Sandrini Receives National Recognition for Hunter Recruitment
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The NWTF presented Joe Sandrini with its prestigious Mentor of the Year Award. The award was accepted by Wyoming NWTF State Chapter President Joan Eisemann on Sandrini's behalf. Sandrini has worked hard to make hunting accessible for everyone. From teaching youth in a hunter’s education course to creating a positive space for veterans, his efforts have connected many people with the life-changing power of the outdoors.
Sandrini accepted the Mentor of the Year Award during the NWTF’s 49th Annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by Mossy Oak.
“I really enjoy teaching and helping folks get started, whether it’s youth hunters or biologists,” Sandrini said. “It’s very rewarding because you get to see the results of your labor. I’ve been working with the NWTF and volunteers over the years, and it has truly been a blessing. Looking forward, there’s a lot of challenges that lie ahead. There’s been a ton of success in the last 30 years to habitat and getting wild turkey populations reestablished, but the challenges are just different now, and they’re not going to be slowing down. So hopefully the folks that are going to be taking over can rise to the occasion.”
Sandrini has been a member of NWTF for over 30 years and founded the NWTF Wyoming Veterans Hunt event, which he started in 2018 and has continued to maintain by organizing access and mentors to facilitate a great opportunity for the veteran community.
He has grown this hunt from two hunters in the first year to five hunters, including one youth hunter, which helps build local community support for the NWTF. This hunt also helped build a new local chapter in Newcastle, which held its first banquet this past year, raising over $20,0000.
Sandrini served as a hunter’s education instructor through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to ensure that the next generation of hunters are prepared to take to the field. Serving as treasurer of the Handgun Hunters Charitable Foundation, he works to engage and share his passions for handgun hunting with a broader community.
Before retiring from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, he served as Wyoming’s representative on the NWTF Technical Committee for 22 years. Towards the end of his state career, Sandrini mentored young state biologists with a passion for wild turkey conservation and wild turkey hunting to become involved with the Wyoming NWTF State Chapter and the technical committee.
Hunting gives us the opportunity to share stories and make new ones, and Sandrini works selflessly to share these opportunities with everyone.
“Joe knows firsthand the connection between conservation and hunting, and that is why he is so passionate about getting others involved with our cherished pastime,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “We are proud to honor Joe for his time, diligence, passion and overall dedication to getting new folks involved in the life-changing power of the outdoors.”
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 24 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $10 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide Healthy Habitats. and Healthy Harvests. for future generations.