One Man's Gun: Conservation's Treasure
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Nearly 10 years after a single selfless donation, one dedicated hunter's contribution has made immeasurable strides in wild turkey conservation and the preservation of North America's rich hunting heritage.
Mike Spence, a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation's Big Muddy Longbeards Chapter near Mt. Vernon, Ill., donated an old Browning shotgun he had restored after hearing a speech about the NWTF's Hunting Heritage Fund.
"I was impressed with the organization and their value for things that are real, such as faith and family," Spence explained. "These are the foundations our country is built on, and if we don't keep those things strong, we're going to lose it. I wanted to find a way to make a significant contribution."
Not being a gun collector, and impressed with the NWTF's mission to preserve North America's hunting heritage, he wondered if his old Browning could raise money for the game bird and the hunting traditions he loved so much. Little did he know that the now-famous Hunting Heritage Gun would raise $110,000 for wildlife conservation and the preservation of hunting.
"I bought the gun from a friend when we were in high school around 1963 or 1964," Spence said. "His father duck hunted with that gun then gave it to him. But, my friend wanted a shotgun that would hold three shells, instead of just two. I think I paid $225 for it."
After many years of hunting, the gun looked pretty bad, so Spence sent it to Browning to have it restored. "When it came back, it looked like it was brand new," he remembered. "It was so pretty, I was scared to shoot it." Though he admitted he did shoot a round of trap with it once.
When Spence first considered donating his old 12-gauge to the NWTF, he knew it should raise good money for the organization and its mission of restoring wild turkeys and helping preserve the continent's hunting traditions. After learning his intentions, his local chapter sent the shotgun to Stan Williams, a friend of Spence's and a world-class firearms engraver, to have it embellished and upgraded.
The field-grade wood was replaced with display-quality walnut and the receiver was intricately engraved with strutting and flying turkeys, which were then inlayed with gold. The old field gun he had carried on many memorable dove, duck and goose hunts, had now become a work of art.
Sealed bids for the gun were submitted over several months and opened at the NWTF's National Convention and Sport Show in Indianapolis, Ind., in 1996. Lynn Boykin, then an NWTF board member and national president of the organization, placed the winning bid of $10,000. Later during the convention, Mrs. Boykin said the Browning was too beautiful for any one person to own. Handing over the shotgun to NWTF's Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Dick Rosenlieb, she said, "Let's see what we can really do with this gun." She donated it back to the NWTF to raise more money. That was the beginning of the late Lynn Boykin's long legacy of promoting and protecting hunting across North America.
The Illinois State Chapter of the NWTF pledged $100,000 over the next 10 years to preserve the shotgun in perpetuity and to protect the future of hunting. Their commitment is almost complete, with the final payment due in 2006. The Browning is now permanently displayed in the NWTF's Winchester Museum at its headquarters in Edgefield, S.C.
"When our friends, Mike Spence, John Brashear and the Big Muddy Chapter, presented this magnificent firearm to the NWTF in honor of Dick (Rosenlieb) and me, it was moving, to say the least," said NWTF Illinois Regional Field Supervisor Frank Nix. "At that moment, however, none of us probably could truly grasp the importance of the donation. The impact the Browning gift has made on hunting and conservation over the years has no equal. Maybe most important for all of us to understand is that it began with one unselfish individual with an idea that he could make a difference."
The effects of that selfless donation by a dedicated volunteer and the generosity of those who purchased the shotgun are still resounding across the continent nearly 10 years later.
Putting $110,000 to work for conservation is the NWTF's strongest talent. Transferring turkeys from areas with high populations to areas with low populations or no turkeys, and creating habitat and hunting opportunities, the NWTF is able to impact wildlife and people in a positive way.
Without suitable habitat, wildlife species could not thrive. The NWTF's dedication to improve and restore habitat is just as strong as its commitment to restoring wild turkeys. Since 1985, the NWTF and its volunteers and partners have affected more than 9 million acres throughout North America. Thousands of acres of habitat can be restored or enhanced for $110,000, benefiting various wildlife species ranging from songbirds to deer to wild turkeys.
Because the future of all wildlife depends on tomorrow's leaders, the NWTF is dedicated to introducing and educating North America's youth in wildlife conservation and respect for the outdoors. The NWTF's youth outreach programs, JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) for children 12 and younger and Xtreme JAKES for teens up to 17, are instilling the knowledge of natural resource conservation and proper wildlife management into the generations who will decide the fate of wildlife in the future.
Whether restoring wild turkeys, improving wildlife habitat or teaching North America's youth about the value of natural-resource conservation, selfless contributions of time and money from volunteers and other supporters create outdoor opportunities for everyone. Even a single act of kindness has a lasting affect on the world and the fruits are enjoyed for generations.
