Thanksgiving, the quintessential (and my personal favorite) American holiday, is finally here as we go about prepping turkeys and gathering with family and friends for holiday feasts. Outdoorsmen of all stripes know that our lifestyle represents a unique tradition that sets apart our celebrations from the so-called “mainstream.” We look forward to the holiday weekend all year long as we anticipate braving the crisp November air to the echoes of camaraderie and laughter, crackling campfires, the boom of shotguns and the smell of freshly fired gunpowder and marinated wild game meats.

The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), the award-winning conservation juggernaut that helped unify the effort to conserve and restore the wild turkey and its incredibly important hunting heritage in North America, is 50 years old this year.