South Dakota’s Ron Schauer Earns National Conservation Award
NASHVILLE, Tenn. —Ron Schauer, active member of the NWTF’s East Dakota Chapter, received national recognition as one of the recipients of the Roger M. Latham Sportsman Wild Turkey Service Awards for his extraordinary dedication to the organization’s mission. Schauer received the Roger M. Latham Sportsman Wild Turkey Service Award during the NWTF’s 49th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by Mossy Oak.
“I am very honored and grateful for having been selected to receive the Roger Latham Award,” Schauer said. “I would like to thank the NWTF Board of Directors for selecting me and the South Dakota State Chapter for nominating me for this prestigious award. NWTF is truly a great conservation organization that does an amazing job managing and protecting our natural resources, especially when it comes to the wild turkey. Their mission and goals help ensure that all people enjoy the outdoors and our hunting heritage. It has been a privilege to be a volunteer for the NWTF for over 33 years, and I have no plans to stop now.”
Schauer has been a part of the effort to introduce the Eastern wild turkey in South Dakota, and he helped rewrite the South Dakota State Wild Turkey Stakeholder Group management plan that is currently used and will be used until 2029. He also has helped develop 120 acres of Horsted Game Production Area alongside South Dakota Game Fish and Parks.
Not only is Schauer a vocal advocate for conservation, but he has also been involved in fundraising events, sport shows and local outreach and education. As co-chair of the Wheelin’ Pheasant Hunt that is currently in its 20th year, he helped make this event a first-class event that was honored at the 2024 National Convention as one of the Membership Achievement Award winners.
He has helped the South Dakota Wildlife Federation Youth Conservation Camp, which is an outdoor educational camp that teaches a large variety of conservation concepts and ethics. Here he teaches campers about the biology and proper management of wild turkey populations.
“Ron’s contributions to the NWTF span over decades and involve all aspects of our mission, from the conservation of the wild turkey, to helping make the outdoors more accessible to others and to reaching younger generations; Ron’s efforts and dedication capture what it means to be an NWTF volunteer,” NWTF co-CEO Jason Burckhalter said. “We are proud to honor Ron with one of our prestigious Roger Latham Wild Turkey Service Awards.”
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.