Rob Keck & Mark Drury - Past, Present, and Future of The Wild Turkey - Turkey OG Series

In this compelling episode of the Working Class Bowhunter podcast, host Mark Drury welcomes Rob Keck, the legendary former CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), for the second installment of the Turkey OG series. Keck shares a rich, decades-spanning narrative of the wild turkey’s resurgence from near extinction in the early 20th century to a population boom that reached an estimated 7 million by 2004. He recounts the pivotal role of conservation efforts, including the development of the cannon net for trap-and-transfer programs, the strategic expansion of turkey populations into new habitats—including Canada and Mexico—and the critical importance of public engagement and storytelling in building support for wildlife restoration. Keck also candidly addresses the current decline in wild turkey numbers, attributing it to a complex mix of factors such as disease transmission from poultry farms, habitat degradation, predation, extreme weather, and overharvesting. He emphasizes the urgent need for hunters to support state wildlife agencies, participate in habitat improvement, and report poaching. The conversation concludes with practical hunting wisdom: avoiding dominant gobblers early in the season, hunting in the afternoon and late season for better success, and embracing the ever-changing nature of turkey behavior. The episode is both a historical tribute and a call to action for the future of wild turkey conservation.