On February 2, 2019 the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) held its New England Turkey Hunting Awards banquet at the Holiday Inn in Concord, N.H. Award recipients were: Stew Bristol, from Maine, Ed Cotter from New Hampshire and Ellie Horwitz and Joe Judd from Massachusetts. This column is about the Massachusetts recipients.

Joe Judd, a member of the MA State Board of Directors of NWTF said this about Ellie: “Ellie Horwitz served the MA DFW as the of Chief of Information and Education for 34 years until her retirement in June, 2011. She was a strong supporter of the NWTF and was a leading advocate behind the Becoming an Outdoors Women (BOW) movement in Massachusetts. Referred to as a “Renaissance Woman”, she held her own in a male dominated field by quickly establishing herself in a role where a woman in an authoritative position was almost unheard of. Her work with the Division was nothing less than remarkable and her teaching skills and innovative thought process brought much to sportsmen and women in MA.”

“In the very early years of turkey hunting in MA, she took to it quickly, realizing the opportunities it could offer to all who love the outdoors and hunting in our State. And she was comfortable and confident in any setting she found herself in whether it be attending the opera, turkey hunting, or in a tense meeting with unhappy sportsmen and other DFW officials.

Her determination to watch women carve out a niche in this great sport was accomplished through her hard work, knowledge, and ability to communicate the message of, “Becoming an Outdoor Women “, clearly and convincingly while offering every program she could find. Everything from bird watching to big game hunting to Dutch oven cooking! It was amazing to watch her work and see the fruits of her labor evolve into an inspirational journey that continues today, literally, throughout the country.

In 1985, she Introduced Project WILD, a national conservation education program for teachers in schools, educators at nature centers, parks and other educational venues. This program began in partnership with Mass Audubon for over 10 years due to their connections with educators across the state.

In 1990, she conceived an interstate watershed education project partnering with NH Fish and Game Department, Mass Audubon, UMass-Lowell and Merrimack Watershed Association, where middle and high school students learned about and conducted water quality tests on any stream, brook or river that eventually made its way to the Merrimack River.

In 1996, she began the Massachusetts BOW program with a weekend of outdoor skills sessions at Eastover Resort in Lenox. Some 68 participants, including many Berkshire outdoorswomen attended this first-time endeavor. Supporters of the program range from the Mass. Sportsmen’s Council, County Leagues, NWTF and many others. Weekend workshops were offered for several years, then some one day and overnight programs offered ranging from Shooting Sports, Winter Survival, Tracking in Winter, Coastal Fishing, Paddling, Becoming an Outdoors Family, to name a few.

In 1999, she initiated turkey hunting seminars and guided hunts for outdoorswomen at Fort Devens that began a partnership with the military that is still going strong today.

Her trusted colleague and longtime friend, Marion Larsen, MassWildlife’s current Chief of Information & Education, said this of Ellie: “In the work that we do, and so much of what Ellie taught me, PARTNERSHIP and COLLABORATION are a big part of how we, and how Ellie got things accomplished. We work in an environment that essentially runs on a shoe-string budget … and partners pooling resources can get things done. That’s what is so great about the partnerships Ellie had, and what we still have today, with groups like NWTF. Ellie realized this and had the vision to nurture these partnerships, thus accomplishing so much as an educator, wildlife biologist and friend. I owe you so much Ellie for helping me in learning to look at projects and programs from partnership perspectives — many hands make light work, which allows everyone to rise with the tide in the spirit, that Ellie taught us, of working together.”

I will leave you with this, said Joe Judd, “ Ellie Horwitz is a friend to all who love the outdoors, who love the land we all have use of, and who respect all God’s creatures, both great and small”.

Incidentally, she is an officer of the New England Outdoor Writer’s Association, serving as its Secretary for many years. She is quite an accomplished hunter not only for turkeys, but she has even successfully hunted big game in Africa.

On a personal note, I first met Ellie when the BOW program was being held here in the Berkshires. I taught fly tying classes for them for several years. Unfortunately, I had to stop as other commitments were taking my time on the same weekend in June.

One cold, stormy, wintery night, Ellie showed up at a Berkshire County League of Sportsmen meeting at the Cheshire Rod & Gun Club in the foothills of Mount Greylock. She wasn’t listed on the program agenda and I wondered what on earth could bring her to the Berkshires on such a miserable night. It turned out that she drove all that way from Concord, MA to present me with a plaque of appreciation for teaching those fly-tying classes for the BOW Program. After she presented it, she drove back home that night. I will never forget that. That’s the kind of person Ellie is.

