Distinguished Board Member Receives NWTF’s Emeritus Award

“Having now retired after 29 years of serving as a director and officer of the NWTF Board of Directors, I feel greatly blessed to be designated Director Emeritus by my fellow directors,” Dettmer said. “Just as the title is permanent, my love for the NWTF and support of its mission will never end. Also, unending will be my gratitude to the NWTF and its leadership for finding me worthy of this great honor.”

The Director Emeritus Award is bestowed upon individuals who served on the National Board of Directors with honor and great distinction. The award is not presented annually, but only when it is deemed appropriate. Only five individuals have received the distinction: Ron Fretts, Jere Peak, Louis Yount, Gene Denton and, now, Dettmer.

Dettmer, a Patron Life Sponsor of the NWTF, has worked tirelessly to promote wild turkey conservation and defend our hunting heritage since becoming an NWTF member in 1978. He has served at every level of the NWTF, from local chapter volunteer, to Missouri State Chapter president and the National Board of Directors, where he has served as president and chairman (two terms) and has helped steer all leadership committees since 1995.

Dettmer has been consumed by the NWTF’s mission since first becoming a part of the organization, and that fire still burns just as hot today following a quarter century of dedicated volunteerism for the organization.

“For nearly three decades, Doc has helped propel the NWTF mission, including Target 2000, Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. and our recent success in wild turkey research and landscape-scale conservation,” NWTF co-CEO Jason Burckhalter said. “No matter what obstacles arise, Doc has led our National Board of Directors with a passion that excites us all. After 29 years of ceaseless determination to conserve the wild turkey and preserve our hunting heritage, it is only natural that Doc be awarded the NWTF’s prestigious Director Emeritus Award.”

About the National Wild Turkey Federation   Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 23 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $9 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide Healthy Habitats. and Healthy Harvests. for future generations.