NWTF TARGET 2000

PA-NWTF TARGET 2000

NWTF TARGET 2000 and the Pennsylvania State Chapter Super Fund

The National Wild Turkey Federation is dedicated to promoting management of the wild turkey. The NWTF program TARGET 2000 provides financial assistance for wild turkey research and management through the NWTF Super Fund program.

Pennsylvania local and state chapters annually raise more than $125,000 for funding Super Fund projects. These state-wide projects are conducted by local chapters, state and federal wildlife agencies, and other conservation organizations.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is participating in the NWTF TARGET 2000 program. This program, with the cooperation of state wildlife agencies, supports the establishment of wild turkeys in all unoccupied but suitable habitat in the United States by the year 2000. Through TARGET 2000, the NWTF serves as a liaison for interstate wild turkey transfer.

Under this program, funds for reimbursement of wild turkey trapping manpower and equipment costs ($500 per bird) are transferred from the recipient state’s Super Fund to the donor state’s Super Fund for use by that state wildlife agency for wild turkey Super Fund projects.

During the fall of 1996, the Pennsylvania State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation presented the Pennsylvania Game Commission with $162,872 of TARGET 2000 Super Fund monies to fund 42 wild turkey related projects. Related story can be found in "Pennsylvania Game News", March 1997 issue, and Pennsylvania Game Commission press release dated May 7, 1997 titled "NWTF TARGET 2000 Program Comes Home To Roost".

The Bureau of Wildlife Management received $15,000 to conduct a turkey survey researching the public’s perceptions of wild turkeys and turkey hunters. The Bureau of Information and Education received $65,399 to be used to acquire visual aid equipment, construct wild turkey exhibits and table top display units, and publish promotional items for use in hunter education classes and other programs. The Bureau of Land Management received $87,743 to conduct some 20 habitat improvement projects on selected game lands throughout the state.

Habitat improvement projects carried out on state game lands involve primarily creating food plots in densely forested areas to establish brood-rearing habitat and planting trees and shrubs that provide winter food source.