Bill Cochran

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The National Wild Turkey Federation is celebrating its 35th anniversary, and like many good things traces its origin to Virginia. Now headquartered in Edgefield, S.C., the federation was chartered March 28, 1973 in Fredericksburg.

Back then, it was estimated that there were just 1 million turkeys in the United States. Today, the estimate is more than 7 million, with huntable populations in 49 states.

NWTF members numbered 1,200 35 years ago, a figure that currently has surpassed 550,000. The organization has more than 2,350 chapters.

Throughout much of its existence, it has promoted the trap-and-transfer method of moving turkeys to suitable habitat across North America. This worthy and highly successful effort has fueled tons of enthusiasm and financial support for the federation and helped spread turkeys to nearly every suitable bit of habitat across North America.

The question now, with trap-and-transfer no longer a need, where does NWTF go from here? Has it served its purpose? Is it a case of mission accomplished? Why continue sending all that money to Edgefield, some 90 percent of it coming from local banquets put on by hard working volunteers?

The past year or so, some of the organization’s staunches supporters have been asking these questions. They want to know why the locality that organizes a banquet gets only 4 percent of the proceeds while the federation's CEO merits a salary of more than $350,000. (Rob Kech, long-time CEO of the NWTF unexpectedly announced his resignation this week.)

In many instances, banquet attendance is waning. Some events that have thrived in the past, the Roanoke banquet an example, have been struggling to survive. Volunteers have been frustrated. Often they are burned out and feel they aren't appreciated.

Many of the challenges that the NWTF faces were outlined in a Roanoke Times article by Mark Taylor, which received national attention when it was published June 17, 2007. Taylor’s work drew criticism from Edgefield, and even some outcry in Southwest Virginia, but it could have been even more critical.

Now NWTF top officials are openly asking the same question: “Where do we go from here?” The fact that NWTF admits it must set its sights on new goals is a healthy sign.

I see two major things the organization is doing that will assure it earns its keep:

HABITAT CONSERVATION

In late February, NWTF announced it had signed a 10-year stewardship agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to help manage the 860,000 acre Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia. This means NWTF biologists will work with forest service biologists in making management decisions.

Right now, management practices on our national forests too often are being mandated by environmental groups through court action or the threat of court action, and they aren’t what is best for wildlife or people. This new NWTF/forest service partnership not only will benefit turkeys, but also will improve the health of the forest, enhance other wildlife species and favorably impact the local community.

Yes, it will involve chainsaws and timber management, Dave Wilson, NWTF stewardship program coordinator, told me. In some cases, the projects will be paid for with receipts from timber sales. Often when the forest service proposes timber management, the effort is shot down by environmentalists who believe no management fits all. That won’t be so easy this time.

Will this partnership spread to other national forests, namely the George Washington and Jefferson in Virginia?

“An agreement with the George Washington and Jefferson is worthwhile pursuing,” Wilson said. In fact, there have been discussions about stewardship contracting on the forest.

HUNTER RECRUITMENT

New hunters are vital to carry on the tradition and provide support and financing for wildlife efforts. The NWTF does a good job of introducing newcomers to the outdoors through its JAKES (youth) program and Women in the Outdoors program.

Simply put, few things the organization does are more important than hunter recruitment, and the same can be said of other sportsmen groups.

The NWTF needs to free up even more money for this effort. Kids nowadays often grow up in urban areas where there is no adult hunter in the family. They are being lost not just to hunting, but to the outdoors. The JAKES program can help change that.

We can be proud that some of the nation’s top JAKES events are held in Virginia. At the recent NWTF conference in Atlanta, JAKES programs in Franklin, Henry and Rockbridge counties won national awards for best in the nation.

BILL COCHRAN was awarded first place for column writing in Virginia Outdoor Writers Association competition last week at the organization’s annual meeting in Charlottesville. It was the second year in a row he won the honor.