The Mallard duck population in the High Country has seen an 11% decline since 2025, according to a survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as reported by Ducks Unlimited. This decline threatens not only the local duck population but also an important App State tradition: students jumping into the duck pond on Stadium Drive to celebrate major football victories, such as the 2022 win against the #6 Texas A&M Aggies. In response to these and other conservation concerns, two App State student organizations are actively working to preserve local wildlife and habitats.
Mountaineer Ducks Unlimited and The High Country Ridge Riders, the App State chapter of The National Wild Turkey Federation, are spearheading efforts through education, awareness campaigns, and fundraising. Both groups welcome new members and aim to make a lasting impact on the High Country's environment.
Mountaineer Ducks Unlimited, which became active again on campus around 2022 with former students Ben Bograd and Riley Fisher, places a strong emphasis on wetland conservation. The group's Instagram page highlights that "Wetlands are the most valuable ecosystems in the world." They host regular chapter meetings and tailgates during home football games, with event details available on their social media.
The App State chapter is also hosting its annual banquet on November 20 at The Mill at Rock Creek in Boone. Tickets can be purchased online, with discounted options for students. Proceeds from this event directly support a variety of conservation efforts nationwide, including building new wetlands, restoring hatcheries, and tracking and banding waterfowl to gather data, as explained by Parker Davis, one of the chapter's chairmen. The national Ducks Unlimited organization supports its mission through federal legislation like the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the Farm Bill, which was expanded in 2025 to include conservation programs. A mandatory duck stamp, required for legal waterfowl hunting, also contributes significantly; sales have generated over $1.2 billion since 1934, conserving more than six million miles of wetlands across the nation, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website. Donations and membership fees—$35 for adults and $15 for youth—also fund these efforts. Chairman Craig McBride noted the importance of ensuring that future generations can continue waterfowling traditions.
The High Country Ridge Riders, in its first semester on campus as the App State chapter of The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), focuses on educating and spreading awareness about wild turkey conservation and their environmental role. The national NWTF organization, which traces its roots back to 1973 with founder Tom Rodgers, launched a new 10-year strategic plan in 2025. This plan includes goals such as doubling the organization's size, building out existing initiatives, and establishing educational pathways for wild turkey conservation. One of its earliest successful fundraising programs, the NWTF Stamp Print Program, began in 1976 and continues today.
Gabe Simpkins, a senior building science major and vice president of The High Country Ridge Riders, emphasized the importance of ethical hunting, stating that the group wants to hunt in the right way. The chapter hosts tailgates for football games and plans future collaborative events with other campus organizations, including a spring banquet in Boone. NWTF chapters nationwide offer opportunities to explore the outdoors, promoting safe and ethical hunting traditions and teaching conservation principles. All proceeds from events, donations, and membership fees directly fund NWTF's conservation efforts, which have conserved just under 20,000 acres of land in North Carolina alone, according to the organization's website. The spring banquet will be a ticketed event featuring items like hunting and Yeti gear. Membership costs $35 for adults, $10 for youth, and $35 for specific programs like “Women in the Outdoors” and “Wheelin’ Sportsman.” Simpkins also highlighted the strong community within the organization.
Led by President Joe Snow and Vice-president Gabe Simpkins, the App State chapter of NWTF aims to leave a lasting impact on the High Country by fostering a strong culture of wild turkey conservation and hunting heritage. The Appalachian State University Department of Sustainability and Energy Management states that "Environmental stewardship, economic responsibility, and social equity create a framework for scholarship and research." The Appalachian State University Nature Preserve, approximately 67 acres of protected woodlands near campus, exemplifies this framework, serving conservation, education, and recreation purposes. It hosts hundreds of species, including over 60 bird species, according to a summary posted by the University. Both Mountaineer Ducks Unlimited and The High Country Ridge Riders, despite their different tenures on campus, remain committed to benefiting the High Country through their conservation initiatives.
