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Ryan Bronson with a Wyoming Merriam's |
Federal Ammunition
A premium partner in conservation
As conservation program manager for Federal Premium Ammunition, I work full-time with state and federal governments to ensure the excise taxes we pay quarterly on ammunition sales are spent wisely to benefit hunters and shooters, and that policies do not adversely impact those who enjoy shooting.
I also manage partnerships with conservation organizations, including the NWTF, to invest resources into habitat and hunting advocacy. I direct funds to youth and women's groups to recruit new generations of hunters and assist them in educating, training and much more.
Since the early 1980s, Federal has been a sponsor and strong supporter of the NWTF at the national level. We take great pride that our retired conservation manager, Bill Stevens, is a past recipient of the Lynn Boykin Hunting Heritage Award — one of NWTF's highest honors for exemplary dedication to preserving the future of hunting.
And we're carrying on that tradition by supporting the NWTF in several ways. We provide ammunition for every Women in the Outdoors event. We also offer every NWTF local chapter a discount on target ammo for youth events.
However, our biggest financial contribution to the NWTF is our on-box royalty program, which began in 2000. For more than 10 years, we have donated a portion of each box of Mag-Shok Turkey Ammunition to the NWTF. So when an NWTF member purchases and shoots our ammunition, they give back to the organization that helps conserve wild turkeys, preserve our country's hunting heritage and support all the excitement that comes with turkey hunting.
Federal's relationship with NWTF is give and take. As a continuously growing sporting-goods company, we appreciate the help that NWTF provides us. Access to the NWTF's passionate members is critical for our continued success. That interaction helps us gauge industry trends and learn about emerging needs in the marketplace.
Many of our new products come from interacting with NWTF members at our booth during the NWTF's annual National Convention and Sport Show. Our newest 2¾-inch, 20-gauge Mag-Shok HEAVYWEIGHT load was developed based on requests for turkey hunting ammunition for young hunters, or anyone seeking a low-recoil option. This new load is lethal in the field but is easier on your shoulder, and provides 40 percent less recoil than standard 3-inch loads.
But it's not just about business. In a little more than 30 years, the NWTF has played a pivotal role in one of North America's best conservation stories, the restoration of the wild turkey. In the future, as the NWTF shifts emphasis from restoring turkeys to protecting our wild lands and gaining access for hunters, we look for them to be just as successful.
NWTF members are actively recruiting new hunters, and that helps the shooting sports industry as a whole, not just Federal Premium Ammunition. So we will keep partnering with the NWTF on promoting our hunting heritage by recruiting new hunters — especially more youth and women — to our sport. — Ryan Bronson