Our local NWTF chapter recently shut down. As the president I repeatedly asked for help from staff members on both the state and national level to no avail.
I have been with another local non-profit outdoor group since 1999 and we decided that we wanted to continue the Wheelin' Sportsmen spring turkey hunt that I started 8 years ago with the NWTF Chapter.
The following info was obtained from the National Wheelin'Sportsmen website
"Can other organizations partner with Wheelin' Sportsmen to host an event?
Yes. The NWTF encourages all organizations and businesses to sponsor and host events across the nation."
"Who can host a Wheelin' Sportsmen event?
Anyone! The first step is to call the NWTF. All events must be affiliated with an NWTF chapter for insurance purposes so we will connect you with the closest chapter to your area."
We followed the guidelines listed on the website and yet we are being denied the opportunity to host a hunt. I devoted 17 years to the NWTF, serving as chapter president, coordinating a half dozen banquets, 8 Wheelin' hunts and 12 youth events. After all that it was insinuated that I am to blame for closing our chapter and starting a new organization all of which is Bull $#&%!
The NWTF not sponsoring our hunt is not hurting us but it IS hurting the hunters that could have participated in this hunt. Thanks for nothing NWTF!
Sorry to hear that Barry but It really don't surprise me one bit! :-X
Quote from: Flydown on March 21, 2014, 06:26:45 PM
Sorry to hear that Barry but It really don't surprise me one bit! :-X
:agreed:
Looks like Guesswho had it right, all along..
That's just not right, Barry..
So they are not allowing your outdoor group to be affiliated with the closest NWTF chapter?
It shouldn't surprise anyone,it's all about money.
Sorry to hear about this, Barry. Something similar happened here in New Mexico and resulted in many dedicated volunteers state-wide quitting,...people that were the backbone of the NWTF here for over thirty years. Although I witnessed the NWTF do much good over that time, the organization has definitely lost its way. It really is a shame to see what has happened.
Like me, I know you were one of the ones here that defended the NWTF from the critics for a long time. Until NWTF finds its way back to being an organization that realizes its success is based on its volunteers and treats them with the respect they deserve, I will no longer be able to do that. They have become blinded by the dollar bill.
Quote from: GobbleNut on March 21, 2014, 07:14:17 PM
Until NWTF finds its way back to being an organization that realizes its success is based on its volunteers and treats them with the respect they deserve, I will no longer be able to do that. They have become blinded by the dollar bill.
Well said Jim, for once I agree with you. :laugh:
HC
There is only one place in the world you can see a true Osceola Wild Turkey ....... With dwindling habitat ' and nightmare land management being imposed on several large tracts of public and private property south of Orlando -- you have no idea how serious the problem could be with Osceolas - The money placed into improving the situation is a pittance - there should be vast quantities of money and political pressure thrown around , yet ..... Next to nothing is done , and let me tell you some very ( past ) state Nwtf board members have been standing up on tables and jumping up and down trying to get something done --- next to nothing has been done - finally folks got tired and quit - call up the federation and ask them , beg them for hep and you probably won't get any real help , call them up and ask them if you can leave them in your final will as a beneficiary for a large sum , and my guess is the phone won't stop ringing off the hook
For the record only about 700 turkeys are harvested in Florida on public wmas - half are hybrids "... Most of the non state owned property is developed into housing or agriculture -- the Osceola is living on borrowed time folks -- the harvest figures for the state of Florida ( private ) are a concocted lie ! A complete fabrication with absolutely no scientific data to back it up -
---I just outlined a critical wild turkey situation , it was the same 10 years ago , and 10 years from now the situation in Florida will be even more desperate - people tell me when you go to the stake holder meetings for the management districts there is zero , zero Nwtf presence , at least at the southern ones .......I'm not counting on the cavalry to save the day down here
S.O.S. From Florida ........
Scary stuff here folks! Where is all of our money going? I love being a member and having an organization to go with our sport, but it sounds like a big joke to me! Like the NRA!
Quote from: bigbird on March 21, 2014, 09:49:47 PM
Scary stuff here folks! Where is all of our money going? I love being a member and having an organization to go with our sport, but it sounds like a big joke to me! Like the NRA!
Money is making the fat wallets of the board members fatter.....Best idea is to put your money toward your own land management. THW the NWTF
My money is going towards turkey hunting and habitat for the wild turkey. I'm just not mailing it to the N-WTF for a crappy magazine and a sticker.
