DU Newsletter - A Call to Arms

[DuckyDan]

Wildfowler,
You're welcome to hunt with me anytime. You've been objective about the whole matter and have been seeking facts rather than just spouting off about stuff without having proof. That is truly a sign of intelligence.

As for DU, sure they pay the head guys a pretty nice salary. Do you think that the government is going to trust ME or YOU to handle hundreds of millions of dollars or the guy who has worked for a major corporation for years and handled large budgets and KNOWS what he's doing? I'm sorry, but I don't know enough yet to be able to run an organization that spreads a whole continent, handles hundreds of millions of dollars, has fundraisers, hires people, fires people, and tries to manage unpredictable mother nature? Do you think that guy is going to work for nothing? I don't think so!

As for 450, do you give presents at Christmas only with the intention of getting one in return? That's the way it sounds about your work ethic. What's wrong with a little hard work for nothing? It goes to a good cause! I don't mind working for free when there's a guy with a college degree in wildlife biology getting paid telling me what to do. He KNOWS what he's doing and he's not going to go to college, pay all that money on an education to work for nothing! YES, DU SHOULD pay those guys! I grew up in Boy Scouts picking up trash on the sides of roads. Is it fun? NO! But you know what, we made that strip of highway a better place. We did something not for ourselves, but for something we felt needed to be done for the enviroment!

Also, if you're not a member of DU, why does it bother you what they do with the money? It's not yours! That's kind of like complaining about your mayor, supervisor, or governor and not voting. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't vote, you lose your right to complain about leadership. It's kind of like the old saying about a woman that wears a low cut shirt loses the right to complain about men staring at her boobs!

I support Delta Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited. I think they are both good organizations. I agree that Delta SEEMS like they concentrate more on conservation than DU does, but look at how popular DU is now. I see people that don't even duck hunt with DU stickers, t-shirts, etc. That money goes back to ducks. If DU wasn't as popular as it is, we would never see that money!

I have contacted DU after reading this post and requested a financial statement from this last year. I'm going to look over it and get my finance instructors to look over it as well for the alleged "cooking" going on that someone mentioned earlier. I'm like Wildfowler. Show me proof of these alleged actions and I'll change my mind. Until then, I will seek facts and rely on them. I will continue to support habitat and the ducks as well throught DU and DW because they have a more knowledgeable staff than me and my hunting buddies to help the overall migratory population.

And before anyone gets any bright ideas, NO, I don't wear $400 Orvis waders or shoot an over and under! I'm pretty doggone fond of my Remington 870.

Oh, I loved the TV show also. I still catch it sometimes on OLN on Sunday nights. It's funny to listen to the guys calling on there. I've heard some of the worst calling ever on that show. Think about it though. That gives people learning confidence. They see that if the ducks are wanting to be where you are, you don't have to be able to blow like Rick Dunn. All you have to do is chuckle and quack and that doesn't even have to be perfect if you're covered up. It also lets me dream about what I want to do with some land one of these days when I can afford some. I want to make my own little wildlife refuge if I can ever afford it. I doubt I will, but it sure is nice to dream about!

I hope I haven't offended anyone too badly. 450, I don't want to sound like an A-hole, but I've never heard of anyone who refused to do volunteer work. Elaborate a little more on your story so that maybe I can understand your situation.

[Dutch Dog]

what in the heck does promulgated mean?

[Wildfowler]

Steel, that's precisely the point I was trying to make. I knew the statement had to be false, and I took the time to try to provide documentation to the entire community, to back up my beliefs in an effort to help control the wildfire like spread of false information across the internet. Which happens to be my only agenda here. I want to control false rumors, and the only way to do that is with facts.

If DW or any other duck related organization ever became the brunt uninformed bashing, I would take the same approach.

Sportsman, unless you simply don't know how to operate your computer, I can clearly see that we are not on a level playing field. I most certainly did provide detailed information. The very information that became the basis for my opinion. The very opinion that you are now so un-tactfully evading.

I give you the benefit of the doubt and re-post.

click here to follow link 1 : http://fa.r9.fws.gov/apport/apport.html

click here to follow link 2 : http://www.ducks.org/about/annual_report_2001_1.pdf

Do you have any intention at all of debating these documents with me in an intelligent manner? I feel like I have been suddenly transported to an episode of the Jerry Springer show. This is nuts. You are clearly not reading any of the information that I have submitted, nor are you reading my opinions based on what I have submitted. Yet all the while, you continue to accuse me of failing to provide any detail. Well it's right here. Have a look.

here is my previously posted opinion:

Please look down on page 2 of this link. There is an amount of 41.2 million dollars listed as federal and state habitat reimbursements documented here under the revenue section of their report. This same report further down, shows me that this total only makes up 24 percent of DU's total revenues. You said earlier in this topic that DU membership contributions are nothing compared to the government contracts that DU lobbied so hard for. If you add up the member's contributions, the sponsors contributions, and the major conservation gifts (the really big donations) I see that totals 45 million, which is more that the total revenue that DU received from the government.

