NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The National Wild Turkey Federation recently honored Kenny Lawson of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation with to 2020 Wildlife Officer of the Year Award.
Lawson received his award at the 44th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show.
The Wildlife Officer of the Year Award is given to individuals that have excelled and demonstrated exceptional performance in the following areas: teamwork and innovation, excellence and innovation, attitude and leadership and achievements and accomplishments
“As a game warden, it is easy to feel like you are doing a thankless job,” Lawson said. To be recognized by the NWTF, who I believe is the greatest conservation organization in the country, is a huge highlight in my career.”
Lawson has served as a game warden for 30 years and has tirelessly protected Oklahoma’s vast natural resources.
Through a seven-week span of studying 50,000 photos from covert cameras, Lawson single-handedly implicated 25 suspects of poaching bucks, does and a bear. The criminals faced thousands of dollars in fines and had hunting privileges revoked for life.
Lawson has been at the forefront of apprehending poachers in Oklahoma, seizing anything from illegally harvested mountain lion to retrieving over a mile of illegal gill nets from the waters he patrols.
“It is an honor to present Officer Lawson with the Wildlife Officer of the Year Award,” NWTF CEO Becky Humphries said. “His love of the outdoors, coupled with his dedication to Oklahoma’s great natural resources, sets a high bar for conservation officers across our country.”
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
When the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded in 1973, there were about 1.3 million wild turkeys in North America. After decades of work, that number hit a historic high of almost 7 million turkeys. To succeed, the NWTF stood behind science-based conservation and hunters’ rights. The NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative is a charge that mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to conserve enhance more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting. For more information, visit NWTF.org.
