NASHVILLE — For more 30 years, Jack Murrey was at the front of wild turkey restoration and conservation efforts in Tennessee. In a career that spanned parts of four decades and saw Tennessee's wild turkey harvest set records nearly two dozen times, Murrey was largely responsible for the resurgence of the wild turkey in the Volunteer State as the turkey program coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. He died early Monday following an extended illness.
TWRA's wild turkey restoration efforts were already underway when Murrey was brought on board in 1970. In those days, there were an estimated 2,000 birds in Tennessee. But it was Murrey who oversaw the change from introducing pen-reared turkeys to introducing wild turkeys trapped and relocated — and thousands of them were trapped and released under his guidance. Murrey would later credit the development of the waterfowl cannon net for the success of turkey trapping. During those early days of his tenure with TWRA, Murrey perfected the cannon net tactics.
"We set up a plan where we would attempt to trap as many turkeys as we could and stock them into the best places," Murrey said on a segment of the Tennessee Wild Side television show years later. It is estimated that Murrey oversaw the release of more than 10,000 birds by the time all was said and done.
As Tennessee's turkey restoration process moved forward, Murrey and the Wildlife Resources Commission did not always see eye-to-eye. But Murrey usually won out.
"Jack was like a mother bear protecting her cubs in his looking after TWRA's turkey program," Steve Nifong, TWRA Assistant Chief of Enforcement, said on the Internet website TnDeer.Com Monday. "Jack always did what he thought was right, regardless of the heat."
Tennessee's turkey population, which had been present in only 18 counties in 1952 according to a survey conducted then, steadily increased under Murrey's tenure. By 1979, 58 Tennessee counties had wild turkeys. By 1983, that number was 72. And, by 1990, all 95 counties had turkeys. By Murrey's retirement in 2004, Tennessee's turkey population had topped 300,000 — an increase of 298,000 from the time he started in 2000 — and the state was shipping birds to other states to help with restoration efforts there.
Turkey hunters were setting harvest records throughout Murrey's tenure as turkey program coordinator. Nearly two dozen times, the spring harvest record was set, only to be broken again. More than 30,000 turkeys were being harvested annually by Murrey's retirement — in 2004, some 33,000 birds were harvested by Volunteer State hunters — and Tennessee was being recognized as one of the nation's top states for turkey hunting.
"A lot of people ask me why I stayed with it so long. I told them I had a selfish motive: I did it for my kids and grandkids," Murrey once said.
In addition to being a noted biologist — last November, Murrey was honored as the 2007 recipient of the National Wild Turkey Federation's Joe Kurz Excellence in Wildlife Management award — he was also an accomplished hunter. Killing his first bird in 1966, Murrey would go on to harvest more than 200 longbeards before his declining health forced him to hang up his gun.
"I like to hear the sound of the wild turkey," Murrey said on the Wild Side. "There's just nothing like it. It's the essence of the wild. You can have a great day turkey hunting and never even see one."
Throughout his career, it was a love for the wild turkey that propelled Murrey.
"You give a turkey a half a chance and he'll scratch out a living. You have got to admire a bird with that tenacity," he had said.
After being diagnosed with cancer, Murrey fought the disease with the same relentless courage that he had taken to the job during the bleak early days of Tennessee's wild turkey restoration efforts.
"He had suffered beyond his endurance quite bravely without complaint," his wife of 41 years, Juanita, said in an e-mail to friends on Tuesday. "I at this time cannot tell you what an experience it was to be married to this brave, honest, centered man for 41 years. He was slow to anger and picked his battles. He never gave up the fight."
On Wednesday, hunters on the TnDeer.Com and TnTurkey.Com websites were paying tribute to Murrey for his contributions to the state's wildlife.
"I promise you that he had as much to do with the turkey restoration efforts in Tennessee as any one person. So, everytime you place your tag on the leg of an ole Tennessee gobbler, you need to take a minute and thank Jack," nwtf007, a Primos pro-staffer, said on the TnTurkey website.
"I did not know him, but those who turkey hunt in Tennessee are reaping the rewards of his efforts," Radar said on the TnDeer website.
"Men like this have worked so hard so those of us today could enjoy the fruits of their labor. I did not know him, but wish I could have," pastorbmp added.
"We wouldn't have anything near what we have now if it weren't for him," TnHunting.Com turkey expert Richard Burchett said.
TWRA Executive Director Gary Myers once said, "I always appreciated Jack’s presentations to our Commission members. He could always answer the questions and give a positive report on the health and productivity of our turkey flock."
As he recalled the accomplishments of his former co-worker on TnDeer, Nifong left little doubt that Murrey went above and beyond the call of duty.
"Jack lived to help novice turkey hunters. Through countless phone calls he educated new hunters about both biology and how to hunt this great bird," Nifong said. "To say that Jack went out of his way to help those just starting out would be an understatement. I know I could never repay him for the lessons he taught me."
A long-time member of the NWTF, Murrey said shortly after his retirement that the burden of sustaining Tennessee's wildlife will fall on the future generations.
"It's the younger generation that's going to have to love the feeling of kinship to wild turkey and deer and help protect that for future generations," he said.
Funeral services have been scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. EST in Franklin. Memorials can be made to Epworth United Methodist Church, 4241 Arno Road, Franklin, TN 37064.
As Tennessee hunters continue to enjoy the fruits of Murrey's labors as the 2007 spring season reaches its finest days, hunters will continue to pay tribute to the man who made it all possible.
As TnHunting.Com field staffer David Edgar said, "I bet he already has one roosted up in heaven getting ready to call him down in the morning."
