News  MassWildlife Director Mark Tisa Receives National Wild Turkey Federation Award

During their annual convention in February, the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) presented MassWildlife Director Mark Tisa with its new Innovation Award. The award recognizes MassWildlife’s use of creative strategies to address conservation issues and declining hunting participation.

"I am honored to receive NWTF’s Innovation Award,” Tisa said. “MassWildlife and NWTF continue to grow our important partnership, collaborating on mentorship and learn-to-hunt programs, as well as habitat and access improvement projects. Through sound wildlife management and the support of conservation partners like NWTF, MassWildlife is proud to continue expanding turkey hunting opportunities in Massachusetts by increasing the annual bag limit, expanding opportunities for youth, and extending the fall season in recent years.”  

MassWildlife has partnered with the NWTF Massachusetts State Chapter to provide learning and mentorship opportunities for hunters and to promote habitat management and wildlife conservation. “This partnership has only strengthened under the leadership of Director Tisa,” says Keith Fritze, NWTF Massachusetts State Chapter President. “We share goals for implementing science-based species and habitat management, expanding hunting opportunities, and enhancing learn-to-hunt offerings for youth and adults. We appreciate the support and increased opportunities that Director Tisa’s guidance has afforded the sportsmen and women of Massachusetts.”

When presenting Tisa’s award, NWTF cited multiple regulation changes and initiatives made by MassWildlife that have improved hunting opportunities and wildlife habitat, including:

• Increasing the annual turkey season limit from two to three birds to incentivize participation in the fall hunting season.
• Expanding the archery-only fall turkey season to create more overlap with the fall archery deer season.
• Eliminating smaller shot size restrictions to allow turkey hunters to take advantage of the new advances in heavier-than-lead ammunition, such as TSS.
• Creating a late-season pheasant and quail season so hunters can pursue any previously stocked birds through Dec. 31, and simplifying regulations across Wildlife Management Areas during pheasant and deer seasons.
• Promoting participation in turkey hunting through MassWildlife’s Youth Turkey Hunting Program. With help from NWTF and sporting clubs, MassWildlife’s Youth Turkey Hunting Program has been providing a mentored spring turkey hunt since 2009. Tisa was a key figure in getting this program off the ground.
• With Tisa’s support, MassWildlife is also a critical partner to NWTF and the Ruffed Grouse Society on the USDA Forest Service’s Landscape Scale Restoration grant that seeks to improve forest health on approximately 2,000 acres of public and private forestlands in western Massachusetts.

“We are proud to present Director Tisa with the Innovation Award,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “To say the director utilized an innovative approach to conservation and hunter recruitment would be an understatement. Director Tisa has gone above and beyond to ensure both turkeys and turkey hunting are alive and well in the Bay State.”