Nanih Waiya drained. DW and DU's compared responses:

[duckkiller]

Thanks, I will call him tomorrow am first thing. Like I said what he just posted is what I have been trying to get out of the Jackson office since Thanksgiving but I gave up the end of the year b/c I came back to school. Now I still dont agree with it and I will continue to be pissed about it so to speak but at least I got somewhat of an answer. Now maybe Chad can answer some ?'s for me. I jsut dont understand why Jackson couldnt call me back like they said they would when they found things out.


Now I am a full supporter of both DW and DU and will continue to do so, I just get alittle stired up from time to time as all of you rwould if your favorite place was drained or went draw. Now stay warm and good luck the rest of the season, as for me Im heading out to the lake to go chase some crappies for the weekend. Peace out

[Chad Manlove]

By all means....feel free to call me. My direct line 601.206.5442

Please understand, DU and MDWFP biologists stay quite busy this time of year. If we spent all of our time talking on the phone and posting responses on Internet forums, we'd never get anything accomplished. I'm not making excuses for anyone, but it is a busy time of year. Not to mention, most of us are avid duck hunters. I try to spend as much time in the field as possible. So, if I don't respond right away tomorrow morning that means I might just be working a flock of mallards into the decoys!

[Kevin B]

Robert, I believe I returned your message. After I did return your call, you informed me that you talked with Jeff about the project and knew why it was being done. If you are referring to another message you left, I apologize because I never saw it. I am not in the office much this time of year, but if I have a message on my desk, I return the call. I have not been able to make it to the area yet because every time I had a chance, it has been flooded this season.

To say we do not care about areas other than draw hunt areas in the delta is large misstatement. You may be hearing a lot about these areas now, because we are putting out information on them on our website and because some are killing a nice pile of ducks. You may also be hearing more about projects in the Delta because that is where we currently have funding opportunities to do wetland enhancement work. The purchase of Howard Miller WMA allowed us to use those funds as match to receive federal funding for wetland habitat work in the Delta. Because of this federal funding, duck hunters will have another WMA to hunt within the next few years. We have a large list of projects identified across the state, but it just takes time and money to slowly complete these projects one by one.

I understand your frustration with the mitigation project at Nanih Waiya. If I duck hunted that particular wetland, I would be frustrated too. However, the bottom line is the area is owned by the Corps as a mitigation site for bottomland hardwoods. The site was drained to replant hardwoods in an area that they were destroyed due to prolonged flooding caused by altered hydrology from the silted drainage ditch and beaver activity. Jeff told me this is what he told you, so to come on here and say we don’t give a damn is false. The sole reason for the existence of this WMA is for bottomland hardwood mitigation and protection, if it wasn’t for this need, the WMA would have never been bought by the Corps and opened to the public. The Mobile district of the Corps has ultimate say over the management of this WMA. If you think something is not on the up-and-up, I suggest you contact them if you want to go to the top. Over the past couple years, we have been working with Larry and others to improve waterfowl management on Nanih Waiya where he has access. Active waterfowl management has not occurred on this WMA for some time and he is making good progress at improving habitat on the area. When funding becomes available we hope to do enhancements on the Mayhaw pond and other areas that have slowly degraded over the years and are poor sites for bottomland hardwood restoration.

DU or DW have no say on how WMAs are managed in this or any state. Blaming them for this project is a waste of time and effort. We work with both organizations to improve wetland habitat and waterfowl populations and I highly recommend all duck hunters to do the same. If you think we are damaging wetlands in a negative way, the Corps of engineers is the entity to call because they have jurisdiction over wetlands (See the links for contact information http://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/ or http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/). If you don’t agree with how something is managed on our WMAs you can write letters to our Chief of Wildlife at 1505 Eastover Drive, Jackson, MS 39211. If you want to talk about waterfowl or wetland management on public or private lands, you can call me at 601-432-2079. I’ll be in the office most of the day tomorrow.

Again, if a message was lost in the shuffle, I'm sorry.

I hope I covered all of the bases, because this will be my only post on this subject.

