In this episode of the NWTF Turkey Call All Access Podcast NWTF staff members from the Great Plains region explore the vital connection between wild turkeys, riparian ecosystems, and NWTF’s Waterways for Wildlife Initiative. Together, they break down why riparian corridors—those narrow but powerful “ribbons of life” along rivers and streams—are so important to turkeys, hundreds of other wildlife species and the communities who depend on them. Listeners will hear firsthand how science and research are guiding conservation decisions in the Great Plains, the on-the-ground work NWTF and its partners are doing to restore and protect waterways and the lasting impact this initiative will have on wildlife and people alike. From invasive species removal to landowner collaboration, this conversation highlights how Waterways for Wildlife is shaping a healthier, more resilient future for America’s Great Open Spaces.
The NWTF’s Habitat for the Hatch initiative just wrapped up its second year, improving nesting and brood-rearing habitat across the Southeast at an accelerated pace. The initiative is made possible by NWTF state chapters, partners, staff and a shared dedication to the wild turkey. In this episode of the Turkey Call All Access podcast, we’re joined by NWTF district biologists Derek Alkire and Ricky Lackey; Daniel Standly, NWTF National Forestry Initiative forester; Doug Little, NWTF Eastern director of operations; Molly Pitts, NWTF forest management manager; and David Gladkowski, NWTF managing editor - web and media. Together, they discuss the vision behind Habitat for the Hatch, the importance of wild turkey research, how the NWTF’s work benefits entire ecosystems, ways private landowners can get involved and more!
There's always something new to learn when you sit down with a group of NWTF biologists and foresters. Our Forests and Flocks Initiative just celebrated its first successful year of many to come, and we wanted to know what this past year looked like for the Northeast. For anyone who wants to learn more about the initiative or wants to hear more about regional conservation efforts, regional biologists Mitchell Blake and Kaylee Szymanski have you covered. For those who are interested in the National Forestry Initiative, NWTF Forester Spencer Como has exactly what you’re looking for.
Chris Skates is a freelance writer, former chemist, outdoor writer, political commentator, speechwriter and advisor. Most importantly, though, he is an NWTF member and a long-time turkey hunter. The NWTF's Pete Muller is joined by Skates to chat about the 2025 turkey season, reminisce on Skates' journey as an outdoor writer, past hunting stories — "The Gobbler of Panther Creek" where Skates bagged a bird in the first turkey season in his Georgia County — his time working in government and some of his other novels currently available on Amazon. Make sure to tune in! Also check out Skates' article "Turkey Call Magazine Changed My Life."
The Rio Grande turkey occupies a variety of regions across the country thanks to translocation, but it is primarily known as the bird that occupies the more arid regions of the country, spanning from Texas north to Kansas. This bird also is characterized as being more "gobble-friendly" than its relatives to the east, and for it's caramel colored tips of the primary and covert tail feathers. To close out the four-part series on the main subspecies needed for a wild turkey grand slam, the NWTF's Paul Campbell and Pete Muller are joined by Texas-native and wild game chef Jesse Griffith and wild turkey researcher Bret Collier to talk about all things Rio Grande wild turkey. While recounting some stories from the field, Rio Grande turkey's history, geographic distribution, current research and much more for a podcast you won't want to miss! Also make sure to check out Jesse Griffith's "The Turkey Book" to grab some of the great recipes discussed on the episode.
To bag a Merriam's wild turkey, hunter must head west to the more mountainous regions of the country. While these birds may be known for weaker gobbles and some of the shortest spurs and beards of all the subspecies, the snow-white tips of the tail fan for Merriam's turkeys keep turkey hunter heading to the high country year after year! On this episode of Turkey Call All Access, the NWTF's Jesse Warner and Chuck Carpenter are joined by Jason Phelps, of Phelps Game Calls, to recap a hunt they shared in the Pacific Northwest. They cover the tactics they used and the challenges met afield, they dive into research that has been conducted about Merriam's wild turkeys in the region and they chat about the outlook of the bird in the future. Learn more about the NWTF's efforts to ensure Healthy Habitats and Healthy Harvests by visiting www.nwtf.org.
