03/01/2006
NWTF Recognizes Communicator of the Year
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ralph Waldo Emerson once said talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book. Jim Zumbo, renowned in hunting circles, has transcended anything he's ever written, photographed or produced on film. For his fans, it's the man and his adventures, not the media, that draws them to his work.
During the National Wild Turkey Federation's 30th annual National Convention and Sport Show, Feb. 23 to Feb. 26, in Nashville, Tenn., Zumbo, of Wyoming, was presented with the NWTF's Communicator of the Year Award.
"Receiving the NWTF Communicator of the Year Award was a profoundly proud experience for me," said Zumbo. "This is a trophy that I'll cherish with fondness, especially since I'm so impressed with all the incredible achievements accomplished by the NWTF. I'm proud to be a small part of it."
Each year, the NWTF recognizes a communicator who answers the call to promote wild turkey hunting and embraces the preservation of North America's hunting heritage, both important to the Federation's mission.
Zumbo, one of the country's most well-known and respected outdoorsmen, has dedicated his life to hunting, the enjoyment of the outdoors and sharing stories of his experiences. Known as a friend of the common man, for the last 30 years he has traveled across the United States and Canada to wild places that also are feasible trips for the everyday outdoors enthusiast. In his writing and videos, he shows both success and failure, and uses them to educate his audience.
"Jim Zumbo's connection to the everyday hunter makes him a perfect fit for the Communicator of the Year award," said Tammy Sapp, the Federation's vice president of communications. "The NWTF knows its most valued resource is people, our volunteers who do great wildlife conservation work on a grassroots level. Zumbo shows them — and others who'll listen — the results of their efforts."
Zumbo began his outdoor career path as a forester and wildlife biologist. Matched with a passion for hunting, his expertise landed his first article in Outdoor Life in 1962. Since then, he has had more than 1,500 articles and 3,000 photographs published in almost every outdoor publication.
In 1978, Zumbo joined Outdoor Life as a full-time Western editor, then Editor-at-Large, and is currently the Hunting Editor, specializing in elk and mule deer.
He hosts his own show, "Jim Zumbo Outdoors," which airs weekly on The Outdoor Channel, and he's been featured in seven hunting videos.
Zumbo hunts in at least 20 states each year, chasing a variety of game, such as wild turkey and elk. His most recent accomplishment is achieving a personal goal of hunting deer in all 50 states.
This man behind the media truly talks the talk — and walks the walk.
For more information about the Communicator of the Year Award or about the NWTF, call (800) THE-NWTF.
