DU Newsletter - A Call to Arms

[sportsman450]

This is my last post on this topc until I can get into Wildfowler's info.
If I have offend anyone,I am truly sorry.
Truth be known,my main reason for so mant posts is boredom.

Ducky-sportsman450 is a reference to my being the 450lb sportsman.My weight is matched only by my EGO.

Wildfowler-I'mhaving problems downloading that program,but I'll get it.

[MSDukDog]

Unfortunately, lately it hasn't just been one or two Execs that have and are being investigated. I am afraid that the numbers may grow even still.
http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/feature ... t=nwhsense[url]
I for one will be missing more of the season because of these scandal. The telecom industry is suffering and I have lost my freedom because of that.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

I've debated many of you on this board in the past about DU and the DU-bashing many of you perpetuate on this board with no supporting facts and elementary school logic, so I will choose not to jump into this tar pit again. But, it is quite amazing the lengths that many will go on this board to justify or rationalize the practice of not contributing to or otherwise supporting any of the conservation groups at work to preserve the resource that fuels our obsession (ie DU, DW, etc.). Sure, some of you are landowners and can engage in practices to help wintering waterfowl on their migration south. This is very commendable and you should continue to do so. But, there is not much we can do locally to aid duck breeding conditions in the duck factory areas, because those areas are not in MS, they are in the Dakotas, Canada, etc. What we can do locally to help breeding conditions is to contribute our dollars to organizations whose goals are to preserve breeding habitat and increase duck numbers----especially those of us who are not landowners and really have no other way to help the cause. DU and DW are two such organizations, each with different philosophies about achieving these goals, but each with the same overall desire to improve duck numbers. Why publicly trash either with baseless innuendo and generalizations about its members and employees?? Especially if you are offering nothing as an alternative. If doing nothing about a problem was the answer, then there would be no problems left to solve, because there is always a whole bunch of doing nothing going on.

What most of this BS sounds like to me is some type of class warfare ---you give yourself away when you start making comments about doctors and lawyers, as if to suggest such folks have no right to hunt and enjoy this great sport. The perceptions some of you have about doctors, lawyers, and other professionals would be funny if not laced with such venum. I happen to be one of those lawyers some of you love to bash as a group. I have hunted ducks since I was a child growing up in the MS Delta. It is a passion of mine that has grown stronger every year, even more so now that I have gotten older and realize that my sunrises in the duck marsh are not unlimited. I enjoy a good cold beer, a good chew of Red Man Gold, a nip of old charter every now and then, college football, the time spent with my hunting buddies at the hunting camp, cooking and eating what I kill, camoflauging hunting boats, brushing blinds, fixing up old worn out decoys, a good bargain on hunting gear and shells, the smell of gunpowder in the morning, my old Mossberg shotgun that spent one offseason under 8-10 feet of water until the water receded and it could be retrieved --still works, paying handsome sums of money for duck leases in the MS Delta---- which helps the local farmers and the economy, but keeps me in the doghouse at home, and many of the same things that many of you enjoy about this sport. The point of all of this is that gross generalizations about groups of people are most often incorrect , but unfortunately are perpetuated by the ignorant to support baseless arguments and beliefs. If the shoe fits, wear it.

[Hambone]

Ole Buff, except for the reference to the Mossberg (substitute Browning or Remington), that could have been my post - well said!

[DuckyDan]

Amen Old Bufflehead!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amen!



450>>>>okay. I thought you were a big Polaris fan by your name. Sorry. Kinda neat to see how everoyne has their name....maybe we could start a thread about how everyone came up with their name......

[Po Monkey Lounger]

And BTW, the farmers got more direct subsidies under this newest farm bill than ever before --unprecedented. Every major farm organization has come out publicly praising the new farm bill. Apparently, everyone got what they wanted except Gadwall. Geeesh. Some folks would complain about ice water in hell. Go cry me a river. LOL.

[gadwall2]

Don't get snotty Buff. I'm sorry that you got your toes stepped on with the "doctors and lawyers" deal, but don't fly off at me. The whole problem with the previous farm bill was that it had to be ammended because it took to much away from subsidies originally. Yes, money was put back into subsidies, but the damage was already done. I'm not sure that more subsidies are being paid now than ever before. They may be, but I am unaware of it. The government is trying to keep farmers in business, or the smaller farmers I should say. Large farming operations can stand more bad years than smaller ones. The smaller guys can't because they are usually leveraged more and and can't spread cost out. What I'm saying is DU didn't look at who they were hurting at first. Then they realized who and what was being done and then backed off. I feel that they should of looked at the latter first and then moved. I believe DU stepped back and said a big "UH-OH" after they saw how much contreversy they sparked.

As far as the money situation, my opinion is that DU is a little to wasteful. I do believe that you need good people to run an organization like DU, and I know that those people are not cheap. Therefore, I don't criticize the salaries of those execs. You usually get what you pay for when dealing with people anyway.

I don't get any subsidies from the government. We livestock boys are usually on our own anyway. I'm not complaining about it, thats just the nature of the beast and I manage around it.

