From Field to Fork | NSSF Let's Go Hunting

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From Field to Fork

Do you have a desire to learn how to source your own protein?

Have you always wanted to learn more about hunting but weren’t sure who to ask?

Would you like to introduce others to the many benefits of hunting while also helping to ensure the future of hunting?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, or if you are just curious about the Field to Fork program, then we invite to you learn more about the program and how you can get involved! For more information on Field to Fork, or if you are interested in replicating or participating, email Hank Forester.

QDMA’s Field to Fork is a food-focused hunter recruitment program for adults from non-hunting backgrounds piloted in Athens, Georgia in 2016 by QDMA Hunting Heritage Programs Manager Hank Forester and Charles S. Evans, the Georgia R3 Coordinator with the Georgia Wildlife Federation. Hinging on a unique approach involving recruitment at a local farmer’s market, visitors were asked if they wanted to sample from a spread of venison sausage, grilled backstrap or venison jerky, and they were provided with a handout titled “Why Should You Hunt Deer?” They were then offered the chance to participate in a season-long mentored hunting program that would teach them how to hunt and acquire a wild, healthy, local, sustainable source of food on their own.

Learn more about Field to fork here:

Can a Piece of Grilled Backstrap Save Hunting?

H U N T I N G

Conservation Organizations to Know

Hunters are the largest contributors to conservation, paying for programs that benefit all Americans and wildlife. Many private organizations, large and small, are working to sustain and improve the quality of our natural resources. Delta Waterfowl Foundation The Delta Waterfowl Foundation is North America's oldest waterfowl conservation organization and promotes the restoration and management of all natural resources, especially aquatic areas. Ducks Unlimited (DU) DU is dedicated to the betterment of waterfowl and waterfowling in all of North America. DU has helped build and restore millions of acres of prime waterfowl nesting habitat, including thousands of miles of vital protective shoreline and is working towards the development of additional nesting habitat in the United States and Canada. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) AFWA represents the government agencies responsible for North America's fish and wildlife resources. International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) IHEA is the official organization representing the interests of 69 state, provincial, and federal hunter education coordinators, and 70,000 hunter education instructors who teach hunter safety, ethics, and conservation to approximately 750,000 students each year. Izaak Walton League of America Some 54,000 outdoor enthusiasts are united through a network of local clubs to implement the league's national program for clean waters and improved hunting and fishing. National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) NWTF is a grassroots volunteer organization organized in state and local chapters across North America dedicated to conserving wild turkeys and to preserving hunting traditions. National Wildlife Federation (NWF) NWF is the nation's largest member-supported conservation group working for wise conservation of all the nation's resources. North American Bear Center (NABC) NABC is dedicated to the native bears and other wildlife populations of America by promoting public awareness, education, and sound wildlife management through habitat conservation, restoration and enhancement. Pheasants Forever Pheasants Forever is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. Quail Forever Quail Forever is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of quail, pheasant and other upland wildlife through habitat improvement, public awareness, education and advocacy for sound land management policy. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) RMEF works to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat and supports projects such as land protection, habitat enhancement, management, research and conservation education. Ruffed Grouse Society The mission of this organization is to enhance the environment for the Ruffed Grouse, American Woodcock and other forest wildlife that require or utilize thick, young forests. Safari Club International (SCI) Safari Club International is the leader in promoting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. Safari Club International (SCI) Foundation SCI Foundation funds and manages worldwide programs dedicated to wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian services. The Wilderness Society This national conservation organization works to secure the preservation of wilderness and the proper management of all federal lands. The Wildlife Society This association aims to establish and maintain the highest possible professional standards to develop wildlife conservation and management. Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) Supported by the firearms industry, WMI works to promote scientific management methods and encourages educational programs to help train people in the field of wildlife management.

Key Facts About Hunters and Shooters

Did You Know?

✔ Sportsmen contribute nearly $9.4 million every day, adding more than $3.4 billion every year for conservation. ✔ Hunters and target shooters have paid $11 billion in excise taxes since the inception of the Pittman-Robertson Act in 1937. ✔ Hunting in America is big business, generating 680,000 jobs in the United States. ✔ For more than 80 years, sportsmen have paid more than $20 billion for on-the-ground projects in every state, protecting our natural environment and our fish and wildlife. ✔ The $6.4 billion in annual federal tax money generated by hunters' spending could cover the annual paychecks of 210,000 U.S. Army Sergeants.

Hunter's Pocket Fact Card

At some point, nearly every hunter will be called on to point out the merits of hunting. Will you be up to the task of defending this great tradition by citing well-sourced facts in your discussion? The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, can help you make your points with its newly updated Hunter's Pocket Fact Card. The card can be downloaded in PDF format free of charge.

How to Get Started Predator Hunting

Extend your hunting season by hitting the field for prime-time winter predators.

By Andrew McKean It’s almost February, and the first turkey seasons are still weeks away. If you don’t have frozen water where you live, then you can’t dull your deer-season hangover with a dose of icefishing. What you do have, whether you live in Maine or Mississippi, Missouri or Montana, is coyotes, and a growing number of your neighbors are figuring out that chasing them in the dark months is a great cure for the winter blues. The reasons are obvious:

Sheer Numbers: We have more coyotes in more areas than at any time in our nation’s history.
Long Seasons: Hunting seasons are long and liberal, and many states don’t even require hunters to buy a license.
Hunting Challenge: Outsmarting a predator is no easy task, so bagging a coyote or a fox requires all the stalking, scent-elimination, and sign-reading talents that consistently successful deer hunters employ.
Easy Transition: Chasing coyotes in the winter months is also a great way for those new to the shooting sports to transition into hunting.
Great Payoff: There is a nice payoff to coyote hunting—literally. While fur markets fluctuate wildly, and prices depend on the region, size and grade of animal, and other unknowable factors, prime coyote pelts were fetching around $50 at the time this was written (with higher prices in northern states and lower fur prices in southern states). Put together a dozen dogs, and you can buy a lot of gas and shells to subsidize your next outing.

If you’re like most deer hunters, you’ve probably killed a few coyotes opportunistically, as you encountered them going to or from a deer hunt. And you’ve probably pledged to invest in the gear and knowledge to extend your season by targeting coyotes through the winter. This guide is for you, the educated beginner.

See coyote hunting guide at Stepoutside.org

About the Author Andrew McKean is a longtime outdoor writer and the former editor-in-chief of Outdoor Life. He lives in northeast Montana with his family and yellow Lab. You can follow his adventures on Instagram @aemckean or on Facebook @andrew.mckean. Special thanks to StepOutside.org for providing this insightful content.

See more from Andrew McKean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2RDzo-brtA&list=PLflj6x1a7no76epwhN7TGd-N0_rTohpKx Welcome to the "Learn to Shoot" series with Outdoor Life's Andrew McKean. Learning to safely shoot and handle a gun effectively will unlock years of excitement. If you're new to shooting, welcome! If you've been at it a while, welcome back! These videos are designed to help you get started. #LetsGoShooting Special thanks to our Partners at Outdoor Life and Sovereign Sportsman Solutions.