WildturkeyDNA Receives National Recognition for Innovation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The National Wild Turkey Federation honored the wildturkeyDNA project with the NWTF’s Innovation Award, recognizing innovative approaches to conservation, education and outreach, and fundraising. Representatives from Wild Turkey Lab and the University of Texas El Paso accepted the award at the NWTF’s 50th annual Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by Mossy Oak.
“Having wildturkeyDNA with the 2026 Innovation Award is truly humbling,” said Michael Chamberlain, NWTF Distinguished Professor and founder of the Wild Turkey Lab. “I am incredibly proud of this project, as it involves collaboration across multiple conservation organizations and universities, and is a prime example of how partners with a shared passion for conservation and the wild turkey can come together to produce something unique and groundbreaking. The fact that wildturkeyDNA fundamentally relies on citizen science through the cooperation of turkey hunters is also something I’m very proud of because as a passionate turkey hunter myself, I see such profound value in integrating hunters into science. In less than a year, wildturkeyDNA has gone from being simply an idea to now being a project that spans the entire species range, as we seek to explore various aspects of wild turkey genetics wherever they occur.”
WildturkeyDNA — spearheaded by the Wild Turkey Lab, the NWTF, Ducks Unlimited, University of Texas El Paso and the Low Country Game Bird Foundation — was inspired by the success of DU’s duckDNA project. In its first year, hunters who harvested a turkey with unique plumage requested DNA sampling kits online. Through genetic analysis, the wildturkeyDNA program analyzed the returned DNA kits to understand population genetics across a subspecies’ range, which offers an invaluable opportunity to conduct science that can inform wildlife managers, state and federal agencies, and wild turkey hunters passionate about the bird.
As the program continues, wildturkeyDNA will dive deeper to understand wild turkey subspecies distributions, the genetic makeup of populations that are both thriving and declining, and the risk of domesticated turkeys integrating to wild populations, among much more.
“We are proud to be partners with the wildturkeyDNA project,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “At the NWTF, investing in the science and research involved in managing the beloved wild turkey goes directly to the heart of our mission. This project also gives passionate turkey hunters within the NWTF community an opportunity to be directly involved with research and science for wild turkey management. The entire wildturkeyDNA team is worthy of recognition of the NWTF’s Innovation 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 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.3 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $22 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to deliver healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF is committed to creating a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors.