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Post by LongSpur39 on Mar 15, 2014 23:47:56 GMT -5
Well it was probably the last one I attend. I realized why I stepped down as head of the chapter. And I see why many people don't return year after year. And why there are some who return year after year. This is not coming from a poor disgruntled guy who didn't get what he wanted. Cuz I've been fortunate to win several things at many different banquets. But sitting back tonight and watching things unfold. I saw and heard things that put a bright light on things. I heard several talking of how the nwtf isn't for the average hardworking person anymore. Its become a country club. There was of course , like there always is, the big spenders. The ones who buy up about every chance to win guns. Or basically buy up so many raffle tickets there is about 80% to 90% chance they are gonna get everything they drop tickets on. Now this stuff has gone on forever. And will continue to go on. But the problem is. Is its knocking the majority out of the picture. The people that are just as important to turkeys and turkeyhunting. And actually more important. Because what I found out and noticed . Was ,and this factual, almost none of those big spenders were or are turkey hunters. I was amazed at this?? Its the first time I saw people leaving early in big numbers. One guy who has been a turkey hunter for over 30 yrs. Told me he hasn't attended a banquet in a long time. But has been a member of the nwtf for 28 yrs. He said it would be his last. That the nwtf has changed in the wrong direction. This guy is a hardworking farmer. He got his kids to milk so he could attend the banquet. Out of the many other comments I heard. This one hit me pretty good. Has the top promoter and top preservationist of the wild turkey. Turned so corporate. That the average Joe hunter like you and I can't attend a banquet unless we have lots of bank? A lot of these folks know little about the wild turkey or care to know. Way more than a few never even ran a call. Or sat on a cold crisp early spring morning and heard the thundering gobbles echo through a valley. If theses banquets are consistently turning people off. Eventually they can just have reserved tables. Cuz the numbers will dwindle. And the interest in these banquets will drop off. All they will have left is big money folks. They can hold their banquets at the waldorf. I'm not saying everyone shouldn't be welcome. But there has to be a limit. Some of the games were completely bought out before a majority of the people even got there. No joke. Doors opened at 5:00. The usual big spenders were there at 4:45 trying to get in? As a committee member we eat earlier . So we can be ready. I wasn't even done with my dinner and these select people were showing?? I don't know maybe its just me. But seeing what I saw and kept hearing gave me a slightly different perspective. I've always been and will continue to be a member of the nwtf. But banquets will probably not be in the cards for me for a long time. Its a shame but it is what it is. Hope this didn't come across as a whine or a rant. It really isn't. It was more of an eye opener. Saw too many people who didn't have that much of good time. It shouldn't be that way. Turkey hunting is for everyone. As these events should be for everyone. Including the big spenders. Including the not so big spenders. If I drank more than one mixed drink I wouldn't have noticed the things I experienced. Think its the first banquet I didn't indulge . Hope anything I typed wasn't offensive to anyone. It was just a perspective and my own opinion.
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Post by LongSpur39 on Mar 16, 2014 0:00:43 GMT -5
Oh incidently did win a gun. Nah just kidding!! I walked out with a nicely crafted wooden nwtf ammo box. And the best part of the night was talking turkey hunting with different folks. Some cool stories.
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Post by 4Pointer on Mar 16, 2014 10:13:52 GMT -5
You know Scott !! its funny you said that .. Years ago I went to a Banquet held by a well known hunting club in the area ,,
Tickets seen kind of High Price , but they Raffled off A Gun and a couple of Bow's ,, and some other hunting stuff ,, I'm thinking what the heck ,, might win and the price of the ticket is cheaper than a gun or bow ,,, As a couple of buddy's and me waited outside for the doors to open ,, B.S about hunting with everyone ,, I heard a Father tell his son " DON'T GET YOUR HOPE'S UP ON WINNING ANY GUN OR BOW " And told him he's been to 3 of their BANQUET'S and it's funny how only member's or the member's family's win the big stuff ,, Now that opened my eyes ,, as the night went on ,, food was great ,, NOW TIME FOR THE RAFFLES ,, SO I WATCHED REAL CLOSE WHAT WAS GOING ON ,, THE GUN WAS WON BY A FELLOW I DIDN'T KNOW , BUT HEARD HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE CLUB THAT DIDNT EVEN HUNT , BUT PUT ALOT OF MONEY IN THE CLUB TO HELP THEM ADD A NEW ROON ON THEIR CABIN ,, AND ONE OF THE BOW'S WAS WON BY A MEMBER THAT SOLD THE MOST TICKETS THAT YEAR ,, A NON!MEMBER WON A YOUTH BOW ,,
THAT WAS MY FIRST AND LAST TIME I WENT TO ANY BANQUET THEY HAD ,, As we left I heard alot of hunter's saying it was their last time coming to anything they had ,,
NOT SAYING ALL CLUBS ARE LIKE THAT ,, BUT IT MAKES YOU THINK ..
