nwtf.org

The Dr. James Earl Kennamer Scholarship is an academic scholarship from the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) for one NWTF member who is a current high school senior. It recognizes outstanding academic achievement, community involvement, and leadership, and the national winner receives a $10,000 scholarship. The program opened October 1, 2026, and applications are submitted through the NWTF website; detailed eligibility requirements are posted on the JAKES Program page.

Who is eligible

Based on the NWTF's published description, the core conditions are:

• NWTF membership — the applicant must be an NWTF member.
• Current high school senior — the award is aimed at students in their final year of high school.
• Demonstrated achievement — selection weighs academic achievement, community involvement, and leadership roles.

The NWTF directs applicants to the JAKES Program page for the full eligibility requirements, so treat the list above as the headline criteria and confirm the specifics there before applying.

What the award is

The $10,000 figure applies to the national scholarship winner. The NWTF's page does not describe additional state or chapter-level awards for this program, so don't assume one exists without checking with your state chapter.

How to apply

1. Confirm your eligibility. Read the requirements on the JAKES Program page before starting; this is where the NWTF places the formal criteria.
2. Verify your NWTF membership. Because membership is part of the stated criteria, make sure your status is current — joining or renewing is handled on the NWTF site.
3. Prepare your materials. Expect to document academic performance, community involvement, and leadership experience, since those are the three stated selection factors.
4. Submit through the NWTF application. Use the "Apply Today!" link on the scholarship announcement on nwtf.org.
5. Watch the deadline. The page gives an opening date (October 1, 2026) but no closing date in the material reviewed, so confirm the deadline on the application page itself.

Practical notes

• Timing matters. The program opened October 1, 2026, which aligns with the fall of a senior year — plan to apply early in that window rather than waiting.
• Membership first. If you are not yet an NWTF member, resolve that before assembling the application, since eligibility depends on it.
• Use the local network. NWTF state chapters can be a useful source of guidance on the scholarship and on other youth programs such as JAKES; the site's chapter locator will point you to contacts in your area.
• Don't rely on secondhand summaries. The NWTF explicitly routes eligibility questions to the JAKES Program page, so that page — not this overview — is the authoritative source for requirements and deadlines.

The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) reports its conservation impact through cumulative program figures published on its website: more than 22 million acres of wildlife habitat conserved or enhanced, more than 1.5 million hunters recruited since 2012, and more than 700,000 acres opened for hunting since 2012. It also states that 89% of expenses are invested in mission-related activities. These are the organization's own reported totals, not independently verified figures, so they are best read as NWTF's account of its cumulative work since its founding in 1973.

The headline numbers

Two things are worth noting when using these numbers. First, the habitat figure is cumulative and undated, while the hunter recruitment and access figures are tied to 2012, the start of the "Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt." initiative. Second, "conserved or enhanced" and "opened for hunting" are broad categories; the site does not break them down by method, state, or permanence, so the totals should not be compared directly with acreage figures from other organizations that use narrower definitions.

What the "Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt." initiative commits to

The site describes this initiative as mobilizing science, fundraising, and volunteers toward a $1.2 billion goal to conserve and enhance more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters, and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting. The reported outcomes above (1.5M+ hunters, 700K+ acres opened) track against those targets, which makes the initiative the clearest frame for interpreting the numbers.

Program examples behind the totals

The reported figures come from specific, named projects rather than a single program:

• Research Grants Program — the NWTF reports funding six new research projects for 2026, continuing a grant program that supports wild turkey science.
• Cherokee National Forest — a continuing decades-long conservation partnership on the Tennessee national forest.
• State-level allocations — for example, NWTF Alabama reports allocating $431,256 for conservation, access, research, and related work.
• Montana's Bitterroot Valley — a conservation project profiled on the site.
• Convention and Sport Show — reported as drawing 94K annual attendees and 500+ exhibitors, which supports the fundraising and volunteer base behind the mission.

How to use these figures

If you are evaluating the NWTF for a donation, membership, or partnership, treat the 22M+, 1.5M+, and 700K+ figures as the organization's self-reported cumulative results and check them against the specific project pages (state allocations, research grants, individual conservation projects) if you need detail on where money went. If you are comparing organizations, ask each one for the same three things: the definition of "conserved or enhanced," the start date of the count, and whether acres are permanently protected or managed under agreement. The NWTF site provides the first two only partially, so a direct comparison requires requesting the underlying project data.