Easterns are the most widely distributed subspecies of the American wild turkey and primarily are found east of the Mississippi River. They are also the most abundant. In fact, you can find them in 38 states and numerous Canadian provinces. Known for their chestnut-brown tip, strong gobbles and longer beards, these birds draw countless hunters to the turkey woods each spring. To cover many of the things that make this subspecies special, we welcome guests Spring Legion's Hunter Farrior, NWTF Editor Matt Stewart and the wild turkey doc himself, Dr. Michael Chamberlain.
Renowned outdoor writer and Wisconsin-native Brian Lovett received the NWTF's Tom Kelly Communicator of the Year Award at the recent 2025 Convention and Sport Show in Nashville, Tennessee for his ability to share the message of the NWTF’s efforts nationwide. While chasing turkeys in South Florida, the NWTF's Pete Muller sat down with Lovett to talk about a Lovett's career as an outdoor communicator, the changes that have come to the world of turkey hunting, what aspiring outdoor enthusiasts could do to follow in his steps, the continuing role of communicators to save the sport of hunting and so much more!
In this episode, the NWTF's Paul Campbell sits down with renowned wild turkey biologist Dr. Mike Chamberlain to dive deep into one of the most fascinating developments in modern turkey research — the wildturkeyDNA project. They explore how a casual Super Bowl Sunday conversation sparked a groundbreaking initiative to uncover the origins of odd plumage in wild turkeys and what it could mean for conservation. Dr. Chamberlain breaks down how turkey hunters can contribute to this innovative study, what the team hopes to learn about color variations, hybridization and genetic diversity, and why these findings could help shape the future of wild turkey populations across North America. The two also share some entertaining hunting stories, discuss the influence of legendary biologist Lovett Williams, and talk about the launch of the new 'Spurred' video series coming from Wild Turkey Lab. If you've ever seen a turkey that looked just a little "off," this episode will have you rethinking what might really be behind those feathers. And if you're a turkey hunter, this is your chance to be part of the science. Learn more or get involved: wildturkeyDNA.com Follow on Instagram: @WildTurkeyDNA
In the lower 48, spring wild turkey seasons begin in early March with the opening of the south Florida zones allowing hunters to chase the Osceola wild turkey. The dark-winged beauties are one of the five subspecies of the American wild turkey and they occupy the states swamps, pastures, orange groves, oak hammocks and more,. They are a highly desired bird by turkey hunters as they are limited in range and the harvest could mark a completed wild turkey grand slam. Today, we are joined by Mike Tussey and Bo Meador to talk about the birds, the landscapes they inhabit, the challenges they face and things hunters should consider if they chose to head to Florida to chase these birds.
Robin Clark of Virginia & Dan Ferraro of Arizona are NWTF award recipients for helping people with disabilities discover or re-discover their passion for the outdoors. From hunting spring gobblers in Virginia to hunting javelina and doves in the deserts of Arizona, these two gentlemen have gone above and beyond what it means to be a mentor, live the mission of the NWTF and embody what it means to be a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors. Amongst the hustle and bustle of the 2025 NWTF convention, we sat down with Robin, Dan and NWTF Arizona State Chapter President Roy Crain to discuss the facets of being a disabled hunter in the 21st century. From gear choices, access issues, regulatory issues, how to get involved, how to recruit new hunters with disabilites and more, this is sure to be an entertaining episode. Enjoy!
Renowned conservationist and outdoorsman, Will Primos, recently announced a partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation, Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever to bring awareness to what conservation is and the role sportsmen and women play through the 'Truth About Conservation.' During the NWTF's Convention and Sport Show, Paul Campbell sat down with Primos to talk about his 'first hunting love,' the roots of the Truth Series, the upcoming auction of the Purdey hammer shotguns and more. Learn more about the Truth About Conservation.
