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Longtime Realtree.com editor and writer Brian Lovett was awarded the Tom Kelly Communicator of the Year Award by the NWTF.

If you’ve spent any time on Realtree.com, you’ve seen Brian Lovett’s work. Lovett is a long-time Realtree editor behind the scenes, and the face of The Duck Blog, where he covers all things waterfowl throughout the season. But he’s not limited to writing about ducks and geese, as he frequently covers topics ranging from small game hunting and food plots to national conservation issues and turkey hunting.

Lovett has particularly endeared himself to readers through his work on that last subject, so much so that he was recognized this spring as the 2025 National Wild Turkey Federation’s Tom Kelly Communicator of the Year. The award, named after Colonel Tom Kelly, author of Tenth Legion, is one of outdoor journalism’s highest honors.

Lovett has been an outdoor writer and editor for more than 30 years, and was formerly the editor of Turkey & Turkey Hunting magazine. He’s authored six books, five on the subject of turkey hunting, and thousands of articles. In addition to his work on Realtree.com, Lovett is the On the Hunt field editor for Turkey Call, the flagship publication of the NWTF; the editor of Whitetail News, and co-chairman of the NWTF’s Grand Nationals Calling Championships. He’s turkey hunted in 23 states plus Mexico, and has recorded multiple Grand Slams and a Royal Slam along the way.

“Brian Lovett is a wealth of knowledge who has been a great turkey resource for all of us at Realtree, and the hunting industry as a whole,” says Tyler Jordan, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Realtree. “He’s consistently able to inform readers on cutting edge hunting tactics and important conservation issues. I’ve enjoyed getting to know him over the years, and on behalf of Team Realtree, I want to congratulate him on this well-deserved award.”

"Receiving the Tom Kelly award is a tremendous honor," Lovett said. "It's especially humbling and meaningful because it comes from an organization with values and a mission I truly believe in: wildlife conservation, our hunting heritage, and the sustained effort to ensure that wild turkeys and other wildlife continue to thrive for generations."