att. Scott Baker,Att. Tenn-Tom waterfowlers

[mississippi_duc_htr]

I havent been in here yet and this will be my first post in here but I have posted similar messages in duck central,and waterfowler. I think that the waterfowlers along the Tenn-Tom are getting the shaft, we need much improvement in the areas along the T/T. I have been hunting these ares ever since it was opened. I know of areas all along the waterway that could be drained or dry up every summer and could be managed ALOT better than they have. I have offered and some other hunter have offered to use and sow the millet that the state G/F say that they fly on every year and is wasted. I have never seen any of this come up. I have made phone calls in the past to the Ms.G/F, COrps of engineers and DU all of which say there waiting on one or the other to do somthing ( Its called passing the blame) . I have voiced my opinon and so have other to consevation officers, corp officials and too other state officials but to no avail they just dont seem to care about waterfowlers in this area. Most of the time the cons. officers and area managers tell me its politics that hold up everything and after experincing the attitudes of some people that are suppose to be helping us I believe what I hear. We as waterfowler that hunt this areas along the T/T are experincing a overcrowding of people and a undercrowding of ducks. Every year the ducks seem to be fewer and fewer because they know there is little to eat along the T/T. The problem is simple nothing to eat for the duck: no reason to stay. Aot of people that I know that hunt waterfowl feel that the state boys that manage these lands dont want to do much to IMPROVE places because that would make their jobs harder, by having to do alot more during the summer and checking more people during the winter, I thought that was what we paid them to do. If they dont want to do it, hire somone who will. Waterfowlers who hun the T/T who want a better places to hunt are going to have to get off of out butts and start calling and writing people to put enough pressure on the politics and politicians and the top brass in the G/F division to take notice of us up here in the northeast corner of the state. If I didnt believe that things could improve 100% I wouldnt be posting this. I know we dont have the money and politicians like they do in hunt the delta. The doctors and lawyers in my opinon who pay exorbidant leases are the ones who get things done because they have the politcal connections to do it and unfortunaly we dont have many who hunt over here on this side of the state they all lease tracts or hunt in Ark. or the delta. What makes me so irrate is the fact we a have all this land and water and still have too drive 80 miles or more too see the amount of ducks that we could possibly see over here. I think that probly 80% of our ducks that follow the waterway south come from the Tennesse river but they wont stay here for more than a couple of days and there gone weather of not they just dont have enough reason (food) to stay any longer. I was sent a email acouple of days ago from a man that said that he was informed there had been some work done in the Fulton area, by Mr. Mcferrin and thats great, BUT unless they have built some roads acroos the watewrway or opened up the levy to the public. You either have to walk a couple of country miles or have a boat to access these places.
I have talked too Danny Hartley of the Army Corps of Engineers about the problem we (waterfowlers) face and the fact they dont do a whole lot about the problems. He told me that we (Corps) have plenty of water. I informed him that a duck has to have more than water to eat to go from Canada to Mexico. He told me that the corps didnt have the money to do too much for waterfowl, that they were into water management not natural resources managemnt but why is it behind the Aberdeen Marina they have a Refuge for waterfowl and wildlife planted with all kinds fo stuff for them but where you can hunt they wont do to much for them (by the way the Becker boat ramp pit has a good stand of cockleburrs to bad ducks dont eat them) or they wont put any water on them he told me that they didnt have the money too pay somone to pump all the pits. I offerd to do this for them but he said no. In my opinon where you can hunt not much is done where you can't is where they do the most. Why is that can someone tell me?
We as waterfowlers that hunt the T/T are going to have to get together on this and see if we can make a difference A LONG over due difference. I did talk to Richard Wells about out plight and he did seem genuinly interestd in out problem even though he didnt know too much about our problems in this part of the state. So get on the phone get out a pen and start TRYING to make a diffrence along the waterway. I'm going to CHALLANGE Scott Baker to meet me (in the Amory area) when he's up this way to take a ride and let me show him some of the areas that could be made alot better. Good luck hunting this year. God Bless all of you and yours................Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!

[Anatidae]

I understand your concern........but (respectfully) don't share the same opinion (I'm not taking issue with your well-presented and thoughtful post......I agree, we DO need to stick together!)

