Early birds will get the “turkey” and a chance to win a gun at the Pike County Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation’s Annual Banquet.

That’s good news for those who plan to attend the “wild turkey” banquet at Cattleman Park on March 12 and who purchase their tickets early.

Advance tickets for the banquet are now on sale and the advantage of purchasing early is entry in the drawing for the gun, said Darren Jordan, Chapter president.

Tickets for the Pike County Chapter NWTF Banquet are $55 for individuals and $75 for couples.

Tickets for the annual banquet include the banquet meal, which will be Hook’s barbecue, and membership in the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Tables are available for groups at $500 for six and $1,000 for 10.

“The $1,000 tables are called ‘shooter’s’ tables, “ Jordan said. “Each shooter’s table will include one sponsor membership and nine regular memberships. And, there will be a gun on each shooter’s table that the sponsor can give away to a friend, to someone who will sponsor the table the next year or whoever.”

Sponsorships are available for $270 and the sponsor may bring two additional guests to the banquet and be included in the drawing for the sponsor’s gun.

Raffle will be held for a wide variety of outdoor items including a Yeti cooler, generators, prints, turkey calls and guns. Raffle tickets are separate require separate tickets and are not included with the banquet tickets.

“We have really great raffle prizes,” Jordan said. “Last year, we gave away nine guns in the raffles in addition to the gun that only sponsors were eligible to win. The raffles are a lot of fun and there are prizes for all ages.”

Jordan said that the National Wildlife Turkey Federation is made up of turkey hunters and land conservationists.

“It’s surprising that 65 percent of the NWTF members are not turkey hunters,” he said. “They are land conservationists who support the NWTF’s conservation and environmental initiatives and its efforts to increase the wild turkey population. So, you don’t have to be turkey hunter to be a member of our organization. We invite everyone to come to the banquet and learn more about what we do as an organization.”

Tickets for the Pike County Chapter NWTF’s Annual Banquet are available by calling Jordan at 334-268-0974.

Tickets will be available at the door but Jordan said it is helpful with the planning of the meal if people will call ahead.

The doors of Cattleman Park will open for the 2013 Pike County Chapter NTWF banquet at 5 p.m. and the dinner will begin at 6 p.m. on March 12.