For more information, contact Shannon Coggin at (803) 637-7643.
EDGEFIELD, S.C. — To advance its mission of promoting wildlife conservation and preserving our hunting heritage, the National Wild Turkey Federation distributed nearly $937,000 during the first quarter of 2010 to states and programs through the NWTF Hunting Heritage Super Fund.

To date, the NWTF and its partners have invested more than $306 million in upholding hunting traditions and conserving 14 million acres of wildlife habitat. Some of the Federation's Hunting Heritage Super Fund projects include improving wildlife habitat, supporting hunter education and providing opportunities for women, youth and people with disabilities to experience outdoor fun through outreach programs.

The first quarter of Hunting Heritage Super Fund spending totaled $936,682 and included:

• Youth Education: Spent $201,859 to fund scholarships and educational projects, introduce youth to shooting sports, provide NWTF Wild About Turkey Education Boxes and conduct 4-H and teacher workshops.

• Habitat Enhancement: Spent $177,878 on programs to improve wildlife habitat including supporting the NWTF's fall seed subsidy and Conservation Seed programs, purchasing equipment to improve habitat, creating wildlife openings and more.

• Land Purchases: Spent $136,246 to purchase land or conservation easements to conserve wildlife habitat and provide additional hunting areas.

• JAKES: Spent $72,500 to introduce youth to outdoor activities, conservation and hunting through the JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) program.

• Volunteer and Professional Education: Spent $66,237 to provide educational opportunities, purchase staff equipment and more.

• Wild Turkey Restoration, Management and Research: Spent $51,407 to improve wildlife habitat by purchasing trapping, law enforcement and research equipment and providing research grant support.

• Hunter Safety: Spent $24,873 to support hunter safety classes and initiatives. The funds purchased hunter safety materials and equipment such as interactive shooting systems.

• Women in the Outdoors and Wheelin' Sportsmen NWTF: Spent $17,388 to purchase materials and equipment to provide opportunities for women and people with disabilities to participate in outdoor activities and learn about wildlife conservation through Women in the Outdoors and Wheelin' Sportsmen NWTF outreach events across North America.

• Hunting Heritage: Spent $13,850 to protect and promote our hunting heritage including contributions to the National Shooting Sports Foundation and U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance.

In addition to helping fund projects like these, NWTF Hunting Heritage Super Fund banquets combine fun, fellowship and dedication to the wild turkey. They're a great place to meet friends who are passionate about the outdoors, win valuable prizes and buy items unique to the NWTF. By placing the highest bid, attendees can take home sporting art, furniture, hunting guns, knives, calls, outdoor equipment and more.

The Hunting Heritage Super Fund supports the NWTF's multitude of conservation and education programs with money raised from NWTF Hunting Heritage Banquets, donated by corporate sponsors and given to support wildlife conservation.

Founded in 1973, the NWTF is a national nonprofit conservation organization that works to further its twofold mission of conserving wild turkeys and preserving our hunting heritage.

To find a NWTF Hunting Heritage Super Fund Banquet in your area, visit http://www.nwtf.org/h_h_banquet.html.

For more information about the NWTF, visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF.