www.roanoke.com

Bill Cochran

Recent mail

• Proof of big bass record elusive
• Of elk and mast
• Follow that trout truck!
• The politics of Sunday hunting

• Mail archive
• Bill's Column
• Bill's Field Reports
• Trout stocking schedule

Bill Cochran’s June 26 column about the National Wild Turkey Federation certainly did not give the full picture of what’s happening at the organization.

Because it’s not titillating, you didn’t read that during this time of transition, NWTF staff at every level stepped up their game and made sure operations ran efficiently and deadlines were met during a very busy banquet season. I know that because I am an employee of the NWTF. And I’m proud of it.

You also didn’t hear about how women across the country shot their first clay target at Women in the Outdoors events while our children learned fun, new skills such as archery, camping and turkey calling at JAKES events. You may not know that nearly 100 people with disabilities enjoyed a day of fishing, music and therapeutic horseback riding at the Yadkin Valley Wheelin' Sportsmen event in Dobson, NC. The assistant coordinator for the Wheelin' Sportsmen program said this event was the best example of teamwork she’s ever witnessed.

While it wasn’t reported, it’s a fact that NWTF’s two-pronged mission statement -- conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of the hunting heritage -- provides clear and vitally important objectives for our volunteers, staff and partners to apply their efforts and resources to. With declining hunter numbers and the threat that urbanization poses to wildlife and hunting, there’s no confusion in how critical it is that we continue working towards our mission

Our volunteers know that, too. NWTF’s Florida State Chapter believes so strongly in the organization’s ability to get the job done, they issued a statement in support of board and staff on June 26. Other such letters are expected to follow.

All this adds up to an organization that is still very much moving forward on behalf of its mission. Rest assured, our more than a half-million members won’t let a little thing like a few dissidents stand in the way of success.