So based on the information that I have researched. On a national level, DU is not controlling all of the government money. Nor do they receive the bulk of their funding from the government. So why is it that DU would choose to single Mississippi out? MS does not even receive the bulk of the federal funding. MS just gets an average amount, just like most of the rest of the states receive. If DU were "just in it for the money" as some claim. Why would they focus on a state that generates an average amount of revenue? Why would DU want to "keep down" these local MS groups? If DU is indeed strictly in it for the money, then they need to figure out how to secure more of the government funding. That's where the big money is. And not worry about trying to strangle some local group from MS out of a few bucks.

[Steel 3's]

Promulgate - to make known by public declaration

Y'all can ask any of the old-timers around here how much of a politician I am. But why don't you use your head, and find out from the Katy Prairie Conservation Association, Texas Parks and Wildlife, about 600 private landowners in Texas (Texas Prairie Wetland Project), Louisiana (the Chenier Plain Conservation Association, Louisiana Nature Conservancy), and Mississippi (Wolf River Conservation ??, and the multiple Mobile/Tensas Delta projects) about how Ducks Unlimited kept them from getting federal funding through NAWCA for their work.

I know that'd take more work than jacking your jaw about things pulled out of your booty ...... but at least you'd get some perspective that might serve you, and the waterfowl resource in the future.

But maybe that isn't your goal .........

I know what you're trying to say, Wildfowler. Kudos to you. Just realize that what you are dealing with is not honorable, or such false statements would not have been made with feigned authority.

[sportsman450]

DuckyDan-first of all,I do volunteer work and give my time freely,but not for groups with paid executives.
As far as the gov't trusting corporate execs over you or me.Maybe you should read the paper or watch the news.ENRON WORLD-COM.On second thought they probably do trust them more;they are so much alike.

[DuckyDan]

Okay, you're going to refer to ALL corporate execs just because a couple sucked? You ever read The Wall Street Journal? Ever wonder how many companies out there are publicly traded? Ever wonder why the S&P 500 has that 500 attached to it? Do you know how many are traded on NASDAQ daily? What about the Dow Jones? What about any other stock exchanges out there? Out of all of those companies, we have 2 or 3 to complain about?

Does that mean that I am supposed to assume all Polarises are junk since I had 2 buddies that had them and got lemons???????

[sportsman450]

Wildfowler-can't get into those posts,so I don't know what they say,but I trust you.Also,I don't know how I missed the postings to begin with,sorry.
I STAND CORRECTED! about you not providing evidence.

[sportsman450]

Ducky-I do

[DuckyDan]

you read The Wall Street Journal or you think all Polarises are junk?

[sportsman450]

ducky-yes to both

[Wildfowler]

Don't worry about it, there is only about 1.000.000 million lines of text here. I ain't mad at anybody.

Sportsman, you need to download and install a copy of acrobat reader before the links will work with this type of file.

Acrobat is a very common format. You'll see it elsewhere if you spend much time online.

Heres a link to the download page: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html


Please follow the instructions, so you can read the info, so we can debate this intelligently.

Ducky, I'll take you up on the hunt. I went to MSU and always dreamed of hunting up there. I'll apply for a lottery. If I get it I will get in touch with you.

Thanks.

[DuckyDan]

Sounds good, Wildfowler. Me and my roommate are going out to the refuge tomorrow to gander around and drool for a little while. I sure do like that place! I hope I get drawn for a hunt sometime!

450>>>>you think they're all junk? strange name.......... oh well. I like my Honda pretty well......

[sportsman450]

ducky-have you confused polaris(a brand name)with all ATVs?
I love my Yamaha.

[DuckyDan]

I thought you meant sportsman 450 as in a Polaris sportsman. I knew that they called some of their ATVs that. I have seen a kit to make a 400 sportsman a 450 and I thought that's where you got your name......my bad. Yamahas are good too.

[Wildfowler]

I don't have a 4 wheeler, but I thought a Sportsman 450 was a Polaris. Also included is the backup detail for my having this belief.

http://www.polarisindustries.com/produc ... =02atvprux

Looks like I may have been wrong. At first glance, it looks like Polaris doesn't make a Sportsman 450. Just a 700, 500, 400 and a 6x6. I stand corrected.








Please note: This was only supposed to be a joke.