In 2013, John Wallace launched his Wild Game Cook Instagram page as a way to provide everyday outdoorsmen and women with ideas for easy-to-make meals using wild game meat. Nearly 10 years later, he has taken this passion for food and education about wild game cooking, processing and more and made it a full-time gig. At SHOT Show 2025, we sat down with Wallace to chat about raising kids to appreciate wild game, easy wild game recipes for wild turkey legs, the necessity of simplicity in cooking wild game, the role wild game cooking on social media can play in the fight to ensure the future of our hunting heritage and more! To learn more about Wallace's and Wild Game Cook, visit https://wildgamecook.com.
Foster Bartholow, of Rapid City, South Dakota, is an accomplished trap shooter, an avid outdoor enthusiast and also is a talented videographer and photographer. When not spending his time dedicated to any of these pursuits, he also enjoys helping others with shooting techniques and getting kids into hunting. At SHOT Show, we sat down to talk about some of the new offerings from Browning and Winchester, which are sponsors of Bartholow's. And, we talk about the shared love of chasing Merriam's turkeys in the Black Hills. Learn more about Bartholow by visiting www.trapshootingbros.com/.
During the 2025 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, we had a chance to sit down with Cody Gill and From Field to Plate chef Jeremiah Doughty to talk food, getting new people involved in the life-changing power of the outdoors and much more! Doughty is known for his recipes and food photography found on his social outlets, as well as Turkey Call magazine. And, Gill is involved with the NWTF mission through his local chapter, but also dedicates his time to getting people outdoors through his project "West Texas Outfitters."
The National Wild Turkey Federation Convention and Sport Show is a celebration of a year of successes in delivering on the mission and bringing people together through the life-changing power of the outdoors. And, this year will be bigger than the last with new events and chances to win, a bigger Sport Show with more vendors and experiences, and more ways to honor and celebrate NWTF volunteers leading the way in their communities. Join in as the NWTF's Paul Campbell, Pete Muller, Barry Woods and Jesse Warner sit down to talk about a host of events, things that are new for 2025, honoring the NWTF's most dedicated volunteers and supporters, auctions an raffles, and countless other ways to experience the mission of the NWTF.
During SHOT Show 2025, we got a chance to sit down with King Pedford - retired boxer and host of Haymaker Hunting - to talk about his passion for turkey hunting and more. Pedford's show on Sportsman's Channel is described as a show that is meant "to educate and to share the joys, challenges, excitement, and my passion for hunting and fishing with youth and dedicated hunting fans of all colors. Even if you've never hunted in your life, it is never too late to start enjoying this sport with your family and friends. We want to bring you "hunting reality" where not every hunt brings a trophy buck or record catch, but builds character and lasting memories." Learn more about Pedford and his show at https://haymakerhuntingusa.com.
This past fall, the NWTF launched its newest landscape-level, conservation initiative, Forests and Flocks. At the heart of this Northestern initiative is the NWTF’s dual mission to conserve the wild turkey and preserve our hunting heritage. On this episode of the Turkey Call All Acess podcast, the NWTF's Paul Campbell sits down with two of the biologists from the Forests and Flocks region — Cully McCurdy and Mitchell Blake — to talk about how Forests and Flocks will establish critical nesting habitat in the spring, brood-rearing habitat in the summer, and practices that benefit hard and soft mast-bearing trees and shrubs that help wild turkeys make it through the winter in good condition. The initiative also focuses on the NWTF’s mission to preserve our hunting heritage. This will boost the regional support for hunting and increase our voice against recurring proposed legislation that is antithetical to the NWTF’s mission. Photo Credit: Steve Gulledge
Adventures are out there for those who are willing to take the path, or even water, less traveled. On this episode of the Turkey Call All Access Podcast, the NWTF's David Gladkowski and Pete Muller sit down with Nashville recording artist and wild game chef Justin Adams to chat about the adventures had on a coastal island adventure, a trip full of fishing, hunting, crabbing, foraging for oysters and mussels, and the life-changing power of the outdoors.
Christina McGannon Jones, of Oxford, New Jersey, has helped countless women get their start in the outdoors through the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Women in the Outdoors outreach program, but she wears many other hats. Today, she sits down with NWTF Northeastern R3 Coordinator Jess Warner to discuss her start in hunting, her journey to becoming involved with NWTF's education and outreach efforts and much more!