NWTF

[Eric Gregg]

specifics?

What most people have a problem with is the amount of money that is sent in and what is perceived to be a lack of accountability with the funds raised for that specific area. Ex. if a chapter raises 120,000 dollars in Carroll County, MS, the members of NWTF of that county and chapter would like to know that it is being spent on Malmaison WMA and not in some other state. Here in MS a certain amount of our taxes on anything hunting related goes to support MS WMA's and specifically used in that particular county. I believe the complaint has been accountability and knowing that money is making a difference.

[GobbleNut]

There was some talk about the NWTF in the "NWTF pulling out of Canada" thread a week or so ago (bumped up for review by everybody).  I will re-insert my comments here for those that wish to have a better idea as to what has/is happening:

"The problem with the NWTF is that when the economy flat-lined, their entire business model fell apart with it.  They had built a huge infrastructure of buildings, inventory, and employees when the economy was good that was entirely based on the presumption that things would remain constant or improving economically.  Obviously, that was erroneous.  This situation is not unique to the NWTF,...it is happening to non-profits across the board. 

NWTF has compounded its problems by making poor decisions that are now alienating many of the dedicated volunteers that have been the backbone of the organization.  Here in NM, our entire state chapter system collapsed because the NWTF leadership chose to keep a incompetent employee here rather than take the word of the volunteers,...many of whom had been the leadership of our chapter for decades,....that this employee needed to be replaced.  They made the decision to keep this employee based on money concerns rather than the concerns of dozens of NWTF volunteers here.  They used extremely poor judgment here,...and it appears they are making the same mistakes in other places, as well.

The NWTF was built on the premise of volunteerism and the philosophy that hunters would rally around an organization dedicated to the preservation of this great game bird.  Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the leadership forgot that they were dealing with volunteers, and instead started looking at the volunteers as employees.  Volunteers that get treated like they are employees tend to become weary of that over time.  Unless the NWTF leadership figures that out, they will continue to see their support slip away."

[srmturk]

Thank you both   very helpful

[West Augusta]

CATDADDY for CEO of the American Wild Turkey Association.


TRKYHTR

I second this nomination.

[barry]

"The problem with the NWTF is that when the economy flat-lined, their entire business model fell apart with it.  They had built a huge infrastructure of buildings, inventory, and employees when the economy was good that was entirely based on the presumption that things would remain constant or improving economically.  Obviously, that was erroneous.  This situation is not unique to the NWTF,...it is happening to non-profits across the board. 

NWTF has compounded its problems by making poor decisions that are now alienating many of the dedicated volunteers that have been the backbone of the organization.  Here in NM, our entire state chapter system collapsed because the NWTF leadership chose to keep a incompetent employee here rather than take the word of the volunteers,...many of whom had been the leadership of our chapter for decades,....that this employee needed to be replaced.  They made the decision to keep this employee based on money concerns rather than the concerns of dozens of NWTF volunteers here.  They used extremely poor judgment here,...and it appears they are making the same mistakes in other places, as well.

The NWTF was built on the premise of volunteerism and the philosophy that hunters would rally around an organization dedicated to the preservation of this great game bird.  Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the leadership forgot that they were dealing with volunteers, and instead started looking at the volunteers as employees.  Volunteers that get treated like they are employees tend to become weary of that over time.  Unless the NWTF leadership figures that out, they will continue to see their support slip away."

You hit the nail on the head GobbleNut!

[wvboy]

So how many that have replied here still go to the Convention every year ??  If you do then you are still supporting them.. just sayin..

I have not been a member in over 6 years.. stopped going to the local banquets .. have never been to a convention... all  because I don't believe in their mission any longer.. I would love to go to a convention just to talk Turkey with fellow hunters and to watch the contests, but that would be compromising by beliefs so I don't ..

[gobblingghost]

I believe this a case of not for profit that started out with good intent and became commercialized and forgot where they came from. 

[Cove]

I'll continue to send in my small membership contribution and attend the convention. Maybe they have taken a turn for the worse, but I am very appreciative of the steps they have taken to put the populations where they are today. It's hard to imagine that the wild turkey would be doing so well without the NWTF. So view it as a 'past due' contribution I suppose. . . .

[stone road turkey calls]

 

[smalls]

I had no idea there was such a distaste for the NWTF out there.  I have only been a member for 3 years now, so I guess I just haven't been around it long enough to know.  I am currently serving on my second committee (with my second chapter), and I will say, there is a big difference in the numbers between the 2 chapters.  I wonder if that has something to do with it?

I have recently begun to question the efforts of the NWTF in Louisiana.  They have done some good work in a few areas (such as the National Forest), but other than that and some other minor things here or there, I haven't seen much or heard of much.  From everything I've been told and read, The Florida Parishes used to be the strong hold of the turkey in Louisiana, and today it is a shell of what it used to be.  It seems to me there would be some effort put into that part of the state.

What has definitely disturbed me is how hard they have pushed the "Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt." initiative, to the point that they sound like a telemarketer trying to sale some magazine subscriptions.  I'm all for preserving the habitat, but they push it so hard that you almost have to believe it is about the money.  Which, the website states, is about $1.2 billion dollars they are after.

The expansion to other game species (such as bobwhite and white-tailed deer) is also odd, considering there are other organizations for those species.  It all points to attempts to raise more money, but for what?

I would be all for another Wild Turkey Organization.  I mean, there are 2 major organizations for Waterfowl (Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl), both with different messages, but working towards the same thing.  Why not?

