It is an exciting time in the NWTF Education and Outreach arena, especially as we continue to grow our programs.

The NWTF's vision has always been to unite a nation through the power of the outdoors, and through talking with NWTF education and outreach staff, one can see how far we've come.

To celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day for 2025, we sat down with Mandy Harling, National Director of Education & Outreach Programs, Morgan Evan, the National R3 & Relevancy Coordinator and Jennifer Davis, Hunting and Shooting R3 Coordinator for Michigan about what R3 is, the Hunt for Good Campaign, our amazing volunteers and all things hunting heritage. If you're craving an inspiring, feel-good conversation, tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the NWTF podcast, we explore what makes the West unique — and why conservation here matters to all of us.

The American West is a region of unmatched beauty and opportunity, but also one of incredible complexity. From rugged mountains to sprawling deserts, its vast public lands provide vital wildlife habitat and unparalleled access for hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts.

NWTF staffers take us inside the challenges and opportunities of Western conservation, from wildfire and drought to the growing urban–rural divide. Most importantly, we look at how partnerships and people are coming together to ensure that the West's wild places, wildlife, and outdoor traditions remain strong for future generations.

The NWTF has just launched its bold new Roots to Roost Initiative — a groundbreaking, cross-boundary conservation effort set to make a landscape-scale impact across the Midwest.

This initiative bolsters the organization's conservation, policy, and education efforts to increase wild turkey populations and conserve the diverse ecosystems they depend on.

In this episode of the Turkey Call All Access Podcast, we're joined by John Burk and Clayton Lenk, NWTF district biologists; Tyler Rhodes, NWTF National Forestry Initiative forester; and David Gladkowski, NWTF managing editor - web and media. Together, they dig into the vision behind Roots to Roost, the importance of habitat work on private lands, how landowners can get involved and more!

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.