Conservation Week Volunteer Spotlight: Great Plains

From hosting local banquets to leading conservation projects, mentoring new hunters and building community partnerships, individuals dedicated to the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of our hunting heritage are the driving force behind the NWTF. Thanks to their boots-on-the-ground efforts, the NWTF continues to drive the conservation of critical wildlife habitat across the country on a landscape scale.   

For NWTF’s 2025 Conservation Week, the organization is spotlighting volunteers from each region who continue to go above and beyond for the mission.   

Here are some of the volunteers that are moving the mission needle in the Great Plains!   

Joan Eisemann, NWTF Wyoming State Chapter Vice President  

For more than two decades, Eisemann has been a cornerstone of the NWTF in Wyoming. Her journey with the NWTF began humbly — helping with banquets after a friend asked her to lend her skills managing money and credit cards. What started as a favor quickly grew into a lifelong passion for conservation and community. 

“I didn’t even realize what the NWTF was at first,” Eisemann recalled. “I was just helping out, driving hours to banquets in different towns. But I knew I wanted to be part of it because anything for a friend, anything for conservation.” 

Since those early days, Eisemann has held many different leadership positions at both the local and state levels. From serving as president of her hometown chapter in Riverton — an all-women leadership team — to taking on state vice president and state board member, and eventually Wyoming State Chapter president in 2016, Eisemann has dedicated herself fully to advancing the NWTF mission. This year she returns to her position as state chapter vice president, carrying the same passion as always. 

Her contributions reach far beyond titles. Eisemann has represented NWTF at countless events and expos, worked side by side with Wyoming Game and Fish on turkey trapping and relocation efforts, led youth and veterans hunts and built partnerships that directly support conservation projects. She is also a hunter education instructor, 4-H leader of one of Fremont County’s largest clubs and an ever-present mentor for the next generation of outdoorsmen and women. 

Some of her fondest memories come from moments of mentorship and community. 

 “Being part of a mentor program, helping the kids and watching them grow and evolve and seeing the excitement in young people’s eyes when they learn something new about turkeys — those are the things that mean the most to me,” Eisemann said. “Also, doing the annual veterans hunt is always very near and dear to my heart.” 

This year brought another milestone when Eisemann and her team of Women in the Outdoors volunteers won first prize at the Wyoming Wildlife Federation’s Wild Game Cookoff with their wild turkey kebabs — a long-awaited victory after years of near-misses. 

In 2024, Eisemann’s extraordinary dedication was recognized nationally when she received the Roger M. Latham Sportsman Wild Turkey Service Award. Yet, despite the accolades, her focus remains on the mission and on the future.  

“I would love to see the NWTF grow in a positive direction and get more people involved — especially kids,” Eisemann said. “They’re our future. If we don’t keep encouraging them to get outdoors, we risk losing them to other distractions.” 

From her first banquet two decades ago to her ongoing leadership today, Eisemann embodies the spirit of volunteerism that powers the NWTF. Tireless, committed and full of heart, she continues to make an extraordinary impact for wild turkeys, wildlife habitat and her community. 

Mark Dietz, Big Creek Longbeards Chapter Treasurer 

For more than two decades, Dietz has been a driving force behind the Big Creek Longbeards Chapter of the NWTF in Kansas. A familiar face at banquets and a steady hand on the Kansas State Board, Dietz has given countless hours to ensure the success of his chapter and the broader mission of conservation. 

Dietz’s journey with the NWTF began when his son was selected to attend the Kansas Governor’s One Shot Turkey Hunt. Inspired by the opportunities his son received, Dietz felt compelled to give back. What started as “just a normal volunteer,” as he describes it, quickly grew into a lifelong commitment. 

“I thought I needed to give back some,” Dietz said. “That’s really how I got swallowed into it.” 

Like many volunteers, Dietz started out helping with small tasks at banquets and events. But his involvement quickly grew as he saw the importance of NWTF’s mission and the need for dedicated people to keep it alive in Kansas. When times were tough and leadership turnover left the chapter uncertain of its future, Dietz was among the small group who refused to let it fold. 

 “Four people showed up to that meeting, and we decided to keep the chapter going,” he said. “I’m the only one from that group still with the chapter today.” 

That determination paid off. Under the guidance of leaders like Dietz and with the support of fellow volunteers, the Big Creek Longbeards began to thrive again. One of his favorite memories is watching the growth of the Big Creek Longbeards banquet.  

“We went from 50 people in a banquet to 500,” he said with pride. 