I am not a big Anti-DU guy, but I am not as believing in them as I once was though. But I will continue my membership with them. After our meeting in Oxford this year with Devney I didn't think you were a big DU guy anyway. I could possibly be confusing you with someone else.

I'll lay the "crying a river" statement off to you being pissed off at someone else.

[mallardchaser]

Good post bufflehead...

[eyeinthesky]

Shoot we haven't had a good post like this since ole Benny had reeked his havoc. Good to see so many people getting going again must mean duck season is just around the corner. Must be this cool weather. And atleast we have been able to keep it clean this time.
Shoot em in the throat

[Steel 3's]

Ditto the "good post" sentiments, Ole Bufflehead.

I had my fill long ago of unsubstantiated bashing of ANY organization, but DU does seem to get an inordinate amount of attention. However, I had to participate in this thread because of the NAWCA reference and the false implication that DU was preventing federal funding from getting to other organizations.

For those of you unfamiliar with NAWCA, it's a federal program that offers grants of up to $1-million for wetland habitat work. It contains a sub-program, the Small Grant program, for smaller projects that offers grants of $50,000. Besides the technical merit of the proposal, the key to getting NAWCA funding is partnerships and dedicated non-federal matching funds. NAWCA requires at least 1:1 match, but most successful proposals provide more like 2:1 non-federal matching funds.

Here is a briefing of the 5 proposals recently evaluated by the Gulf Coast Joint Venture Management Board including partners and non-federal matching funds.

1) Mobile-Tensaw Delta IV (Alabama): $1,000,000 requested.

Project goal is to preserve, enhance, and restore forested wetland and marsh habitat within the Mobile-Tensaw River delta. This phase aim is to acquire 9 tracts of land contiguous to the USACE and Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division's tracts to be managed as public land.

$150,000 The Nature Conservancy of Alabama
$150,000 Mobile Water and Sewer Board
$200,000 Coastal Land Trust
$2,860,000 Alabama's Forever Wild Program

2) Pointe-aux-Chenes Hydrologic Restoration: $992,914 requested.

Goal is to restore and enhance coastal marsh habitat on an estimated 5,960 acres of public land within the Gulf Coast J.V.'s Mississippi River Coastal Wetland Initiative Area. Specifically it aims to 1) stop erosion of 1,224 acres of coastal marsh by constructing a 3,200-foot rock breakwater and 2) restore historic salinities and hydrology to 4,736 acres of degraded coastal marsh by constructing 1 levee and installing/operating 4 water-control structures.

$4,696 Burlington Resources
$14,380 LaTerre Company Ltd.
$100,000 Ducks Unlimited Inc.
$855,963 Louisiana Dept. Wildlife and Fisheries
$1,200,200 Terrebonne Consolidated Government

3) Louisiana Coastal Wetlands II: $1,000,000 requested.

Goal is to restore and enhance wetland habitat on an estimated 20,277 acres (2,202 public and 18,705 private) within the Gulf Coast J.V.'s Chenier Plain Initiative Area. Specific aims are 1) restore 297 acres of prior converted wetlands to moist-soil habitat via levee construction and water-control structures, 2) restore 1,356 of coastal marsh by constructing and planting terraces, 3) enhance 8,860 acres of agricultural lands as seasonal wetlands, 4) restore 10,275 acres of coastal marsh by renovating a failed levee, water-control, and trenasse system.

$104,000 Vermillion Corporation
$129,682 Ducks Unlimited Inc.
$164,500 Dedicated Landowner contributions
$1,059,178 Louisiana Dept. Wildlife and Fisheries

4) Wetland Restoration and Enhancement Along the Texas Mid-Coast: $595,218 requested.

Goal is to acquire, restore and enhance wetlands and associated uplands in Matagorda, Colorado, and Wharton Counties (part of Gulf Coast Joint Venture's Texas Mid-Coast Initiative Area). Specific aims are 1) acquire 1,100 acres of tidal wetlands to be opened to the public and managed by Lower Colorado River Authority, 2) acquire 1,100 acres of wetlands and 300 acres of uplands on another tract to be restored by LCRA and opened to the public, 3) restore and/or enhance 500 acres of prior converted wetlands, 4) restore and/or enhance 36 acres of prior converted wetlands and 210 acres of prior converted uplands, 5) enhance 480 acres of agricultural land as seasonal wetlands, 6) restore 150 acres of prior converted coastal prairie, 7) restore 80 acres of prior converted forested wetlands, and restore 1 acre of non-tidal freshwater wetlands to be managed by LCRA.

$4,000 Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.
$5,000 Reliant Energy
$45,600 W.S. Sherrill Waterfowl Hunting (eligibility of $39,600 purchase of "duck water" is under review)
$94,600 Private landowner contribution
$99,338 Ducks Unlimited Inc.
$105,000 Private landowners enrolled in Texas Prairie Wetland Project
$130,000 Texas Rice Industry Coalition for the Environment
$576,632 Lower Colorado River Authority

5) NWRS Centennial Mississippi River Initiative: $792,042 requested.

