Need Advice or info.....not trying to stir the pot.

[Delta Duck]

BlackDuck,
DU has never supported the hunters, the Hunters support DU.

I just feel that DU has forgotten the grassroots folks that brought them to the dance. It would only take a few pro hunting articles in the magazine. It falles in line why you can't get a video that shows a kill shot on a big buck.

Screw those liberal anti-gun, anti-hunting tree hugging, peta pushers.

[Wildfowler]

Sondance, I really didn't think that DU would openly take a stance on such issues. I too hate all the junk email that I receive from them. Hey, that's probably why I let my subscription lapse for the first time this year. I got so used to throwing out all of the junk mail that they send, that I threw out the annual renewal notice.

I've been meaning to call them about that, I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Hambone]

Delta Duck, thanks for the last comment. I don't mind if you don't like DU, but it was a stab to connect me with anything to do with the Clintons. Lots of my friends have a problem with some of the positions that DU has taken in recent years... we just agree to disagree. I will concede that the vacuum cleaner was a bit over the edge. However, keep in mind that conservation takes lots of money, whether it's your own private property or a large-scale project in Canada. I cannot find any fault with fundraising, though do think that the money must be spent responsibly. By the same token, I am not naive enough to believe that I will agree with every expenditure that DU makes, but I do think that on a grand scale, they have the knowledge and ability to acomplish more than anyone else out there, at least at the present. If someone else can do a better job, I support them 100%, because these ducks are very near the top of the list of things that matter to me. I am acquainted with some of the local and national DU folks, and they are certainly not anti-hunters. I just haven't gotten the feeling that DU is deserting its hunter base. The magazine is full of hunting articles and advertisements. All along, my big problem with DU bashing is that the bashers seem to do it without the facts. I hear that the executives are paid too much, but no one can tell me how much. Some say that DU is mixed up too much in politics, but I have yet to hear a coherent explanation why this is wrong (considering how much legislation affects wetlands and waterfowl, I don't see how any conservation organization can afford to stay off Capitol Hill...consider NAWMP, CRP, Wetland Reserve, Farm Bill, to name a few. I know the Farm Bill is a sore subject, and we will have to endure the fallout). Anyway, yes I am loyal to DU, but not blind to its faults. Again, thanks for withdrawing the Clinton connection...that made my day!

[Delta Duck]

Hambone,
Did not say I did not like DU. I have done the vol thing all the way to Zone chairman. As Area Chairman built the Tunica Chapter to #1 in the State in many catagores. Top $, membership and others.
When DU was asked to support hunting and the gun owner issue all they would put out was that DU was a conservation and habitat org.
Then they jumped in bed with peta on the predator control issue. It really hurt.
Nobody loves the ducks more than I do, but I also love to take my shotgun kill them. I think the policy makers in DU would have loved for those anti-hunting and anti-gun SOBs to take our guns. Do you know what would happen if we did not have any guns? Ask our Outback friends. If we did not have any guns then DU would not exsist. Gun ownership and habitat go hand and hand.

[Hambone]

Delta Duck, if DU jumped aboard with peta, I missed it. If you are saying they did so by refusing to endorse the predator control plan, I think that's carrying it a bit far. Removing the foxes, coyotes, skunks, coons etc. sounds like a great idea and I am all for it, but the logistics of doing so on millions of acres may be more than can be realistically handled. I, like you, love to take my shotgun out to the fields and brakes and shoot ducks. I hunted 34 days this past season and while the hunting was a little slower than usual, my groups managed to kill several hundred ducks and a handful of geese. If I question predator control a little, it sure doesn't ally me with those raving lunatic animal rights activists! Thanks for a healthy debate...if you did all that DU volunteer work, I think that you have the right to have an opinion.

[Delta Duck]

DU was approched by some national Trapping and sports club about trapping for free. I don't think any yahoo with a trap should of had rights to the properties, but an organized and supervised operation would have been fine.

The hatch is where we will get the # of ducks.

[Hambone]

It wouldn't do much for the duck hatch, but if that club wants to come and trap coons on my place in Coahoma County, the turkeys and I would sure appreciate it!