Louisiana State and Federal Employees Receive 2013 NWTF Awards
National Wild Turkey Federation 02.18.14
Two Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) employees and a USDA Forest Service employee were recognized for outstanding service at the Louisiana Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Awards Banquet on Jan. 25 in Marksville.
In addition to local NWTF chapter awards, awards were presented for “Agent of the Year”, “Biologist of the Year”, and “Wildlife Technician of the Year”.
Sgt. Billy Shoemaker of Marthaville in Natchitoches Parish received the 2013 Agent of the Year. Sgt. Shoemaker is a 12-year veteran with LDWF’s Enforcement Division. He made the most turkey cases in 2013 for Region 3 where his duties include looking for bait before and during the turkey season.
Jarrod Hughes of Haughton, a nine-year LDWF Wildlife Division employee, received the 2013 Biologist of the Year for habitat work on Bodcau WMA that included native warm season grass planting, fall food plot planting, and understory brush control.
Charles Boles of Kisatchie was named the 2013 Wildlife Technician of the Year. A 30-year USDA Forest Service employee, Boles received his award for wild turkey project assistance on Kisatchie Ranger District involving a cooperative four-year gobbler banding study with LDWF.
For more information, contact Jimmy Stafford at 225-765-2361 or jstafford@wlf.la.gov.
The National Wild Turkey Federation is the leader in upland wildlife habitat conservation in North America. The NWTF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.
Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations throughout North America, spending more than $331 million to conserve nearly 16 million acres of habitat. Wild turkeys and hundreds of other species of upland wildlife, including quail, deer, grouse, pheasant and songbirds, benefit from this improved habitat.
The NWTF also brings new conservationists and hunters into the fold through outdoor education events and its Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin' Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES youth outreach programs. Our dedicated NWTF volunteers introduce about 100,000 people to the outdoors through these programs every year.
Founded in 1973, the NWTF is headquartered in Edgefield, S.C., and has local chapters in every state and Canada. According to many state and federal agencies, the restoration of the wild turkey is arguably the greatest conservation success story in North America's wildlife history.
