30th Annual NWTF Convention: A Whole lot of Turkey Fun

Nashville is playing host to National Wild Turkey Convention once again when the 30th Annual National Wild Turkey Federation's National Convention and Sport Show kicks off on February 23rd and runs through February 26th at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville.

This will be the NWTF's seventh visit to the Music City. This year's convention is expected to outdo last year's record attendance of more than 40,000.

The fun really begins on February 22nd at the J. Percy Priest Wildlife Management Area in Nashville, with an Educational Turkey Release hosted by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the National Wild Turkey Federation at 10:00 a.m.

The release celebrates the great partnership between the NWTF and the TWRA and will kick start the NWTF's 30th annual National Convention and Sport Show at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

The event is also an opportunity for everyone to learn more about wild turkey restoration, the importance of conservation and our hunting heritage.

"The relationship we have with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is very valuable, because together we can continue our efforts to improve habitat and wild turkey populations throughout Tennessee," said Dr. James Earl Kennamer, NWTF senior vice president for conservation programs.

Following the turkey release, the NWTF's annual National Convention and Sport Show will kick off on Thursday at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center with a Welcome Party, sponsored by The Outdoor Channel and BASF, and entertainment by Joe Diffie. Friday night's activities, sponsored by Wild Turkey Bourbon, include the NWTF's Grand National Auction and Dinner, including the Wild Turkey Bourbon NWTF Spit, Drum and Gobbling Show, and Saturday night, sponsored by Chevrolet, is the NWTF's awards banquet with entertainment by Diamond Rio.

Other top-notch celebrities attending the convention include:
Michael Waddell, from Realtree Roadtrips
Kim Rhode, Olympic Gold Medalist and co-host of Step Outside
Knight & Hale, Knight & Hale Game Calls
Aaron Tippin, country music star
Mark Drury, host of Wildlife Obsessions
David Blanton, Realtree Pro Staff
Alex Rutledge, Hunter Specialties Pro Staff
Ernie Calandrelli, Quaker Boy Game Calls
Ray Eye, host of Eye on the Outdoors
Dick Kirby, renowned call maker
Preston Pittman, champion caller
Tom Kelly, renowned author and storyteller
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia
Chris Cox, executive director NRA-ILA
John Anderson, country music star
Porter Wagoner, country music legend
T. Bubba Bechtol, comedian
Howie Damron, recording artist
Jimmy Fortune, country music star
Steve Bartkowski, former NFL quarterback
Challenger the Eagle
JAKES Bluegrass Band
And many, many more......

The sport show will also feature the Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Calling Championships where the world's best turkey caller will be crowned. . Yelps, purrs, owl hoots and gobbles, the sounds turkey callers use to find and attract wild turkeys, will resound throughout the convention halls.There will be taxidermy, art and callmaking competitions too..

The show offers seminars taught by expert hunters, champion turkey callers and outdoor television hosts, and the Bass Pro Shops "King of Bucks" display, an exhibit that features 150 of the largest deer mounts in the country. National contests for wildlife art, custom calls and taxidermy will also be held.

There will be several live auctions where you can bid on hunting trips, one-of-a-kind guns, jewelry, original wildlife art, unique calls and much more. If call collecting is your favorite pastime, you don't want to miss the Custom Call Auction Saturday, where items up for auction include pieces from the custom callmaking competitions.

The aisles of the exhibit hall, totaling the length of two football fields, will offer more than 500 exhibitors showng off the best that the turkey hunting industry has to offer including hunting gear, home decor, ATVs, boots, turkey calls, and artwork. The exhibit hall is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 24, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 25 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 26.

The fun, however, isn't all for the adults. Youth of all ages can get in on the action at JAKES Junction, where they can play games, attend seminars and have fun, all while learning about the comeback of the wild turkey.

This will be the Federation's seventh visit to the Music City and this year promises to be bigger than last years by far. National Wild Turkey Federation's Convention and Sports Show will be Feb. 23-26 at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville.