EDGEFIELD, S.C. — National Wild Turkey Federation volunteers and members from Indiana showed their support for science-based management of the state's forests by contacting state representatives and urging them to oppose Amendments 1 and 3 to Senate Bill 363.

More than 30 state representatives received letters on the issue from Indiana members. During house deliberation on Monday, March 26, both amendments were struck down.

"We thank our Indiana members and volunteers for answering our call for action," said Patrick McFadden, NWTF state chapter president for Indiana. "Conservation of wildlife extends beyond the animals themselves; we need to ensure our lands are properly managed as well. Amendments 1 and 3 would have jeopardized Indiana's Department of Natural Resources ability to do so."

The recently defeated amendments proposed setting aside 10 percent of Indiana state forest acreage from timber management and creating a commission to make forest management decisions. These amendments would have created duplicative oversight and undermined the abilities of the DNR to manage and maintain the health and diversity of the state’s forests.

About the National Wild Turkey Federation
When the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded in 1973, there were about 1.3 million wild turkeys in North America. After decades of work, that number hit a historic high of almost 7 million turkeys. To succeed, the NWTF stood behind science-based conservation and hunters’ rights. The NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative is a charge that mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to raise $1.2 billion to conserve and enhance more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting. For more information, visit NWTF.org