If you’re an avid turkey hunter or would just like to see these magnificent birds thrive in our area, then you owe it to attend the Jerry Zimmerman Memorial Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s 27th annual Heritage Superfund banquet on Friday, March 7 at the Homewood Suites, 3350 Center Valley Parkway, Center Valley.

The banquet helps support wild turkey’s in Pennsylvania as the organization does turkey habitat work, it contributes to land acquisitions and sponsors the Wheelin’ Sportsman program that gives disabled hunters an opportunity to be afield. Plus, they host the “JAKES” Youth Field Days program and Women in the Outdoors events.

The banquet includes a plated dinner with your choice of beef tenderloin medallions or glazed salmon. There will also be several enticing drawings for several items such as a Loaded Gun Safe raffle for a safe loaded with one handgun, a rifle, a shotgun and one home defense firearm. In addition, there’s the special Jerry Zimmerman Memorial NWTF raffle with five prizes of: 1st - Browning X-Bolt Speed Camo 300Win Mag rifle or $900 cash; 2nd - Kimber Micro 9mm Rosewood pistol or $400 cash; 3rd - Benelli Nova 12ga. Shotgun; 4th - Glock 19, 9mm handgun; 5th - Center Point Spectrum 3-9x40 rifle scope. All great raffle prizes.

Registration for the banquet can be done online at https://events.nwtf.org/38032110-2025. There are several ticket prices offered based on number of people in a party or single ticket and member price. Same goes for the raffles. Offered too is an Early Bird Sportsman’s Raffle Offer plus an Early Bird Ladies Raffle. When you order tickets online you’re automatically entered to win $200 cash the night of the banquet.

NEW JERSEY SALTWATER FISHING EXPO

The 2025 New Jersey Saltwater Fishing Expo returns to the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison, NJ from March 14 through March 16. It’s an Expo I would always enjoy attending with a great, late friend of mine who was an avid saltwater angler who did a lot of his fishing in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The annual three-day show features over 200 exhibitors including top fishing equipment manufacturers and local retailers. It showcases the newest in saltwater fishing products, boats, kayaks, plus charters and outfitters for booking saltwater fishing and travel trips both locally and internationally.

Unlike most fishing shows, many of the exhibitors at the NJ Expo include gear manufacturers you won’t typically see in big box stores and tackle shops.

The Expo features several fishing seminars with regional and nationally recognized industry experts that cover a wide range of topics. Exhibitors and speakers cover the entire sport of saltwater fishing to include surf casting and inshore fishing, offshore and canyon fishing and everything in between.

Some family attractions include the ultrarealistic fishing simulator; learning the basics of saltwater fly casting at the 50-foot Casting Pond; the trout pond for kids that’s stocked with over 500 pounds of trout, plus mining for gems.

For more information check www.sportsshows.com.

(CORRECTION: In last week’s column the start date for the 2025 trout season opener was listed as April 6 when it should have read April 5.)