Vital Investment in Wild Turkey Research Forthcoming

In June of 2022, the NWTF allocated $360,000 for seven critical wild turkey research projects through the RFP program. Now, the organization is accepting new project proposals to continue addressing population declines and further investigating how to best manage the resource into the future.

“We are at a junction where there are many new questions being raised about wild turkey ecology,” said Mark Hatfield, NWTF director of conservation services. “Disease, population dynamics, habitat use, nest success, hunter influence — there are many areas that need greater understanding to deliver optimal conservation and management; this is where research comes in.”

The NWTF invites proposals that investigate the dynamics and drivers of the “post-restoration era” as well as those that address one, or more, of the following research priorities:

• Development of regional and national population and abundance estimates.
• Evaluation and development of habitat management practices and habitat conditions that would increase wild turkey nest success and poult survival.
• Investigation of underlying wild turkey diseases and their impacts on wild turkey populations.
• Understanding the effects of harvest management strategies and season structure on wild turkey populations.
• Wild turkey (adult and poult) survival and correlated causes of mortality.

All projects must have a minimum 3-to-1 leverage rate and may span up to three years in length. Applicants are highly encouraged to obtain endorsement from the representative NWTF state chapter(s) and the representative state wildlife agency(ies) while investigating one or more of the above topics.

Applicants must submit proposals no later than May 1, 2023, for consideration. Project funding awards will be announced during the NWTF National Leadership Conference, June 2023.

Download application form. 

Proposals will be scored and ranked by the NWTF Technical Committee and NWTF conservation staff on the applicability of the projects, scientific rigor, partner engagement and secured matching funds.

The NWTF Technical Committee, a group of state agency representatives from every state, has been essential in guiding historic research priorities, facilitating current research and, more recently, determining what research is necessary to aid current and future management decisions to ensure wild turkeys thrive into perpetuity.

The announcement of the second NWTF RFP in 2023 comes after a remarkable year (2022) for wild turkey research, including the conclusion of the 12th National Wild Turkey Symposium, the announcement of the 13^th National Wild Turkey Symposium, NWTF’s $360,000 investment and significant contributions to wild turkey research efforts from NWTF state chapters across the country.

Project summaries from the 2022 research investment can be found below, and project overviews for new 2023 projects will be published on NWTF.org in the near future.

• New Research Seeks to Better Understand Turkey Populations
• New Research to Address Declines Linked to Roost Sites
• New Wild Turkey Research Initiated in Texas Hill Country
• Pioneering Wild Turkey Research Underway in Mississippi
• Researchers Spearhead New Study to Better Understand Diseases in Wild Turkeys
• Studying the Ecology of an Unhunted Turkey Population
• Unprecedented Wild Turkey Study Underway in Peace Garden State

For more information on NWTF’s 2023 Wild Turkey RFP program, eligibility and submission information, contact Hatfield at mhatfield@nwtf.net.

*Disclaimer:

To ensure NWTF funding has the greatest impact to the resource, we limit our support to only direct costs of the project, and do not allow the use of NWTF funding to pay for indirect expenses.

NWTF defines “direct costs” as expenses that are required for said project and can be tracked directly to the research project.  Direct costs are eligible to be recovered through the NWTF, but all unrecovered direct costs should be and are encouraged to be listed as match/leverage within the budget table.

“Indirect costs” are defined as expenses that cannot be tracked directly to the NWTF grant project.  We realize many entities have federal approved rates and highly encourage all unrecovered indirect expenses be listed as match/leverage towards the project.  If you list indirect expenses as match/leverage, please provide fully executed NIRCA letter at the time of the project submission.

Please notify NWTF’s National Director of Conservation Services Mark Hatfield (mhatfield@nwtf.net) if you request a disclaimer letter outlining our funding restrictions. Thank you for collaborating with the National Wild Turkey Federation!

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 50^th anniversary and an opportunity to propel the organization's mission into the future while honoring its rich history. For its 50-year celebration, 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 the 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.