The fastest way to get involved with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) is to start at nwtf.org: use "Find a Chapter" to locate your state chapter and its staff or volunteer contacts, use "Find an Event" to search upcoming events and fundraisers near you, and use "Become a Volunteer" or "Join or Renew" to sign up. These are the three entry points the site itself presents, and any of them can be your first step — you don't need to be a member before you attend an event or contact a chapter.

Find Your State Chapter First

The NWTF describes finding a local chapter as the starting point for getting involved: "Getting involved with the NWTF starts with finding a local chapter." The site's "Our People" section lets you locate your state chapter to find contact information for staff or volunteers in your area.

This is the most direct route if you want a person to talk to before committing to anything. A chapter contact can tell you what the chapter is working on locally, when it meets, and what volunteer help it needs. Because chapter activity varies by state, the site routes you through the state-level page rather than publishing a single national contact list.

What to expect: you select your state, then use the listed contact details for staff or volunteers. The site does not publish a single national phone number or email for chapter inquiries, so the state page is the intended path.

Search for Events and Fundraisers Near You

The "Find an Event" tool searches upcoming events and fundraisers in your area, and the homepage also offers an "Upcoming Events Near Me" link. Events are the lowest-commitment way to get involved: you can attend, meet chapter members, and decide afterward whether to volunteer or join.

The site also promotes larger gatherings, including the NWTF Convention and Sport Show. The page describes the 50th convention as "3 Action Packed Days" with "94K Annual Attendees" and "500+ Exhibitors," plus "Many Raffle and Auction Opportunities." If you want to see the organization at scale before joining a local chapter, the convention is the broadest view — though a local event is more useful for actually meeting the people you'd volunteer alongside.

A note on dates

The event listings on the page carry dates such as Oct 20, 2026, and the scholarship program is listed as opening October 1, 2026. Treat any specific date you see as a snapshot — confirm the current schedule through the event search rather than relying on a date copied from elsewhere.

Volunteer, Join, or Renew

The site closes with a direct call: "Your Support Makes a Difference. Become a Volunteer. Join or Renew." These are separate actions:

• Become a Volunteer — for people who want to contribute time to conservation work, events, or chapter activities.
• Join or Renew — for people who want membership, whether new or lapsed.

The site does not publish membership pricing or a fee schedule on this page, so check the join/renew flow for current terms rather than assuming a cost. Likewise, nothing on the page states that membership or events are free.

What Your Involvement Supports

Knowing what the organization does can help you decide where to put your time. The NWTF states its mission as "the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of our hunting heritage," and describes itself as standing behind "science-based conservation and hunters' rights." It was founded in 1973.

The site reports these figures:

The "Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt." initiative is described as mobilizing science, fundraising, and volunteers toward raising $1.2 billion to conserve and enhance more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters, and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting. Recent examples of where money goes include a research grants program funding six new projects for 2026 and an Alabama allocation of $431,256 for "Conservation, Access, Research and More."

If You're a Student

The Dr. James Earl Kennamer Scholarship Program is aimed at an NWTF member who is currently a high school senior, recognizing academic achievement, community involvement, and leadership. The national winner receives a $10,000 scholarship. Eligibility requirements are listed under the JAKES Program, and applications go through the "Apply Today!" link. Note the membership requirement — if you're not yet a member, joining is a prerequisite, not an optional extra.

A Practical Sequence

1. Pick your goal. If you want to meet people, start with an event. If you want a local contact, start with your state chapter. If you already know you want to commit, go straight to join/renew or volunteer.
2. Use the matching tool on nwtf.org — "Find a Chapter," "Find an Event," or "Become a Volunteer."
3. Confirm details directly. Event dates and chapter contacts change; verify with the chapter or event listing before traveling or planning around a date.
4. Decide on membership after, not before. Attending an event or contacting a chapter doesn't require joining first, based on how the site separates these actions.

