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Policy and Advocacy

Wisconsin Senate, House Pass Joint Resolution Honoring 50 Years of NWTF

EDGEFIELD, S.C.— NWTF volunteers and staff joined state legislators in Madison, Wisconsin, at the Wisconsin State Assembly to witness the passage of LRB 2479/1, a joint resolution commemorating the NWTF’s 50 years of mission delivery from a both a national level and in Wisconsin.

April 26, 20232 min read
(From left: Vincent Williams, NWTF Member and Staff Policy Advisor for Wisconsin State Senator Howard Marklein; Joel Kleefisch, NWTF Member and Former Wisconsin State Representative; Scott Chandler, NWTF Regional Director; Wisconsin State Representative, Jeff Mursau; Daron Bohn, NWTF Regional Director; Tyler Hasheider, NWTF-Wisconsin Board of Directors; Brian Dalsing, Member of the NWTF President’s Advisory Council and NWTF-Wisconsin Board of Directors.)
(From left: Vincent Williams, NWTF Member and Staff Policy Advisor for Wisconsin State Senator Howard Marklein; Joel Kleefisch, NWTF Member and Former Wisconsin State Representative; Scott Chandler, NWTF Regional Director; Wisconsin State Representative, Jeff Mursau; Daron Bohn, NWTF Regional Director; Tyler Hasheider, NWTF-Wisconsin Board of Directors; Brian Dalsing, Member of the NWTF President’s Advisory Council and NWTF-Wisconsin Board of Directors.)

“The Wisconsin State Chapter is honored to be recognized by our elected officials for our work and the 50th anniversary of the National Wild Turkey Federation,” said Brian Dalsing, NWTF Wisconsin State Chapter secretary. “NWTF Wisconsin has a strong partnership with the WDNR (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources), ensuring our mission and focusing on healthy habitats, hunter recruitment, retention and reactivation.”

The joint resolution, in part, reads:

“Whereas, the National Wild Turkey Federation and its chapters and members have invested more than half a billion dollars to conserve or enhance more than 22 million acres of critical wildlife habitat, forests, and grasslands across public and private lands since 1985, while also providing more than $8.5 million in research throughout North America to ensure healthy wild turkey populations into the future; and

Whereas, the National Wild Turkey Federation is the largest and longest-serving nongovernmental stewardship partner of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, conserving habitat on National Forest System lands for over 40 years and heavily engaging in the development and implementation of the USDA's Wildfire Crisis Strategy; and Whereas, the National Wild Turkey Federation works across land-ownership boundaries to increase clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities across the country, and for this work, the organization should be specially recognized; and

Whereas, the National Wild Turkey Federation, at the national level, has achieved all of these aforementioned accomplishments, and local National Wild Turkey Federation chapter volunteers in Wisconsin were critical partners with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in wild turkey restoration in Wisconsin; and

Whereas, today, there are abundant populations of wild turkeys in all 72 Wisconsin counties, resulting in Wisconsin enjoying some of the finest turkey hunting in the country; and

Whereas the National Wild Turkey Federation continues in its partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to conserve the wild turkey and preserve our hunting heritage in Wisconsin and across the nation…”

The Wisconsin state chapter recently allocated $70,000 to mission delivery in Wisconsin for 2023 alone. Learn more about what the NWTF is accomplishing in the Badger State this year.

The NWTF policy team and its volunteer leadership are working with state legislatures across the country to pass similar measures this year that enshrine the NWTF’s legacy and mission delivery into state law.

Learn more about the NWTF’s policy and advocacy work.

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 conserved or enhanced over 22 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The organization continues to drive wildlife conservation, forest resiliency and robust recreational opportunities throughout the U.S. by working across boundaries on a landscape scale.

2023 is the NWTF's 50th anniversary and an opportunity to propel the organization's mission into the future while honoring its rich history. For its 50th anniversary, the NWTF has set six ambitious goals: positively impact 1 million acres of wildlife habitat; raise $500,000 for wild turkey research; increase membership to 250,000 members; dedicate $1 million to education and outreach programs; raise $5 million to invest in technology and NWTF's people; and raise $5 million to build toward a $50 million endowment for the future. Learn how you can help us reach these lofty goals.

Filed Under:
  • Healthy Habitats
  • Healthy Harvests
  • Hunting Heritage