Name/Title
Steven W. Barnett, The Wild Turkey in Alabama and Wild Turkey Habitat Management in AlabamaEntry/Object ID
WTL002P0005Description
Steven Barnett has decades of wild turkey management experience in Alabama, and over that time published two detailed books on that subject. In 2008, we received the 106-page paperback The Wild Turkey in Alabama, and in 2025 the 127-page paperback Wild Turkey Habitat Management in Alabama: An Ecoregion Guide for Landowners. Both have information critical to the success of the wild turkey in Alabama, and are also graced with beautiful artwork on the covers.
Steven W. Barnett is a 66 year old retired Certified Wildlife Biologist® (The Wildlife Society) who earned his bachelor's degree in Wildlife Management from Auburn University in 1984. In 1986, Steven began employment with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Wildlife Section. He spent over 32 years on various assignments as a wildlife biologist with conservation enforcement officer authority. Over this time span, Steven served as an Area Biologist, Assistant Supervisor, and District Wildlife Supervisor. In 1996, he was appointed Wild Turkey Project Leader and served as lead Technical Committee Representative to the National Wild Turkey Federation. Steven helped coordinate the development and submission of Alabama NWTF State Chapter Super Fund grant proposals including habitat enhancement projects. He led and assisted with various wild turkey surveys and research projects that included an ADCNR collaboration with the Alabama Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Auburn University.
In addition to writing, Steven enjoys hunting especially the wild turkey, kayak fishing, nature exploring, and singing in a church choir. He began writing wild turkey content pertaining to biology and management of wild turkeys in his early career with ADCNR in the 1990s. Most of these were articles in the form of newspaper, magazine, and digital media. Steven teamed with his wife Victoria who is also a wildlife biologist to write a book about wild turkey biology, management, and restoration in Alabama entitled The Wild Turkey in Alabama. It was published by ADCNR in 2008. Following his retirement in 2019, Steven traded his office desk for one in his study at home. He had long pondered the idea of writing a wild turkey habitat management book for Alabama landowners. Steven’s vision came to fruition. With funding grants from the Alabama State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Alabama Wildlife Federation, he self-published Wild Turkey Habitat Management in Alabama, An Ecoregion Guide for Landowners in 2025.
He shared that he is thankful to Corky Pugh when he was Director of ADWFF. He introduced staff to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. The habit of Begin with the End in Mind has always resonated with Barnett, especially in writing. For him, it’s a detailed vision of each step along the way and what the end product will look like before he starts.
Steven lives in Bay Minette, AL with his wife Victoria.Create Date
June 21, 2026Update Date
June 21, 2026