The main thing to watch for: the site is organized around state chapters, so national pages will point you back to your state. If a link seems to dead-end, go to the state chapter page and use the listed staff or volunteer contact.

The NWTF Convention and Sport Show is the National Wild Turkey Federation's annual three-day gathering, combining a large exhibitor floor with raffles and auctions. According to the NWTF website, the event draws 94,000 annual attendees and hosts more than 500 exhibitors. The site's current convention page highlights the 50th edition and invites visitors to "Relive the 2026 Convention and Sport Show" and learn more about the event.

What Happens at the Show

The NWTF describes the convention as "3 Action Packed Days" with these core elements:

• Exhibitors: 500+ companies and organizations displaying gear, services, and conservation partners.
• Raffles and auctions: The site notes "Many Raffle and Auction Opportunities," a central draw for attendees.
• Scale: 94K annual attendees, making it a major gathering for the hunting and conservation community.

The convention sits alongside the NWTF's broader mission of conserving the wild turkey and preserving hunting heritage, so expect the show to blend consumer exhibits with conservation programming.

How to See What the Convention Is Like

If you want a sense of the event before attending, the NWTF site offers a recap path:

1. Go to the NWTF Convention and Sport Show section of nwtf.org.
2. Use the "Relive the 2026 Convention and Sport Show" link to view highlights from the most recent edition.
3. Check the "Learn More" option for details on the event.

The site also surfaces related content, such as convention coverage and press releases, which can help you gauge the atmosphere and offerings.

Finding the Next Event and Related Activities

The convention page connects to other ways to engage with NWTF:

• Upcoming Events Near Me: A search tool for events and fundraisers in your area.
• Find an Event: Search upcoming events and fundraisers.
• Find a Chapter: Locate your state chapter for staff or volunteer contacts.

These entry points are useful if you want to participate in NWTF activities but cannot attend the national show.

What the Site Does Not Specify

The provided NWTF materials do not list dates, locations, ticket prices, or registration deadlines for future conventions. For those details, use the convention section of nwtf.org and the event search tools rather than relying on the recap page alone.

The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) is a nonprofit founded in 1973 whose mission is "the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of our hunting heritage." It describes itself as standing behind science-based conservation and hunters' rights. If you want to understand the organization, join a local chapter, apply for its scholarship, or check its conservation record, nwtf.org is the place to start.

What the NWTF actually does

The organization works on two connected fronts: wildlife habitat and hunter access. Its flagship initiative, Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt., is described on the site as mobilizing science, fundraising, and volunteers to raise $1.2 billion to conserve and enhance more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters, and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting.

The site reports these cumulative results:

These numbers are the organization's own reporting, so treat them as NWTF's stated impact rather than an independent audit.

Where the money and work go

The site's news and press releases show the practical side of the mission. Recent examples include a Research Grants Program funding six new projects for 2026, a state-level allocation in Alabama of $431,256 for conservation, access, and research, and habitat work in Montana's Bitterroot Valley and on the Cherokee National Forest. This pattern—research grants, state chapter allocations, and on-the-ground habitat projects—is a useful way to see how the national mission translates into local spending.

Main entry points on nwtf.org

• Mission & Plan — the organization's stated purpose and strategy.
• Conservation — project news and habitat work.
• Find a Chapter — the site says getting involved "starts with finding a local chapter," and state chapters list staff and volunteer contacts.
• Find an Event — upcoming events and fundraisers in your area.
• Convention and Sport Show — an annual gathering; the site cites 94K annual attendees and 500+ exhibitors.
• JAKES Program / Dr. James Earl Kennamer Scholarship — an academic scholarship for an NWTF member who is a high school senior, with a national winner receiving $10,000. The site lists an opening date of October 1, 2026, and directs applicants to the JAKES Program for eligibility requirements.
• Volunteer / Join or Renew — membership and volunteer sign-up.

Who it's for

The NWTF is aimed at hunters, conservation-minded landowners, and people who want to support habitat work or get involved locally. If your interest is wild turkey conservation, hunting access, or youth programs and scholarships, the site's chapter and event tools are the fastest route in. If you need financial details such as membership pricing, the provided site information does not list them, so check the Join or Renew page directly before assuming cost or access terms.