Kevin Brunke

[duckkiller]

Kevin I believe that was Austin you are thinking about, as I only remember our conversation when I called you. I dont even know this Jeff guy everyone is talking about, never met him or talked to him. I just know that Larry and Austin say that he is the one who was in charge of the project. Its no sweat off my back as for the message Chad typed pretty much explained what I was wanting to know. I was just trying to figure out why it was done and most importantly if its ever going to get back to the way it was so we can hunt it. Anyway Thanks for responding and have a safe and happy season. As for me my duck season is over and crappie season has started

[MSDawg870]

The site was drained to replant hardwoods in an area that they were destroyed due to prolonged flooding caused by altered hydrology from the silted drainage ditch and beaver activity.

What was done to the drainage ditch in order to prevent future flooding? Are all the beavers gone?

I'm not trying to be an ass. I feel like these are legitimate questions. Thanks

[Kevin B]

The site was drained to replant hardwoods in an area that they were destroyed due to prolonged flooding caused by altered hydrology from the silted drainage ditch and beaver activity.

What was done to the drainage ditch in order to prevent future flooding? Are all the beavers gone?

I'm not trying to be an !@#. I feel like these are legitimate questions. Thanks

You're making a liar out of me, but those are good questions and warrant a response. As I understand it, the ditch was dredged. You will never kill all of the beavers in that swamp, but they actively trap them in the area and will remove dams that hold water on hardwood plantings.

[MSDawg870]

I just don't want to see money wasted on plantings that will end up as beaver food in a flooded swamp 5-10 years down the road. See my line of thinking?

[MemphisStockBroker]

You know, Duckkiller, a youngster on the computer pizzed off, and bashing the whole organization of DU and MDWFP.... Its this kind of crap that chaps my butt. How in the frap do you know how the whole wildlife department "feels" about this happening ?? An absolutely ignorant statement.

..... the MDWFP has no intrest in researching/and finding out why why it was drained . The only one who is just as upset about it as anyone is the area manager, no one else from MDWFP gives a dam b/c its not a draw WMA in the freaking delta.

And greenheadgrimreaper,before you go off getting diarrhea of the mouth again, maybe you should find out what DU does and does not do.... or what they can or can not do.

That goes to show you the difference. I was told by some MDWFP personnel not to contact DU because they would not help or even be interested. Looks like they were right...

[Hayes]

You know, Duckkiller, a youngster on the computer pizzed off, and bashing the whole organization of DU and MDWFP....  Its this kind of crap that chaps my butt.  How in the frap do you know how the whole wildlife department "feels" about this happening ??   An absolutely ignorant statement.

..... the MDWFP has no intrest in researching/and finding out why why it was drained .  The only one who is just as upset about it as anyone is the area manager, no one else from MDWFP gives a dam b/c its not a draw WMA in the freaking delta.

And greenheadgrimreaper,before you go off getting diarrhea of the mouth again, maybe you should find out what DU does and does not do....  or what they can or can not do.

That goes to show you the difference. I was told by some MDWFP personnel not to contact DU because they would not help or even be interested. Looks like they were right...

+1,  guys sometimes its not all about duckhunting and killing ducks. For someone to say that DU and DW are not worth anything is false.  Look I have heard the accusations about stopping the ducks and ETC ETC....  however any organzation that is conserving wetland is a plus in my eyes and both of these are actively trying. I am sure they have some flaws and probably do some under the table deals and things but bottom line is they are fighting for the overall duck population. 

[Damn_It_Boy]

So, you really believe the ducks haven't been short stopped in Mo. and Illini? Silly boy.........

[jdbuckshot]

Im working on hearing answers my self as well, answers besides internet forums answers! having trouble finding anyone in the office today. It always helps for the MDWFP that we are concerned about the discisions they are making, and that we are concerned about our natural resources. I have only heard talk about bottem land restorataion, but im pretty sure that is probably the case. lets keep digging and see what we can do to help!

Good work folks!

