L_S_2015_04_

http://www.LouisianaSportsman.com April 2015 | Louisiana Sportsman 83

The love of turkey hunting and the desire to make it better drives

Nathan Pilgreen and Peyton McKinnie to be active in the Union

Long Spurs, the local affiliate of the National Turkey Federation.

The Long Spurs don’t just meet once a year and tell stories, raise a

few dollars and eat a big meal: They raise money for turkey habitat,

honor deserving hunters and work to get youngsters involved in

hunting so they have fun and learn to respect the outdoors.

It doesn’t take long to recognize that this is one group that

walks the talk. When this group sees a need, they are spurred

into action.

Union Long Spurs raises

about $30,000 a year from

their banquet and applying for

grants. They plant food plots

on Union Wildlife Manage-

ment Area and take part in

prescribed burns to improve

turkey habitat.

An area that is burned gives

turkeys a safer, more-open

area to nest and survive, while

encouraging the growth of

native grasses that offer food.

One of their most-important

activities is hosting annual

youth hunts for turkey and

for deer.

“These kids are the future of

the sport,” Pilgreen said.

He knows first hand.

His son, Avery, has been tur-

key hunting with him since he

could get in the woods. Today,

at 12 years old, he’s an accom-

plished caller and hunter.

One unusual thing that the

Union Long Spurs does is get

kids from 10 or more area

hunting clubs together for

youth hunts.

With social media the way it

is, they then become friends

and stay in touch, even though

they live in different towns and

go to different schools.

You can learn more about

the Union Long Spurs at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/

Union-Long-Spurs-Chapter-of-

NWTF/124442987576444?_rdr.

— Kinny Haddox

Union Long Spurs

walk the talk

Getting groups of young hunters

like these are one of the missions

of the Union Long Spurs.

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