Joe Sandrini, wildlife biologist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in Newcastle, was recently recognized for his long-term work with wild turkeys in Wyoming. Sandrini was honored with the prestigious Henry S. Mosby Award, a national award presented at the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) 41st annual Convention and Sports show in Nashville, Tenn.
In Wyoming, Sandrini helped direct the four-year Black Hills Gobbler Mortality study, combining changes in hunting seasons with research, harvest data and human dimensions work to develop a framework for multiple wild turkey tom bag limits. He has served as the chair for the Game and Fish’s wild turkey working group since its inception and has been instrumental in updating wild turkey management and improving wild turkey brood data collection and analysis. In 2013, Sandrini spearheaded the reduction of wild turkey hunt areas from 14 to five, including standardizing season dates to reduce regulation complexity and improve management. These changes were widely accepted by the resident and non-resident hunters Sandrini interacts with throughout the year in all matters wild turkey.
“Joe remains vigilant in collecting wild turkey population census and harvest data to best determine strategies to optimize harvest opportunity while maintaining quality hunting and a sustainable wild turkey population,” noted Collin Smith, NWTF regional biologist.
“I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor,” stated Scott Talbott, director of Game and Fish. “He incorporates landowners into his surveys and finds a great balance between the varying interests involved in wild turkey management. We are excited to congratulate Joe on this national award.”
The Mosby Award is named for Dr. Henry S. Mosby, who conducted research on wild turkeys in the mid-1900s. Mosby’s work help set the standards for wild turkey management. Mosby also helped found The Wildlife Society during his role as an educator and mentor for those in the wildlife profession.
April will mark the start of another spring turkey season and Sandrini’s 25th year with Game and Fish, where he spent his first ten years as a game warden before becoming a wildlife biologist. Stationed in Newcastle since 1994, Sandrini has served as the technical representative to the NWTF for 10 years as well as being a member of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Association western wild turkey working group.
