Turkey Call All Access

While many hunters believe that turkeys were meant to be solely hunted with shotguns, hunters are picking up bowhunting for turkeys to experience something new and challenging. From having to draw birds especially close, to limiting movements while drawing back on the bow, archery for turkeys can surely test your skills as a hunter. At the NWTF's Convention and Sport Show, we sat down with Bill Vanderheyden, founder of Iron Will Outfitters, to talk about his experiences chasing turkeys with a bow, and we discussed tips and tactics that can potentially make you more successful this spring. To read more about Bill and his passion for archery, visit https://ironwilloutfitters.com/pages/our-story.

Realtree and the National Wild Turkey Federation recently announced a landmark partnership with Realtree supporting the NWTF's Habitat for the Hatch initiative in the Southeast. Now, during the NWTF's 50th Convention and Sport Show, Realtree is celebrating it's 40th anniversary. During the final day of the annual gathering of the NWTF flock in Nashville, the NWTF's Pete Muller and newly hired NWTF National Director of Wild Turkey Research Patrick Wightman sat down with Realtree Vice President Tyler Jordan to talk about the company's anniverary, the growth of a brand started by his father that extends beyond just the hunting community and also discuss why Realtree is coming out big to support the NWTF's mission to conserve the wild turkey and preserve our hunting heritage. To learn more about Realtree, visit www.realtree.com.

As the daughter of Colonel Tom Kelly, the poet laureate of the turkey woods, Laura Bates is no stranger to the world of turkey hunting and the impact her father's books have had on so many hunters who take to the woods each spring. With the upcoming launch of the Tenth Legion: Bootleg Revival edition, set for release at the 2026 NWTF Convention and Sport Show, Bates joins the NWTF's Jesse Warner to talk the history of Tenth Legion, the story behind the new release, stories about her dad from her childhood, both her and her dad's perceived contributions to turkey conservation and much more! To learn more about the upcoming book release, visit https://tomkellyinc.com.

With the NWTF Photography Contest, sponsored by Tactacam, currently open for submissions at https://your.nwtf.org/photo_contest/ (call for entries closes on January 10, 2026), wildlife and lifestyle photography are on our minds. On the episode, the NWTF's Jesse Warner sits down with talented photographer Clayton Worrell of Cedar Bluff, Iowa. They talk the origin of his photography studio name — Grizhawkins or Grizhawk, tactics used in the field to get shots he wants, setting goals for desirable images and much more! If you enjoy shooting turkeys from behind the lens just as much as you do from behind the gun, this is an episode you'll want to catch. To view Worrell's work, check him out on Instagram @Grizhawk or visit his website https://www.grizhawkins.com/. Or if you are headed to the NWTF Convention and Sport Show, you can visit his booth on the sport show floor — both 2055.

As we know there is an elevated interest in wild turkey science within the turkey hunting community, we are working to bring you numerous updates and research summaries from the 13th National Wild Turkey Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri. This episode includes a conversation with the presenter from the following paper included in the "Tools to Estimate Survival" session: "Evaluating camera survey methods for estimating wild turkey abundance" — Buckley et al (Presented by Nick Bakner) (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1643) Additional guest includes Kyle Hand, Statewide Game Bird Specialist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. While we were not able to sit down and have further conversations with all presenters or authors from the session about tools to estimate survival, please check out the following research papers: "Comparison of methods for estimating wild turkey poult survival estimates" — Quehl et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1617) "A framework for analyzing wild turkey sighting data" — Diefenbach et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1623) To view the full symposium agenda, visit www.wildturkeysymposium.org.

As we know there is an elevated interest in wild turkey science within the turkey hunting community, we are working to bring you numerous updates and research summaries from the 13th National Wild Turkey Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri. This episode includes a conversation with the author from the following paper included in the "Population Dynamics - A Regional Look Around the USA" session: "Comparing nesting rate and space use between extant and translocated eastern wild turkeys" — Argabright et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1626) Additional guests include the NWTF's Annie Farrell. While we were not able to sit down and have further conversations with all presenters or authors from the session about regional population dynamics, please check out the following research papers: "Vital rates and population trajectory of a decline in eastern wild turkey population in southeastern Oklahoma" — Butler et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.70002) "Factors influencing eastern wild turkey population growth in northeastern South Dakota" — Tyl et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1636) "Spring survival of wild turkeys in Delaware" — Holland et al.(https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1624) To view the full symposium agenda, visit www.wildturkeysymposium.org.

As we know there is an elevated interest in wild turkey science within the turkey hunting community, we are working to bring you numerous updates and research summaries from the 13th National Wild Turkey Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri. This episode includes conversations with authors or presenters from papers included in the "Habitat Selection" session: "Multi-scale evaluation of eastern wild turkey nest site selection and nest survival" — Moscicki et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1635) "Measuring congruence between available and selected vegetation at wild turkey nest sites" — Bakner et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1626) Additional guests include the NWTF's Ricky Lackey. While we were not able to sit down and have further conversations with all presenters or authors from the session about about habitat selection, please check out the following research papers: "Spatial and temporal variation in female wild turkey roost site selection" — Nieves et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1634) "Is wild turkey habitat selection spatially consistent? A three-decade meta-analysis in Mississippi" — Butler et al.(https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.70000) To view the full symposium agenda, visit www.wildturkeysymposium.org.

As we know there is an elevated interest in wild turkey science within the turkey hunting community, we are working to bring you numerous updates and research summaries from the 13th National Wild Turkey Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri. This episode includes conversations with authors or presenters from papers included in the "Wild Turkey Genetics" session: "Role of kinship in sociality of female eastern wild turkeys" — Chamberlain et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1630) "Genetic structuring and within-flock relatedness of eastern wild turkeys" — Watkins et al. (Presented by Chamberlain) (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1622) Additional guests include the NWTF's Ricky Lackey. While we were not able to sit down and have further conversations with all presenters or authors from the session about wild turkey genetics, please check out the following research paper titled "Investigating the role of management decisions in subspecies hybridization across the wild turkey's range" — Beckman et al. (https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1625) To view the full symposium agenda, visit www.wildturkeysymposium.org.

As we know there is an elevated interest in wild turkey science within the turkey hunting community, we are working to bring you numerous updates and research summaries from the 13th National Wild Turkey Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri. This episode includes summary talks from the "Welcome & Introductory Remarks" session that included Eric Kurzejeski's "Wild Turkey Research: A Look Back" and Dr. Bret Collier's "Wild Turkey Research: Present and Future." Additional guests include the NWTF's John Burk and Doug Little. To view the full symposium agenda, visit www.wildturkeysymposium.org.

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.

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.

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.

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.