After presenting Ellie her plaque, Joe sat down, but not for long. Ron Gleason, another member of the MA State Board of Directors of NWTF, surprised Joe by calling him to the podium and presenting him with his own Hall of Fame plaque.

“Joe Judd is a great turkey hunter”, said Gleason, “who has hunted wild turkeys in 15 or more states, including New England, has been a spokesperson for the NWTF for decades, always doing the best possible job in supporting our message. His dedication to turkey hunting and the NWTF spans over 40 years, starting when he saw his first wild turkey in1976. It was love at first sight and his journey to start learning all he could about this bird, had begun. “Little did I know at the time how this bird would not only lead me into a unique hunting experience but also forever change my life in ways I would have never dreamed of!” said Joe.

Joe’s life as a hunter started at a very young age, but his wild turkey hunting career didn’t begin until 1978, on a hill in the Green Mountains, and from that moment on it just never stopped. Being an Independent Insurance Agent allowed him the independence needed to hone is hunting skills. And hone them he did! In 1979, he was asked to write an outdoor column for a small local newspaper, which was just starting up. Thus, a second career had begun and 40 years later his column “On the Ridge,” published in The Greenfield Recorder is being read in New England and beyond.

In 1980, a NWTF chapter was formed in Massachusetts and it wasn’t long before Joe became involved. “Those early years were filled with the “grassroots” of hard work, just trying to get a Chapter off to a good start, especially in a small state like Massachusetts, where a wild turkey was about as foreign to most, as you could imagine” said Joe.

It was during this time that he began to learn about the mission and message of the NWTF. He began working closely with other early committee members just trying to drum up interest and recruit other members. Since those humble beginnings Joe has shown his dedication to the NWTF in so many ways. For example:

In 1988, Joe worked with MA DFW Turkey Biologist Jim Cardoza to initiate funding to create and distribute the first Educational Information Boxes (Safety Leads to Success). He also worked with Jim and with other New England States, in the Live Trap and Transfer Programs.

In 1989, he joined the Quaker Boy Pro Staff which not only expanded his hunting expertise, but also allowed him to work with Dick Kirby, and so many others, producing turkey hunting videos all over the country. This also began his career as a seminar speaker doing over 275 seminars over the past 30 years throughout New England and the East Coast

During that same period Joe has been a Master of Ceremonies in nearly 100 NWTF sanctioned turkey-calling contest in New England and beyond. Prior to this, he served as a judge for many years.

He was chairperson of the first fund raising banquet that exceeded the $10,000 mark in Massachusetts. (Quite an accomplishment 30 years ago). He remained chairperson of the fund-raising banquet for the next three years.

He was also a Local Chapter President later becoming State Chapter President for 2 terms. While State Chapter President Joe spearheaded many projects, one of which was the designation of November 18 as “Eastern Wild Turkey Day”. Working closely with Governor William Weld, he led to the Wild Turkey being named as, “The State Game Bird of Massachusetts”. A special print, along with a Companion Box Call set, was commissioned and spearheaded by Joe twice, benefitting the chapter financially.

As State Chapter President Joe was on the Blue-Ribbon panel that the created the “Be Safe Stickers” which are still used today. Joe also worked with the State on turkey hunting season expansion and limit extensions.

He initiated the efforts to create the first Massachusetts State Chapter Scholarship which
continues today

He worked as a seminar speaker for the first ever Youth Turkey Hunting program in Massachusetts

In 2013 he received the Roger Latham Award which is the highest award given to an NWTF volunteer.

Joe is still working hard as a member of the State Board of Directors. He still does between 8-10 seminars a year and continues to work with the Massachusetts BOW Program. He still conducts seminars in many school districts talking about the State’s number one conservation success story, the re- introduction of the Eastern Wild Turkey.

Ron Gleason wrapped it up by saying, “Joe Judd is a great turkey hunter, sportsmen, and advocate for the sport of hunting. And I know of only a hand-full of people who have devoted more time, energy, and resources in promoting our message as a living, true ambassador of the sport of turkey hunting. He then quoted Joe’s words, “I continue to work for the good of this organization ensuring that the gobble of the Eastern Wild Turkey will never again fall silent in our beautiful New England Hills.”

Wow! A couple of very worthy award recipients, wouldn’t you say?