EDGEFIELD, SC — Nancy McLaughlin, of Becker, Minnesota, has been instrumental in driving NWTF education and outreach events in her state. For her efforts, the NWTF honored McLaughlin with the Annie Oakley Award.
McLaughlin received the Annie Oakley Award, the highest honor given to a female outdoor volunteer, during the NWTF’s 50he 47th anniversary celebrationhe NWTF annual convention and sports extravaganza, sponsored by Mossy Oak.
Annie Oakley, best known for her shooting skills, also influenced generations of women to try something new. The same is true for McLaughlin.
McLaughlin is an unwavering mentor who does everything in her power to fulfill the mission of the NWTF in Minnesota. Her involvement with the organization began as a banquet attendee for the Sand Dunes Gobblers. McLaughlin’s local Minnesota NWTF herd inspired her to eventually become a committee member on the local chapter board, and now she is the chapter president. Her companions describe her desire to provide hunting opportunities and share the outdoors with others as contagious.
Most recently, McLaughlin orchestrated and hosted the inaugural Minnesota WITO Guided Turkey Hunt in 2021 and followed it up again in 2022.
McLaughlin’s Sand Dunes Gobblers chapter also hosted a mentored turkey hunt at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge in 2022. The hunt ran throughout the spring turkey season with mentors taking hunters out throughout the season in various areas of the refuge.
You’ll find McLaughlin mentoring hunters through her chapter events and also active on the NWTF’s Minnesota State Chapter Board of Directors. She is consistently delivering the NWTF mission in all capacities throughout Minnesota, from habitat improvement, to fundraising, to outreach events.
She is a Guardian Life Sponsor of the NWTF, and her local chapter Sand Dunes Gobblers is a Diamond Life Sponsor.
“Volunteers like Nancy continue to make the NWTF successful,” said NWTF Co-Executive Director Kurt Dyroff. “Her commitment to the NWTF mission and her ability to attract new hunters to the herd are extraordinary. After spending time with Nancy, I was able to see firsthand the impact she is having on the great state of Minnesota. We are proud to honor her with the Annie Oakley Award.”
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested more than half a billion dollars in wildlife conservation and has conserved or improved more than 22 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The organization continues to advance wildlife conservation, forest resiliency, and robust recreational opportunities across the US by working beyond borders at the landscape scale.
2023 is the 50th of the NWTF he anniversary and an opportunity to push the organization’s mission into the future while honoring its rich history. for his 50 he anniversary, the NWTF has set six ambitious goals: positively impact 1 million acres of wildlife habitat; raise $500,000 for wild turkey research; increase membership to 250,000 members; dedicate $1 million to education and outreach programs; raise $5 million to invest in technology and the people of NWTF; and raise $5 million to build a $50 million endowment for the future. Find out how you can help us achieve these lofty goals.