JD

[Ordek Avci]

One of my wildlife biology professors told us the very first day of my wildlife 101 class,

"Wildlife biology is the only field where you can obtain the highest degree possible in your field, have years of hands on experience, and have all the tools and equipment you need at your disposal, and your average joe-blow hunter will still feel like he knows better than you."

That statement has been proven true time and again.

[jkb87]

One of my wildlife biology professors told us the very first day of my wildlife 101 class,

"Wildlife biology is the only field where you can obtain the highest degree possible in your field, have years of hands on experience, and have all the tools and equipment you need at your disposal, and your average joe-blow hunter will still feel like he knows better than you."

That statement has been proven true time and again.

try being a coach with a masters..... some parents still think your the idoit and main problem...... and they can do it ten times better..... i know how they feel.

[greenheadgrimreaper]

Whoa whoa whoa! I post up compared responses and get blamed for having bad breath, claiming a short stop from DU and called a youngster.

First off, I don't need anyone speaking for me, duckiller. I can't speak for his experiences but I can mine.

Secondly I spoke to Jeff face to face. I felt I have gone as far as I could with the MDWFP. Nobody is blaming DU or DW. Words of ignorance, words that are that of others NOT mine. Memphis, it seems the only youngster here is you. If you think I am some ignorant kid bitching behind a keyboard then we can meet up. I am up your way and I'll show you over lunch just how ignorant I am. Blast away all you want I will not reply back. That is not what this is about.

Thirdly, I don't think I know more than biologists. Once again words that are assumed. I am seeing a pattern here. Read the post for what it is. Jeff is a brilliant guy and assured me that they weren't trying to shaft local waterfowlers. Kevin did all he could do in his power. I tried contacting Ed, obviously he is a busy man. Anyone interested in the matter needs to contact Jeff at the Okatibee office. Not Kevin. Kevin you were helpful and I commend you.

Chad is correct to a certain extent. If you look on a map the Tallehaga Canal runs almost the entire length of the county. Due to farming and erosion the canal has silted over at the drainage ditch coming out of the canal. Think of the mound as the "sponge" of the County. All drainage ends here. However, that drainage ditch was NEVER that deep or wide before it silted over.

Jeff explained to me over our conversation why it was done. As said before jeff admitted hardwoods would never grow in alot of the areas. Something needs to be done about the dying hardwoods, but something also needs to be done about a drained 50 year old wetland. Nanih Waiya is a joint venue between the ACOE and MDWFP and is, as said before, a bottomland mitigation project.

What does DU and DW have to do with this? Aside from people's ignorance they are OBVIOUSLY not to blame. However I am a member and i posted this up to see who thought which one walked the walk...from an initial standpoint at least. I wanted to let others make a conclusion and I get a couple blow hards claiming I am the one getting worked up behind a keyboard. For the DU and DW dolls that don't like me calling someone out well then...screw you. And anyone that knows me knows I will hold my convictions true face to face, online or whatever.

As I said before these are brilliant guys working here but from an inside source there were certain political issues involved as well. One thing I, the average Joe, DO know is that come May a beauitful marsh won't have water to go gig a few bull frogs. The wood duck houses will be useless. The bald eagles will not show up come next fall. This will affect the entire Nanih Waiya bottoms as far as bird numbers go. If you hunt anywhere in this area, chances are those birds your seeing roosted at the mound.

I will continue to get the word out and one day, when the marsh you grew up hunting has something similiar happen you will understand. Until it does you will NOT understand. To the naysayers I grew up learning how to be a man in that marsh. The chances of me saving the place from being a briar thicket are slim. However at least I know I can lay my head down knowing I did all I could do. And I know the feeling of knowing I DIDN'T do all I could do.

Kevin I appreciate the information you could give me and I know full well the ENTIRE story of WHY it was done. That still isn't going to keep my from speaking out. So to the couple of immature "old" guys...yeah this tenacious youngster is tired of the same old same old. Screw being meek and screw keeping my mouth shut. That's one reason this country is in the shape it is in. Damn right I will hold government officials accountable.

Email is austin_hill6196@hotmail.com if anyone has any questions or ideas on what can be done.

[hntrpat1]

True dat!