Jonathan Harling is the Public Relations Specialist for the National Wild Turkey Federation. Jonathan is a personable and knowledgeable young man in his 20's who recently graduated with a major in Communication and Broadcasting. My guess is that he found the perfect job for him. He has always loved wildlife, the outdoors and hunting and was especially pleased when he heard about the career opportunity in his chosen field at the NWTF in his home town of Edgefield, SC. 

Jonathan is the NWTF's link to the media world. Through news releases and other contacts he keeps the world media up to date on the organization's news, plans and events. This includes Video News Releases by satellite through Media Link for TV and other interested media. 

Jonathan told me that he feels that the wild turkey population is stable at this time and the NWTF is focusing on establishing a larger population in the Midwest and Canada. In 1973 when the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded, there were an estimated 1.3 million wild turkeys and 1.5 million turkey hunters. (More hunters than birds!) Thanks to the work of state wildlife agencies and the NWTF's many volunteers and partners, today there are an estimated 5.4 million wild turkeys and approximately 2.6 million turkey hunters. The NWTF has clearly made a difference for the wild turkey as well as those who carry on the age old American heritage of hunting them.

Since 1985, more than $120 million NWTF and cooperator dollars have been spent on over 15,000 projects benefiting wild turkeys throughout North America. The NWTF is a 300,000 member grassroots, nonprofit organization with members in 50 states, Canada and 11 foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport. 

For more information on the National Wild Turkey Federation, call (803) 637-3106, check out our website at www.nwtf.org or e-mail questions to nwtf@nwtf.net.