The National Wild Turkey Federation will kick off the 36th Annual NWTF Convention and Sports Show on Feb. 9 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, TN.
The NWTF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of upland wildlife habitat. The Gaylord Opryland Resort and the NWTF have teamed up to provide the perfect venue for hunters and conservationists who are passionate about conserving natural resources.
Over 650 exhibitors will be showcasing the latest in outdoor and hunting merchandise in the convention hall. Seminars conducted by some of the most prominent celebrities in the hunting industry will share their secrets, and competitors will battle to be the best at the NWTF Grand National Calling Championships.
Founded in 1973, the NWTF has spent over $372 million on the conservation of approximately 17 million acres of land, according to the NWTF Web site. Over the years the NWTF has partnered with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, and members in an attempt to restore the turkey population in the United States. Those efforts can now be considered as one of the greatest conservation success stories in history.
The NWTF Convention and Sports Show is an opportunity to bring hunters and conservationists together for a weekend of support and camaraderie. In 2011 about 43,000 people attended the NWTF Convention and that number is expected to increase this year.
Visitors can check out exhibits from some of the top manufactures of hunting products, such as, Primos, BioLogic, Mossy Oak, Hunter’s Specialties and Mossberg. At these exhibits you will meet some of the pro staff members of each company and you can buy some of the best hunting merchandise on the market.
Will Primos, founder of Primos Hunting Calls and others on the Primos team will be at the show. Hunter’s Specialties pro staff members Rick White and Eddie Salter will be around the H.S. booth throughout the weekend.
Other must-visit exhibits are Bass Pro Shops, Bone Collector, Bloodline, Down-N-Dirty Outdoors, Knight and Hale, Flexatone Game Calls and many more. While checking out these booths, you may run into Bloodline’s Alex Rutledge, or Bone Collector’s Michael Waddell.
Some of the best deer and turkey hunting professionals are going to be hosting educational seminars to teach attendees hunting strategies. The seminars will initiate on Friday and Saturday of the show.
Seminars on Friday will be action-packed and full of information for attendees. “Speak the Language” with Team Primos and “How to hunt trophy white-tail deer” with Steve Stoltz are premier seminars you won’t want to miss. “How to put your turkey into a coma” with Rutledge of Bloodline and “Turkey calling secrets” with Chris Parish of Knight and Hale Game Calls will get you fired up for spring turkey hunting.
“The truth about hunting big bucks”: Q&A with Mark and Terry Drury of Drury Outdoors and “Turkey Hunting 101” with NWTF spokesperson Brenda Valentine are seminars that will fuel your hunger for more information on Saturday.
The seminar “Chasing spring” with Ray Eye, Eye on the Outdoors, will start the day on Saturday. “The turkey hunting secrets of Eddie Salter” hosted by Salter and “Celebrating the culture of a hunter” with hunting legend Michael Waddell will also be featured on Saturday at the show.
NWTF Grand National Calling Championship
Callers of all ages will compete for more than $25,000 and prizes in eight divisions, according to the NWTF Web site. The best callers in the world will be using natural voices, latex mouth calls, friction calls, box calls, owl hooting calls and others en rout to become the champion at the NWTF convention.
The contests begin on Thursday with the GNCC Gobbling and Owl Hooting, and Friction Calling Championships. Friday will boast the GNCC Team Challenge and Head-to-Head competition, and Saturday will wrap up the calling festivities with the GNCC Senior Division Championship.
Autograph sessions with some of the top professionals in the hunting industry begin on Friday and continue through Sunday, the final day of the show. Obtain autographs from Mark and Terry Drury- Drury Outdoors, Cuz Strickland-Mossy Oak, Will Primos, Jimmy Primos, Keith Burgess and Kevin Meachem (Team Primos), Waddell, Rutledge and Salter.
The NWTF Convention and Sports Show is the largest event hosted by the Gaylord Opryland Resort. Free daily admission for NWTF members, active duty military and children under 10. Daily admission for non-members is $20 and just $10 admission for children ages 11 through 17.
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