Are you an avid turkey hunter or someone who loves wildlife and the outdoors? Then join others like yourself and find out how you can help wildlife near your hometown.

The National Wild Turkey Federation, a half-million-member grassroots conservation organization, is starting a local chapter in the Lampasas County area. An organizational meeting will be held Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Lampasas County Office Building Conference Room, 409 S. Pecan St. in Lampasas. All interested individuals are encouraged to attend and bring along a friend.

Nearly 2,050 local NWTF chapters are located throughout North America. Chapter members help raise money for wild turkey conservation, initiate programs that benefit wildlife and offer educational and outdoor opportunities to women, children and disabled hunters.

The National Wild Turkey Federation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and preservation of the hunting tradition.

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. Thanks to the work of wildlife agencies and the NWTF's many volunteers and partners, today there are an estimated 5.6 million wild turkeys and approximately 2.6 million turkey hunters.

Since 1985, more than $175 million NWTF and cooperator dollars have been spent on over 24,000 projects benefiting wild turkeys throughout North America. The NWTF has members in 50 states and in 11 foreign countries including Canada.

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 about the NWTF or about the upcoming meeting, contact Charles S. Stockstill at (817) /565-7121.