[gobblingghost]

I think it would go over great. I also read that T&TH is no longer being published. There is 2 voids that need to be filled in the turkey hunting field.

[smalls]

I think it would go over great. I also read that T&TH is no longer being published. There is 2 voids that need to be filled in the turkey hunting field.

I was wondering about that when I didn't see it at Bass Pro or Cabelas.  I figured something was up if they didn't have it on the shelves.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I847 using Tapatalk 2

[allaboutshooting]

This link makes the 2013 NWTF annual report available to you. You can see the sources and uses of funds and a good bit more information about the past, current and future planned activities of the NWTF.

It will take a few minutes for you to click on all of the subsequent links to see it all but it's very informative. I'd encourage anyone interested to invest the time necessary to read it.

http://www.nwtf.org/nwtf_newsroom/annual_report.html

Thanks,
Clark

[mountman62]

Smalls, not sure where you live in the state, but just a little info for you in the state of Louisiana, Louisian has ranked in the top 3 for fundraising with the NWTF for the last 5 years at least, I am one of 18 members on the Louisiana State Chapter of the NWTF Board of Directors, first i will say "Do I agree with everything the NWTF does?" NO, "Do I agree with everything that most conservation groups do?" NO, "Am I thankful for the NWTF in helping to preserve turkeys and work for our hunting rights" YES, Do you know that just in the state of Louisiana in 2013 that the NWTF spent over $248,000 all over the state, no, it was not all spent on food plots on National Forests or WMA's, we are partnered up with many different groups with a wide diversity of projects going on all the time, a portion of the banquet money that you spend comes back to the state where it is dispersed into many things, for instance, and I can go on & on, Archery in the Schools Scholarships for high school students, funding JAKES, WITO, Wheelin Sprotsmen events throughout the state giving people the opportunity to hunt or get involved in the outdoors that might not otherwise get the chance, Educational boxes for 4-H & libraries, als supporting 4-H shooting sports, providing spring & fall seeds at discount rates, oh, and we have ongoing projuects in many WMA's all over the state, and also on the National Forests, does making openings for turkeys reap other benefits, YES, as a public land hunter you can hunt over these openings for deer, we have several research studies going on that will be a great help in deciding how we go ahead in the future in helping out with our turkey population, the money for use in your area is there, somebody just has to ask for it, if you have something specific you want or need in your area, pm me or send me an email to jed.rhodes@centurylink.com, i will see what I can do to help, sorry for the long post, but I will say that a lot of people do not fully know what all is going on and part of that is our problem by not publicizing ourselves more, but we are trying, this is not just for smalls, this is for anyone in any state, your NWTF State Board of Directors should be representing you, the VOLUNTEER member, and YES, this is a NON-PAID position, so all the gas & time I spend is mine, YES, I am dedicated, and YES, I AM A TURKEY HUNTER, it is my PASSION

sorry for the long opost, just trying to get some info out there for everyone
   

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

Smalls, not sure where you live in the state, but just a little info for you in the state of Louisiana, Louisian has ranked in the top 3 for fundraising with the NWTF for the last 5 years at least, I am one of 18 members on the Louisiana State Chapter of the NWTF Board of Directors, first i will say "Do I agree with everything the NWTF does?" NO, "Do I agree with everything that most conservation groups do?" NO, "Am I thankful for the NWTF in helping to preserve turkeys and work for our hunting rights" YES, Do you know that just in the state of Louisiana in 2013 that the NWTF spent over $248,000 all over the state, no, it was not all spent on food plots on National Forests or WMA's, we are partnered up with many different groups with a wide diversity of projects going on all the time, a portion of the banquet money that you spend comes back to the state where it is dispersed into many things, for instance, and I can go on & on, Archery in the Schools Scholarships for high school students, funding JAKES, WITO, Wheelin Sprotsmen events throughout the state giving people the opportunity to hunt or get involved in the outdoors that might not otherwise get the chance, Educational boxes for 4-H & libraries, als supporting 4-H shooting sports, providing spring & fall seeds at discount rates, oh, and we have ongoing projuects in many WMA's all over the state, and also on the National Forests, does making openings for turkeys reap other benefits, YES, as a public land hunter you can hunt over these openings for deer, we have several research studies going on that will be a great help in deciding how we go ahead in the future in helping out with our turkey population, the money for use in your area is there, somebody just has to ask for it, if you have something specific you want or need in your area, pm me or send me an email to jed.rhodes@centurylink.com, i will see what I can do to help, sorry for the long post, but I will say that a lot of people do not fully know what all is going on and part of that is our problem by not publicizing ourselves more, but we are trying, this is not just for smalls, this is for anyone in any state, your NWTF State Board of Directors should be representing you, the VOLUNTEER member, and YES, this is a NON-PAID position, so all the gas & time I spend is mine, YES, I am dedicated, and YES, I AM A TURKEY HUNTER, it is my PASSION

sorry for the long opost, just trying to get some info out there for everyone

And 248k seems like a lot to you when you consider the amount of money the nwtf raised in your state?

Maybe our perspectives differ but that seems like change when you consider how much the NWTF likely raised from membership fees, donations and banquet revenue....

The NWTF has lost its connection with the hardcore turkey hunter and abused its relationships with the volunteers who helped elevate the organization to the status it maintains today.

It also takes far more credit for the reintroduction and success of the wild turkey than it deserves.  It is now just another "non-profit" corporation that once was an organization of people focused on doing the most for the wild turkey.