The National Wild Turkey Federation presented Franklinton’s Jimmy Stafford, retired wild turkey and small game coordinator of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, with the Wayne Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award.
The NWTF announced Stafford's award during the organization's 50th anniversary celebration at its 47th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by Mossy Oak.
The Wayne Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a wildlife biologist, trapper or wildlife manager who has devoted his or her career to the wild turkey and played a major role in the turkey's restoration and management.
Stafford is a quintessential example of a state wildlife agency biologist who dedicated a career to the stewardship of the wild turkey, as was exemplified by Wayne Bailey.
For over three decades Stafford worked at nearly every level of conservation in Louisiana. His turkey trapping skills were an asset during the final phases of Louisiana's restocking program and his hands-on management as a technician early in his career improved numerous acres for turkey and other wildlife.
Since the late 1980s, LDWF has annually conducted one of the most extensive gobbler banding projects in the nation, and Stafford was a pivotal player in that endeavor's success since its inception.
Stafford's career culminated in his time as statewide wild turkey program manager, which allowed him to direct all aspects of turkey management, research and regulation in Louisiana. During his time in this position, LDWF partnered with Louisiana State University to conduct several important studies which have had significant impact on the understanding of the species.
Most prominently, Stafford was a collaborator on some of the first work shifting from VHF to GPS-based telemetry, which revolutionized wild turkey research and has made GPS the standard in the field.
Even after leaving LDWF, Stafford was unable to set aside his dedication to the iconic bird. His first years of retirement were spent writing "Louisiana Wild Turkeys: History, Science, Management and Hunting." This book is one of the best of its kind and allowed Stafford to pour his lifetime of turkey knowledge into a special blend of historical information, basic biology, practical management advice and humble appreciation for the bird and its hunting. This work is approachable to a lay audience, but authoritative enough for a professional's bookshelf and may well constitute the crowning achievement of an already impressive career.
