President’s Message:
How does the California State Chapter plan to go forward in the future?
The first thing we need to do is get the turkey hunters that are not members of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) involved. I hunt ducks, deer, elk, sheep, quail, turkeys, and pheasants and I am a member of all the organizations that support the conservation of those species. How do we do this? I think education is a great start. We just hosted, and co-hosted, two huge turkey hunting seminars to help folks learn about turkey hunting and what the NWTF is doing in California. In order to grow and go forward, we need to expand. We have 3 Regional Directors that are on the road all the time starting new chapters and recruiting new members. Please contact one of our Regional Directors listed on the website.
Turkey hunting is a growing sport in California and the Department of Fish and Game reports that the number of turkey hunters in California has grown from just over 17,000 in 1999 to almost 28,000, yet we only have about 7,000 members in the NWTF. Therefore, I am asking all of YOU to “GET IN THE GAME” during 2009, the “Year of the Volunteer.” I challenge all NWTF members to help get the remaining 21,000 turkey hunters to join the NWTF. We are experiencing a challenging time for the NWTF while our great country continues through this economical struggle. However, with your help we will continue moving forward, preserving our hunting heritage and conserving the habitat for the wild turkey.
I believe membership growth will be coupled with more folks acquiring the turkey hunting addiction. Turkey hunting is still fairly new to many hunters in California and we are trying to get more and more people involved every year. So how can we increase membership? First, promote attendance to one of our 48 Hunting Heritage Banquets; invite your friends, hunting buddies, and other conservationists concerned about maintaining their hunting heritage. Second, assist your Regional Directors in our outreach programs: Women in the Outdoors, JAKES, Xtreme Jakes, and Wheelin’ Sportsman. Your help and support of these key programs, that are part of our core mission, will increase future hunting and conservation across California.
Most of what we did in the past was focus our efforts on trapping and moving wild turkeys into California. Since just about the entire suitable turkey habitat in California is occupied, we need to shift gears. Don’t get me wrong, there are still areas of the State I would like to see turkeys, but for the most part we have a lot of turkeys in California. I believe the population estimate is around 240,000. I think now that we have turkeys in many areas of the State, it is time to make sure the habitat remains suitable. You keep telling me that habitat is constantly changing, and if we don’t take care of the habitat we will see our turkeys go somewhere else (like private lands). So, I think the shift from moving turkeys to habitat restoration and enhancement is another one of our future goals.
Last year we spent over $180,000 on conservation and outreach programs. We partnered with the US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service and CA Dept. of Fish & Game to help generate $81,482 for habitat projects that will benefit wild turkeys and other wildlife. That project total includes cooperator and NWTF dollars. Projects this year included: water development and installation of wildlife drinkers, oak woodland rehabilitation, prescribed burning, food plots, noxious weed control, and establishment of wildlife openings. The NWTF is also working to improve hunter access and hunting opportunities on these areas and throughout the state.
Joe Pecsi, California Chapter President
By Line:
Joe was the NWTF State Board Secretary for the past two years and assisted in starting the Eastern High Sierra Chapter of the NWTF in 2005. He was instrumental in starting the Bishop Chapter of the California Waterfowl Association in 2006. He is a committee member of the Eastern Sierra Chapter of the California Deer Association, and is currently the Chairman of the Inyo-Mono County Fish and Game Advisory Commission. Joe is a life member of the National Rifle Association and California Pistol and Rifle Association for over 25 years.