The Corps has spent a lot of money in their attempts to control the water hyacinths (probably more than they can justify from a waterfowl hunter's standpoint). The hyacinths (from the Corps' view) is a primarily, a navigational problem. If you've ever tried to access natural feeding areas (that DON'T have to be planted) and you CAN'T, because of the weeds.....you'll begin to appreciate their efforts. There is enough food on the river. If you 'plant' a food plot (so to speak), that's more likely to CREATE an over-crowding problem, because if the ducks are concentrated in a given area, consequently the hunters will be, too. THEN, they'll have to place restrictions on the usage of the area.....we don't wnat that!

Secondly, each hunter (on Corps areas) are required to fill-out a 'daily use permit'. The purpose of this permit is to give the Corps an idea of how much that particular area gets USED.......this ultimately affects how much funding they receive, to provide maintenance and other needs for THAT area. So, hunters that DON'T fill-out this permit and turn it in, not only stand a GOOD chance of being cited for the violation, BUT (more importantly) diminish the funding that the Corps receives, to make needed improvements OR to provide better hunting opportunities in those areas. Folks ain't doin' that. They NEED to, to insure that these areas remain accessible to the public. They NEED OUR cooperation.

Now, I like things the way they are. Over-crowding is a problem common to most areas......particularly during the opening days of any season. It's NOT the responsibility of the Corps (or anybody else), to make sure everybody has a place to hunt. I wouldn't want to rely on someone else (or agency) to provide that for me, 'cause eventually (for one reason or another), you'll feel 'let-down', cause they didn't live-up to our expectations. So let folks get discouraged and take-up something more 'lucrative'. Personally, lack of hunting opportunity is the best deterant to over-crowding, in the sense that those folks that would GO only'cause it's convenient aren't typically those you want to find hunting 200yds from you (or closer), anyway. Those that aren't dedicated to the point of actually gettin' out there and Hunting aren't the folks I'd be inclined to provide a 'shooting service' for......it's the folks that don't mind hunting hard and that have a genuine appreciation for the 'labors of success' that deserve to be successful at what they do......that's called HUNTING! 'Sorry I can't put it in better terms.....and I don't mean to imply that you or anyone else here, falls into that category.

Lastly, we need to be careful what we wish for. I'd say "Leave well-enough alone".......the more compaints the Corps receives, the more likely they'll be inclined to take a more 'aggressive' management approach......and I'm not talking about GAME management......I'm talking 'bout people management. When things get outa hand, they have little choice but to initiate restrictions such as shells limits, daily fees, drawing for permits on a lottery basis, and any number of things they COULD do, to try to reduce the headaches associated with trying to manage the masses of joy-seekers come to have a 'good time'. [img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] Oh, brother!

Again, just my contribution to the discussion.....not a personal assault. [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] I commend the Corp personnel that I know, for the work they do, for us!

[ December 11, 2001: Message edited by: Anatidae ]

[mississippi_duc_htr]

Amen too that and I see you know where I'm comming from. Good ideas are a welcome thing. There is alot of bottom land south of 78,also west side of Beaver Lake, south of Aberdeen, west of Amory,between Amory and Smithville, between Smithville and Fulton, north of 78 all kinds of places that could be made better for all of us......If we just put it to action makes it better for all of us.

[msdawg]

There is more to be done. It isn't necessarily the corps responsibility. It is the State Agencies. Unless something has changed the management area's are managed by the State. I know John Mc has put a lot of time into the ducks, but we need more than just him. The major problem here is we (duckhunters) are the minority. Deer hunters are the States number one priority along the waterway. We have a perfect area to flood here in Itawamba County for some great green timber hunting. The water can be released from the waterway to flood the area. We have the boat ramps avaliable to access the land. A lot of the land would be easily accessible from the levee. It wouldn't require a lot of extra work on the States part. The food (acorns) are there in abundance. This would produce several thousand acres for the waterfowl to use and rest. Hunting could be closed after lunch on the area and it wouldn't be that difficult to patrol.

I am fortunate enough to have private land to hunt, but should those that don't be forced to drive across the state to hunt? The few flat ponds that we have right now are just simply not enough, not enough for the ducks, or those that hunt them. Unfortunately without some kind of outside or political push things will stay this way.