Quote from: Old Gobbler on March 21, 2014, 09:33:19 PM
There is only one place in the world you can see a true Osceola Wild Turkey ....... With dwindling habitat ' and nightmare land management being imposed on several large tracts of public and private property south of Orlando -- you have no idea how serious the problem could be with Osceolas - The money placed into improving the situation is a pittance - there should be vast quantities of money and political pressure thrown around , yet ..... Next to nothing is done , and let me tell you some very ( past ) state Nwtf board members have been standing up on tables and jumping up and down trying to get something done --- next to nothing has been done - finally folks got tired and quit - call up the federation and ask them , beg them for hep and you probably won't get any real help , call them up and ask them if you can leave them in your final will as a beneficiary for a large sum , and my guess is the phone won't stop ringing off the hook
For the record only about 700 turkeys are harvested in Florida on public wmas - half are hybrids "... Most of the non state owned property is developed into housing or agriculture -- the Osceola is living on borrowed time folks -- the harvest figures for the state of Florida ( private ) are a concocted lie ! A complete fabrication with absolutely no scientific data to back it up -
---I just outlined a critical wild turkey situation , it was the same 10 years ago , and 10 years from now the situation in Florida will be even more desperate - people tell me when you go to the stake holder meetings for the management districts there is zero , zero Nwtf presence , at least at the southern ones .......I'm not counting on the cavalry to save the day down here
S.O.S. From Florida ........
Absolutely right. Some wise words there. Shannon sometime after season when you get time we need to talk some. Would like to discuss some of these meetings down here. Chief
Quote from: Flydown on March 21, 2014, 10:58:42 PM
My money is going towards turkey hunting and habitat for the wild turkey. I'm just not mailing it to the N-WTF for a crappy magazine and a sticker.
x2
I was involved with the NWTF on the committee of my local Chapter here in Indiana for many years. I finally gave up a few years ago. We'd have $ 30,000 dollar banquets and the local chapter would get 1% of the net net of all that money..we'd end up with less than $1000.00 for our local chapter after all the work on these banquets. We couldn't even afford to host a Jake's event each year after putting on $30,000 banquets.
The Auction merchandise all started coming from China a few years back. Years ago the paintings we sold at auction were top quality oil paintings on real canvas, nice paintings...recently they are cheap reproductions on cheap paper with a plastic wood looking frame...Chinese crap. I seen a big change about 5 years ago.. It's obvious to me they're all about money. I've lost faith in the NWTF it's not the same Organization it was 10 years ago.
What really irritates me is that 6-8 months ago after I told a state officer that I was worried about our chapter and our hunt he said "don't worry, we'll take care of you" BUT when he learns that I'm with another organization, which I've been with for 15 years, he does a complete 180 and tells me they will not help.
I also asked the State Wheelin' chapter if they would be willing to sponsor this hunt?
Their reply..."NWTF policy would not allow the state chapter to sponsor the event."
Well guess what, application forms recently went out for 2014 spring Wheeln' hunts and 4 hunts are being sponsored by the state chapter!
They did say any of their members were "free" to participate on our hunt but refused to make our hunt available to state Wheelin' members and they refused to supply us with any contacts for state Wheelin' members.
I'm the chapter president here in my home town and all I can do is say everything already said in this thread is right on target. It's about the $$$ and nothing more.
i sure aint gonna renew my membership ever again
When I started turkey hunting I joined the nwtf and was very interested in wheeling sportsman events and jakes events. I learned all to quickly that there was A LOT of money being made at banquets and then when I found out how little of that money actually made it back to the local chapter It sent up a huge red flag for me. They may have started as a good organization.....but that is certainly not the case today in my opinion.
UPDATE:
Just received this email from Edgefield.
"As noted in the information from our website that you cited, all Wheelin' Sportsmen events must have local chapter affiliation. This decision is left to the discretion of local NWTF volunteer leaders. Based on prior experience with you and your organization, there are no local chapters willing to provide the necessary affiliation at this time. If that situation should change we will be in touch with you. Until then, we will consider your inquiry closed."
First of all the only "prior experience" they have with our organization was us donating money to numerous NWTF JAKES events. As for me, evidently my 17 years as a volunteer and event coordinator doesn't account for squat!
AND...
The reason that "there are no local chapters willing to provide the necessary affiliation at this time"... little birdie told me that NWTF staff are telling them not to do so!
this sounds pretty disappointing being a member of the NWTF for 3 years now. are there any other good organizations out there that I could support that defend the wild turkey (and other wildlife) and habitat enhancement and protection?
Quote from: drum817 on March 22, 2014, 12:31:38 PM
When I started turkey hunting I joined the nwtf and was very interested in wheeling sportsman events and jakes events. I learned all to quickly that there was A LOT of money being made at banquets and then when I found out how little of that money actually made it back to the local chapter It sent up a huge red flag for me. They may have started as a good organization.....but that is certainly not the case today in my opinion.
Tim, I had the exact same experience; quit NWTF many years ago; ain't looked back. This was late 90's/early 2k's.
:TrainWreck1: In Tennessee where I'm from alot of the volunteers at one local chapter quit because they said they would devote their time and work their tail off at the events and the powers that be did'nt even appreciate or even thank them. I'm afraid the nwtf is turning into exactly what ducks unlimited is now, turning a pure sport into a rich mans game and pushing the poor man out. DU does absolutely nothing for hunters where I live and as a result because of lack of birds I quit duck hunting. It's sad to see this sport being ruined by money.
We need a new nonprofit turkey hunting group that will stay true to the cause. I wish the American Wild Turkey Society would come back with a magazine and group. Besides T&TH is gone we need a new magazine
Yep, that is why I quit. All they cared about was money! >:(