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Post by grizz1 on Mar 16, 2014 23:22:41 GMT -5
No offense here and I fully understand what you said. As I stated in another thread I probably won't attend my local chapters banquet and it is for the very reasons you mentioned.
I will also let another of my feelings be known, you can research this if you want and if not true give me a good hard kick in the rear end. In the 1970s and 1980s my county was the top place to hunt turkey in the US. Our motels were full during season,waiting lines to eat everywhere, out of state hunters were thick and the big companies were here putting on calling contests,renting land and making movies. We were trapping turkey and stocked many of the states that now have birds,Mo did a lot of trading for Pheasants,Grouse etc. Four years of bad weather and disease nearly wiped out the turkey, my farm normally had 150-200 birds and went to maybe 2 or3 birds.
I really did not see anything done by NTF to help with bringing our birds back, not even educating us landowners to the problem. they may have and I missed it but don't think so. I felt like we were dropped like a hot potato. We do have cheap rooms in the spring now and the turkey are slowly coming back. It was like when the turkey were gone so was everyone else,no money to be made here. that's my soap box and now I will be quiet.
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Post by LongSpur39 on Mar 17, 2014 6:52:37 GMT -5
Steve you are right on the money. I remember when Mo. Was the go to destination for turkeys. The Drury brothers did a lot of hunts there. The nwtf is all about introducing turkeys to new places. That's fine. But if you trap and transfer too many it can kill a spot for years. I have a perfect example. Around I don't know maybe 6 or 8 years ago. I along with several caught wind of a trap and transfer that was done on a local rod and gun club. In all it was stated that 90 birds were trapped in two locations. Since then the club is nowhere near what it was in the 90's. I've hunted it for 25 yrs. The birds just aren't there. What it is they are trying to reintroduce them in mass to these areas. So in some places within a shorter time frame they have huntable populations quicker. Plus good old nys gets something in return. Not sure what they got ever?? But I doubt its pheasants. But in all I think if you are a member of any club. And you put your money into it. You should know exactly where that money is going. And as far as the nwtf I'd like to see proof where every bit of funds go. No bs stuff. Just what are you really doing? Anybody can just say what their doing. I wanna see real proof. But banquets are no longer fun for me. I've seen too much. Once upon a time they were fun.
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Post by grizz1 on Mar 17, 2014 8:19:28 GMT -5
just have the feeling that when the money got big it kind of turned into a small government so to speak and now it's all about paid positions. It has happened in many well intentioned groups before and too bad. Often lose vision of the original idea.I know a friend of mine that quit a high paying job to go to work for them,that tells me something.They do put a lot of pressure on him to start new chapters and in this economy they are doomed to fail.Im talking in little towns of 200people and 15 miles from another chapter,it won't work but looks like greed from higher up to me.
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Post by LongSpur39 on Mar 18, 2014 10:57:12 GMT -5
just have the feeling that when the money got big it kind of turned into a small government so to speak and now it's all about paid positions. It has happened in many well intentioned groups before and too bad. Often lose vision of the original idea.I know a friend of mine that quit a high paying job to go to work for them,that tells me something.They do put a lot of pressure on him to start new chapters and in this economy they are doomed to fail.Im talking in little towns of 200people and 15 miles from another chapter,it won't work but looks like greed from higher up to me. Exactly right!! Totally agree. My personal opinion I think the nwtf started going downhill when long time president Rob Keck left. From what I was told is he was pushed out. That the nwtf wanted to go in a different direction. And that direction was more money. I don't mind change when its a good thing. But the things I've seen as a volunteer for them. Well I don't know if a lot of it was for the good. |
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Post by grizz1 on Mar 18, 2014 20:09:44 GMT -5
I would be the first to say thanks to all the volunteers,they often work like dogs and aren't appreciated enough. When the volunteers start leaving it will start crumbling fast,after all they do about 95 percent of the work. That is another thing Ive seen lately,overworked volunteers that are asked to do more than last year. Time will tell, until then,the small banquets will be more fun for me even if their packages are smaller.
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Post by Kt29 on Mar 20, 2014 11:38:31 GMT -5
I would be the first to say thanks to all the volunteers,they often work like dogs and aren't appreciated enough. When the volunteers start leaving it will start crumbling fast,after all they do about 95 percent of the work. That is another thing Ive seen lately,overworked volunteers that are asked to do more than last year. Time will tell, until then,the small banquets will be more fun for me even if their packages are smaller. I believe you and Scott's observations are spot on. Kinda sad to see a good thing slowly go downhill. |
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