ATHENS, GA (May 22, 2018) – Hank Forester, QDMA’s Hunting Heritage Programs Manager, will share the promising results of QDMA’s Field to Fork program when he speaks today at the first annual National R3 Symposium in Lincoln, Nebraska hosted by the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports (CAHSS).

Forester will speak in the “Celebrations of R3 Advancements” session and cover the Field to Fork program, a mentored hunting program for adults that is a partnership between the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, National Wild Turkey Federation, Georgia Wildlife Federation and QDMA. Forester piloted the program in Athens, Georgia, along with Georgia’s R3 Coordinator Charles S. Evans. QDMA’s Field to Fork is a modified version of a program created by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife, and Forester hopes to replicate it nationwide.

“The Celebrations of R3 Advancements session is designed to highlight some of the innovative and growing ideas in the R3 Community,” said Samantha Pedder, Business Development Director for CAHSS. “We asked Hank to present on Field to Fork because of his willingness and leadership to try something new and to work with multiple entities to forge new paths. The future of R3 depends on our community’s abilities to innovate, partner and adapt, and we hope to highlight those examples through Hank’s participation on this panel.”

“It’s truly an honor to be asked to present at the Symposium,” said Forester. “We’re seeing 80 percent of our Field to Fork participants continue hunting, buying licenses and gear, after the formal program has ended. We’re happy to share what we’ve learned so others may replicate what works.”

“The National R3 Symposium is the first nationwide event solely focused on resources and partnerships needed to secure the future of hunting, angling, target shooting, and boating,” said Cyrus Baird, Programs Director for CAHSS. “This meeting is the premier venue for the outdoor community to advance the field of outdoor recreation recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) in the United States.”

About QDMA

Founded in 1988, QDMA is a national nonprofit wildlife conservation organization with 60,000 members in all 50 states and Canada, and several foreign countries. QDMA is dedicated to ensuring the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. To learn more about QDMA and why it is the future of deer hunting, call 800-209-3337 or visit www.QDMA.com