Dietz has worn many hats throughout his service. He spent several years as treasurer, has served on the Kansas State Board, and has traveled across the state and even into Nebraska to help other chapters with their banquets and events. He’s known for following longtime NWTF staffer Barry Woods across the state, lending a hand wherever it’s needed. 

In 2023, Dietz had the honor of accepting the L.A. Dixon Jr. Memorial Outstanding Chapter Award at the NWTF National Convention on behalf of the Big Creek Longbeards, a recognition that underscored the chapter’s resilience and impact. 

As he reflects on the years he’s given to the NWTF, Dietz is quick to turn his focus toward the future. Now nearing 70, he knows that passing the torch to the next generation is essential. 

“We need to get the younger people involved,” he said. “A lot of them don’t always understand what conservation really means, but without it, our hunting heritage won’t continue.” 

Despite the challenges, Dietz is encouraged by the many opportunities available today — from youth hunts to high school shooting sports programs — that simply didn’t exist when he was growing up. He sees them as vital pathways to ensure the next generation embraces conservation and the outdoors. 

Michael Brown, East Dakota Chapter Sponsor Chairman 

For Michael Brown, conservation and community go hand in hand. His journey with the NWTF began back in the 80’s when he discovered turkey hunting.  

“I didn’t get into the turkey hunting game until 1985,” he said. “By today’s standards, that was late in the game. 

That passion for hunting and conservation quickly turned into service. Brown has been connected to the East Dakota Chapter in South Dakota since its founding over three decades ago. This year marks the chapter’s 33rd anniversary, and Brown has been there since the beginning. 

“I would volunteer my services in various ways to the chapter,” Brown said. “Even up to the point where they finally asked me, ‘So would you like to be on our committee?’ I didn't choose to do that right off the bat, because I don't like to volunteer if I can't give my time, you know efficiently, so when I was working full time, I felt it wasn't as an option. But now, as I'm into my retirement years and being self-employed, I have been able to step in more formally and have been on the committee since 2017.” 

Today, Brown also serves as the chapter’s sponsor chairman and as South Dakota’s media contact for NWTF, roles that allow him to lean into his professional background in photography and broadcast media. 

“My previous employment was in the TV broadcast business,” he said. “I wasn’t in the newsroom, but I worked closely with those who were. That gave me a lot of insight into how to contact the right people, how to get coverage and what information and images reporters are looking for. Now, when I photograph events or write up highlights, I already know what will help the story come together.” 

Whether it’s a Women in the Outdoors event or a JAKES Day, Brown often has his camera in hand, capturing moments that bring NWTF’s work to life. His photos and event recaps support the national communications team and help spread the message of NWTF’s mission in South Dakota and beyond. 

Brown is also deeply involved in on-the-ground volunteer efforts. Each fall, he lends his time to the Wheelin’ Sportsmen pheasant hunt for disabled hunters, driving participants to hunting spots and documenting their experiences. 

“These folks can’t always get out to do these things if it wasn’t for volunteers and landowners who give them access,” Brown said. “To see them get the chance to harvest a pheasant, sometimes for the first time in years — or maybe the only time they’ll get out to hunt all year — it makes them feel good, and it makes us feel good too.” 

The East Dakota Chapter is also known for its consistency. For 33 years, the group has built a reputation for welcoming members, putting on meaningful events and keeping conservation and community at the forefront. 

“What’s so neat within our chapter is the people you meet over the years,” Brown said. “They consistently come back to your event because they know how you do things, and you make them feel welcome. Yes, we’re raising money, but it’s also about the friendships and the smiles you see on people’s faces when they walk through the door.” 

In 2020, Brown’s years of service and dedication were recognized when he received South Dakota’s NWTF Volunteer of the Year award. 

‘Those are things you don't expect, and you don't even look for it. I don't do this for that reason. I do it to help.” 

Looking to the future, Brown has his eyes on what he sees as the most critical piece for NWTF and conservation as a whole: youth engagement. 

“As I grew up, hunting was a big deal — you did it with your family, with your relatives,” he said. “I’m starting to see that dwindle. Young people today are pulled in so many directions, with sports, school and everything else. If we don’t get more of them coming forward, I fear for the longevity of organizations like NWTF. The future is in the young people” 

That’s why he values events like JAKES Days and Women in the Outdoors so highly. 

“I’ve covered events where some of these kids or women have never picked up a shotgun before, and they walk away saying, ‘Wow, this is fun,’” he said. “It just takes one positive experience, and it can change the trajectory of how they see the outdoors.” 

For Brown, every picture taken, every event worked and every new member welcomed is a step toward sustaining the hunting tradition and conserving wildlife for future generations.