Long before Mossy Oak was around, Mr. Fox Haas’s obsession with turkeys led him to reintroduce the wild turkey population in West Point, MS where Mossy Oak was eventually founded and remains today. This took time and energy on the front end and years more to see it through. Decades later, every turkey hunted in our neck of the woods can be traced back to those efforts. Back then people around town would say they saw “Mr. Fox’s turkeys” from the road, and now they belong to all of us. We’re proud of it, but this story is not unique. Fish and wildlife thrive all over the country because of passionate outdoorsmen and women just like Mr. Fox.
Toxey’s obsession with wild turkeys led him to create Bottomland, and every year since then has been spent ensuring the resources we enjoy are taken care of. Whether dirt or critters or habitat, it’s our duty to leave it better than we found it. We call that being a gamekeeper.
Mossy Oak’s roots run deep, and we wear our values on our sleeves. Since 1986, we’ve supported the projects that protect the land and wildlife we love most - whether formally or informally. Gamekeeper Grants exists to get money and support to the people at a grassroots level who need it most.
In the 1990s, Toxey took out a loan to donate money to a then-fledgling whitetail deer conservation group. We’ve been committed for as long as we’ve been around to the great gamekeepers at Ducks Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and more who ensure our way of life is protected for future generations. That will never change.
If all of us and future generations are to enjoy the resources of the wild, it’s our obligation to protect them - through research or through direct action. We’ll continue to support gamekeepers around the country protecting the critters we love and the habitat they call home.
Fundamental research on Lymphoproliferative disease (LPDV) and wild turkeys.
The "Board of Advisors" is a group of qualified wildlife biologists, ecologists, and experienced gamekeepers responsible for allocating gamekeeper grant funds to conservation projects.
The Gamekeeper Grants Board has a uniquely deep understanding of the pressing environmental issues facing the wildlife we aim to protect. Considering our goals for the preservation of populations for future generations of hunters, fishermen, and foragers, the Board of Advisors will be responsible for evaluating submitted grant proposals and allocating funds to specific projects across the nation.
Overall, the Board of Advisors plays a crucial role in ensuring that the Gamekeeper Grant funds are allocated to conservation efforts that will have a meaningful impact on the wild places and wild critters we love.
