NTA "So what's in it for me?"

David, Please send your ideas to me in either an email or pm. We on the board see and know things must be different, so anything that is a new idea, we certainly want to hear and consider!!!!

Over the years I have made hundreds of new friends through the taxidermy world,State, regional , National and World levels. Its great to have and know people all over our planet. I have learned a lot of new techniques by going to seminars (Charlie and Lola Haynes got these started!!) I look at it like this, since starting taxidermy in 1977, I have opened new doors everywhere, all of us have learned something new in taxidermy through the way the NTA started.

I was ask today this question "What is your reason for being on the board of the NTA?" I replied it is simple almost everything I know in taxidermy can be contributed to the NTA's origin!

I look at the last few years and I see Animal rights people (Who dont have any idea about managing animal populations) attacking hunting and fishing.
I see anti gunners in Washington attacking our gun rights. That is all about our way of life, we need a strong association more now, than ever!!

We should be 10,000 strong! and now I fully believe we have this chance!!!

I am on the BOD for the members!! If there is something you would like to see done, let me know and I will take it forward!

 

David, that's beautiful. Years ago when I was on the board, I went to state association meeting and conventions. I was usually asked to give a short spiel and almost every one ended up with that "what's in it for me" question. Just like your last line, my first answer was always, "Nothing" and I finished just as you did.

The "new" NTA hopefully will resemble the "old NTA" in the many ways when it flourished and membership was over 2000. Conventions were always filled with people laughing and talking, corridors were full of people moving between seminars, supply areas and competition rooms. The hotel bar and restaurant were filled with laughter and good times. There were no wall flowers allowed and if you were alone, someone dragged you into their fold and introduced you. Actually, that happened to me at the Richmond, Virginia NTA Convention. Connie and I knew no one and bought a banquet ticket on a lark. Rod Connelly pulled us over to his table and proceeded to introduce me to dozens of people I'd only read about in Breakthrough magazine. That night, I swore that when I became involved, I'd do what Rod had done and make sure no one felt "left out".

As the NTA got older, apathy showed up and began to spread. Competitors formed coffee klatches and directors tended to avoid members. In fact, directors became totally useless in the end as the good ones who worked to make the member's stays happy ended up leaving because all the responsibilities were being dumped on them. I'm not trying to brag, but in the time I was around the conventions, Tony Finazzo, Brenda Duvall, and Manny Chavez probably matched me with the hours spent on that convention floor. Some of the others were "grip and grin" people who made the rounds, but they never had to wash their hands from actual hard labor.

So that's what I long to see once more. I want the halls to be filled with happy voices and no one standing against the wall being excluded. I don't want that as a bucketlist item, either. I want it now.

 

I don't think Taxinet should be "the presence" of the NTA, but rather "A tool" used to promote, inform, recruit, and otherwise boost the overall rate of success.

 

This post is already cut so much it doesnt make much sense.

OK ........ NTA "So what's in it for me?"

As a simple non member I have watched all of the events of late unfold and I commend all involved for cutting the dead wood.

We as taxidermists , full time or hobbies, are also gun owners , hunters , trappers , fishermen, conservationists , community leaders , youth supporters , volunteers for many of the 3 million worthy causes. And we already have many worthy organisations that we pay into watching out for our interests . Most offer some sort of education and instruction on all kinds of different levels. I also feel that most are self serving and self promting to point.

So I'm asking ....NTA "So what's in it for me?" Sell me on the NTA .

 

Jay, my answer stands. "NOTHING". People who need to limit their memberships to organizations doing "things" for them are quite limited and end up in bridge clubs and private bars. A membership in the NTA entitles you to advertise to your customers that you think enough about what you're doing to be a member of an organization dedicated to its principles. It allows you to comingle with people of all backgrounds and all talents who share a common bond with you and with whom you can gain valuable insight. I was once told that the Taxidermy Net does that for free. Well, if it does, I'm missing the part about being able to meet people face to face, to get instant feedback to a question from people who have been there and who don't have to worry about mistyping or misspelling. You don't have to guess the mood they're in from the words they've written. With the NTA you have singular dedicated "clearing house" and a means of contacting what we hope to soon be back to that 2000 member threshhold as well as a competition where you can compete against people of other nations and states in hopes of being able to put "National Champion" behind your name and on your business card. (That may not mean a lot to some of your customers, but to your peers, it gives you credibility and to your clients, it gives them a gauge in which to judge your work by.)

By nature, taxidermists are recluses and certainly don't play well together. An umbrella organization and a national convention give them the sense of ownership in their industry devoid of outside pressures.

But it's a PERSONAL decision. You can rebuff membership (usually those people aren't members of ANYTHING and the few they are, they really aren't involved directly in.) You an join and just come along for the ride, going to free seminars and buying discounted supplies from companies plying their wares. OR you can become actively involved in molding the future of taxidermy and hold an office or help with a convention or volunteer to host a seminar or just be a gregarious person who simply enjoys the company of like minded individuals. The choice is yours and what you "get out of it" is directly commensurate with "what you put into it." Good luck.

 

hahaha .... X2

Thank you George! Well put and to the point.

 

George is 100% correct. If you sit back and wait for things to come to you they usually don't. If you are active and become involved you will receive a just reward equal to or greater than the effort that you have exerted!! I say be active!!!!