NWTF Celebrates 50 Years, Convention Marks Unofficial Kick-Off for Turkey Season 2026

iSportsman Staff

The Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville sounded less like a hotel lobby and more like a hardwood ridge at daybreak as yelps, cutts and kee-kees echoed through the halls. The National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) 50th annual Convention and Sport Show didn’t just mark a milestone; it proved the modern turkey hunter is alive, well and traveling in flocks measured by the tens of thousands.

In recent years, attendance at the annual gathering of all things wild turkey has climbed steadily, with more than 82,000 people attending the 2025 show, continuing a streak of record-breaking crowds. This year’s golden convention carried that momentum into Nashville, drawing hunters, conservationists and industry heavyweights from across the country for what many consider the unofficial kickoff to spring turkey season.

More than 500 exhibitors filled the show floor, offering everything from handcrafted calls to the latest camo patterns and backcountry gear. The scale alone underscores how the NWTF gathering has evolved into what organizers call the premier destination for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Among industry insiders and rank-and-file hunters alike, it is frequently regarded as the most fun and enjoyable outdoor show of each year.

NWTF co-CEO Jason Burckhalter captured the mood in a statement released during the event: “The energy already pouring through the halls … is electrifying.” He added that the gathering serves as a reminder of the organization’s core mission: conserving wild turkeys and preserving America’s hunting heritage.

That mission remains the backbone of the convention. Beyond the vendor aisles and celebrity seminars, conservation partners and state agencies meet here to coordinate research and habitat work, part of an effort that has directed millions toward wild turkey research and management in recent years.

For many attendees, however, the convention feels less like a conference and more like a reunion. Fathers and daughters test box calls at crowded booths. Old friends trade hunting stories. First-time visitors stand wide-eyed at the Grand National Calling Championships, realizing they’ve stepped into the Super Bowl of turkey hunting.

The NWTF’s first convention in 1977 drew just over 2,000 people. Today, it’s a multi-day spectacle that brings together tens of thousands under one roof. The growth mirrors the wild turkey’s own comeback story. It’s a true conservation victory fueled by hunters who understand that healthy habitat and strong traditions go hand in hand.

Fifty conventions in, the message from Nashville was clear: the future of turkey hunting isn’t fading into nostalgia anytime soon. It’s loud, crowded and echoing off the walls like a box call on a cold April morning. Soon, the spring woods will be the same. South Florida, where the first turkey season in the country opens up will begin March 7, barely two weeks away.