HOUSE MEMORIAL 19

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2023

INTRODUCED BY

Randall T. Pettigrew and William "Bill" R. Rehm

and Harlan Vincent and James G. Townsend and Willie D. Madrid

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

COMMEMORATING THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION; RECOGNIZING THE NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION'S SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENTIFIC WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, RESEARCH AND HABITAT CONSERVATION AND THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE LONG-HONORED OUTDOOR TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES.

 

     WHEREAS, the national wild turkey federation, incorporated, was incorporated on March 28, 1973 in Fredericksburg, Virginia; and

     WHEREAS, over the course of fifty years, the national wild turkey federation and its members and chapters across the nation have worked with state, federal and nongovernmental partners to promote the conservation of the wild turkey and to preserve America's hunting heritage; and

     WHEREAS, the national wild turkey federation has aided in one of the greatest conservation success stories in American history: the repopulation of the wild turkey from the brink of extinction; and

     WHEREAS, three out of six subspecies of wild turkey make New Mexico their home: the Merriam's wild turkey, the Rio Grande wild turkey and the Gould's wild turkey; and

     WHEREAS, the Gould's wild turkey is unique to the regions of southwest New Mexico, southeast Arizona and the country of Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the Gould's wild turkey is the largest wild turkey subspecies, with the longest legs and the whitest feather tips; and

     WHEREAS, wild turkeys are a popular game species for hunters and a welcome sight to bird watchers, hikers and all New Mexicans who spend time in turkey country; and

     WHEREAS, in 1975 the department of game and fish designated the Gould's wild turkey as a threatened species; and

     WHEREAS, the national wild turkey federation has provided funding to and worked with the department of game and fish to restore populations and enhance the genetic diversity of Gould's wild turkeys in New Mexico through research and translocation; and

     WHEREAS, the Gould's wild turkey was removed from the New Mexico threatened and endangered species list in October 2022; and

     WHEREAS, the national wild turkey federation is the largest and longest serving nongovernmental stewardship partner of the United States department of agriculture forest service, conserving habitats on national forest system lands for more than forty years and assisting in the development and implementation of the United States department of agriculture's wildfire crisis strategy; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico chapter of the national wild turkey federation holds one of the most successful women in the outdoors events in the country at camp tall pines in Mayhill;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the national wild turkey federation and its chapters and members across the United States be recognized and saluted for their tremendous efforts to further scientific, state-led wildlife management, the conservation of America's wild turkey and its habitat and their continuing mission to work across land-ownership boundaries to increase the amount of clean and abundant waters, healthy forests and wildlife habitats, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities across the country; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the national wild turkey federation.

- 3 -