Longbeards to hold annual banquet on Friday

— The 10th Annual Hunting Heritage Banquet will be held April 2 at the Clarion Inn on Rainbow Curve in Bentonville.

The Benton County Longbeards are hosting the banquet to raise money for the National Wild Turkey Foundation, a non-profit education and conservation organization.

The event will feature a spaghetti dinner as well as a silent and live auction, according to James Barger of Gentry, a board member of the Arkansas Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Items to be auctioned will include framed art from wildlife artists such as Thomas Kinkade and Terry Redlin, home furnishings and house wareswith a wild turkey theme, collectibles, sculptures of elk, deer and wild turkeys, and guns.

Since the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded in 1973, the number of wild turkeys in North America has grown from 1.3 million to more than 7 million, according to the organization’s Web site, www.nwtf. org. The NWTF has also aided in acquiring and improving nearly 14 million acres of wildlife habitat on public, private and corporate land.

The NWTF has completed 27 projects across Arkansas including local projects at Hobbs State Park, Weddington Wildlife Management Area and projects in Madison County, Barger said.

Since 1985, the organization has spent $1.29 million in Arkansas to improve habitat on 144,852 acres,and more than $300,000 on education in the state, including scholarships and teaching groups such as 4-H clubs.

Although hunting is sometimes viewed in a negative light, teaching young people about responsible hunting and helping them develop a love for the outdoors, will ensure that conservation continues for years to come, Barger said.

“It’s all about the conservation; It’s all about the experience; It’s not about killing some animals. It’s all about education - to begin to know about all of the outdoors, not just the shooting part of the outdoors,” Barger said.

More than 85 percent of the funds raised will go towards conservation and education and only seven percent will be used for administrative expenses,Barger said. Donors can track spending on the organization’s Web site.

The NWTF pools its funds with the state agencies like the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and other organizations like Quail Unlimited and Ducks Unlimited, for conservation projects, Barger said.

The NWTF has even recently teamed up with Bat Conservation International with shared goals of maintaining overall forest health, controlling and removing invasive species and restoring bottom-land hardwoods.

Improving habitat for one species, often benefits many species, Barger explained.

Locally, the Benton County Longbeards have built gates on places like the Weddington Wildlife Management Area to prevent people from driving around and shooting turkeys from their vehicles.

The goal is to preserve hunting in an ethical way so people will have to make an effort to hunt the wild turkey instead of just shooting them, Barger said.

Local members also volunteer their time to lead seminars to teach young people and newcomers about wild turkey behavior and habitat.

“We care about the wild turkey ... I like to see people who really have the love for wildlife and for the American wild turkey. That’s the kind of people I want to see get involved in the NWTF,” Barger said.

Doors will open at 5 p.m., and the dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the silent and live auctions. The menu for adults will include a spaghettidinner with meatballs, side dishes, a salad bar and dessert. Children will be served hot-dogs and will attend special activities in a separate area.

Tickets are $45 for adults and include dinner and a year’s membership to the National Wild Turkey Federation. Children’s tickets are $10 and include dinner and a year’s membership to the Jakes program.

For more information or tickets call James Barger at 531-2359 or call Tim Wise at 631-4140.

Sports, Pages 7 on 03/31/2010