Goal is to restore and enhance wildlife habitat, hydrologic function, and water quality on various National Wildlife Refuges along the entire stretch of the Mississippi River. 19 projects are proposed on 18 NWR's including 1) restoring mudflats and emergent vegetation on 2 open-water impoundments at Bayou Sauvage NWR in Louisiana and 2) stablizing existing beach, accreting dunes, and stabilizing back-marshes valuable to waterfowl on Breton Island and other islands of the Chandeleur Chain that were damaged by Hurricane Georges.

This proposal was not complete. Only $458,493 in non-federal match was dedicated by The Centennial Commission and another $329,760 from other partners was under review.

As you can see, when DU has a role, it is to HELP other organizations get federal funding for projects of high value to waterfowl. This may be one of DU's most valuable functions .... leveraging donor's money and using their technical expertise to get funding for larger, more significant projects than they could fund by themselves.

But MUCH more importantly, notice how important the NAWCA program has been to implementing the conservation initiatives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Regardless of who provides the "call to arms", it's important this program be supported by anyone interested in the waterfowl resource.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Gadwall, it ain't nothing for me to get "snotty". LOL. I apologize for singling you out. Just had enough of the unwarranted critcism of DU over this farm bill flap. In the end, all of the special interest groups had their say, adjustments were made to the bill, and it was passed. Every report that I have read about it indicates that farmers will receive more direct subsidies (no conservation requirements attached) than ever before. And yes, I was in Oxford to meet Devney with DW ---great guy (I know Devney reads this board). My support for DW and attempts to get a chapter going in my area does not mean that I am anti-DU. I will continue to suport DU with my dollars, just not my time, since IMO, DW needs the most help with its critical mission right now. Could use your help in the NE MS area with DW, if you are so inclined. We desperately need some folks willing to walk the walk, instead of talk the talk.

[Double_R]

Total agreement with Steel, Gulf Coast, Old Buff, and Wildf on this one. Larry and Buff, especially well said. My 2 cents.

Sure, DU commitee work is thankless but then so are a lot of things in life. I like to think I get out of it what I put into it, but maybe that's just a personal thing. Net paycheck deductions and sales tax, I'm working for about 50% or less of my salary like everyone else. Giving back to waterfowl conservation effort with time and money, and spending some remaining income on things I enjoy - like hunting - is mine alone to choose. So I do.

Have seen first hand the waterfowl marshes created by DU in the dakotas and Canadian provinces. Not only are they there for the ducks, they're also there for public use and enjoyment. No permits or nothing, just use. Go see for yourselves and then come back and claim they're worthless.
Have seen also how savvy DU is at getting match-grant funding from NAWCA and other sources, making fine use of their salaried talents. Which means for every DU dollar they spend on waterfowl conservation practices, the ducks are getting $2 worth or more.

As for leases and other private land ownerships, why not do habitat work on private land? More than one-third the state of Mississippi is farmland. More than 70% is privately owned. What's your point, that ducks don't benefit from private lands projects?

[tunica du4u]

Well my .02 worth. Tried to stay out of this until I saw so much mis-information
First off: I don't know why the "lavish" building in Germantown is even mentioned. Anyone who has DU knowledge or ACTUAL FACTS would know that the land and building were donated to DU if they would move to Memphis by the Dunavant's. DU has not the first cent of "grass roots" money in the building or land.
2nd : I just got back from Canada and saw 1st hand what DU spends money for and was impressed. I saw thousands of acres of prime marshes that are nesting and breeding area for ducks that was made into controlled projects in 1939 and still maintained by DU. This marsh is in some of the richest delta farm land in NW Manitoba and farmers are fighting trying to clean up the marshes for farm land. Farmers up there consider ducks a nuisance. So much that the Crown has built feed stations so the ducks will stay out of the farmers crops until 85% of the crops are gathered. Just look at our Delta and how the habitat was destroyed for farmland. The same is happening there now.
3rd: Salaries paid to its top exec's hardly scratch the salaries of other comparible top exec's. I met the CEO of Park Place Entertaiment (owns the Grand Casino)a few weeks ago. His salary is 104 million a year. That's 2 mil a week. If you want to see the salary of the top exec at DU click here:
http://www.guidestar.org/search/report/ ... AeKW3n0%3D
Check out the IRS Form 990 you might have to read a lot but you will see the top 10 paid salaries. Some are on 1 page and the rest are a few pages later.
4th : As for those fancy GM vehicles Chevy is the official truck of DU and are furnished X# of vehicles as part of their corporate sponsorship. They are only allowed to put so many miles on them and then turn them back to GM for replacements.
5th: I don't agree with everything they do, and yes it is a thankless job as a volunteer. I spend about 40 hours a week doing DU stuff that I receive no compensation for other than a Thank You note every now and then or a key chain or plaque, But I enjoy what I do. Not everyone is cut out for volunteer work. But its kinda like when we were kids playing "KING OF THE MOUNTAIN" when your on top everybody tries to knock you off.

I also would like to know the name of that paid DU employee who dissed you 450. Some of them are a$$holes and they are slowly disappearing. Most however are pretty good ole boys.

Got me brainwashed don't they?

[tunica du4u]

^^^^

[Delta Duck]

I want to know how you posted that long link and got it right.