Ducks Unlimited

Eh, "support" is a loose term for what I do. When they give away good shite with a membership, I will get one. I'll read the magazine when I get it.

But do I support them the way I do NWTF? No. I've been on multiple Chapter Committees with NWTF.

Do I hate DU like some people do? No. Why? Because I have common sense and don't believe DU has these giant nets or heated ponds all over the place up north just trying to keep birds away from us.

Changes in agricultural practices up north, largely driven by Ag extensions and USDA programs, have had a far greater impact on migration patterns than DU. Mild winters and an abundance of available food up north have a far greater impact on ducks than DU.

quote:

---

Do you support ducks unlimited.

---

I do, because at the end of the day, they do solid work on the breeding grounds, to an extent do really well on project down here on the wintering grounds, and still stand behind hunters. They deserve our support as duck hunters since their ultimate goal is to put more ducks in the air every year.

However, my biggest complaint with them is they will help Joe Blow Landowner down here with his wetland project. They will help design, flood, and manage his property so he can have habitat, and yes, hunt on it. That work is done with funds coming from my donations. So, do I get to hunt on it as a DU member? Frick no. I know that more habitat means more places for birds to be at and we all need more habitat, but that kinda rubs me the wrong way.

YES. And I have a good time at the banquets.

quote:

---

They will help design, flood, and manage his property so he can have habitat, and yes, hunt on it. That work is done with funds coming from my donations. So, do I get to hunt on it as a DU member? Frick no. I know that more habitat means more places for birds to be at and we all need more habitat, but that kinda rubs me the wrong way.

---

Do you apply this same logic to every government program as well?

If it weren't for DU projects on private land and government cost-share dollars spent on private lands, our natural resources would be severely degraded and the only decent lands would be largely confined to public land.

Sure, you have your landowners that don't use government/nonprofit assistance, but those are few and far between.

Yep and serve on the board here locally. I have heard some crazy stories also. No man with any common sense can believe most of that crap.

I support them. Just like the NRA, you may not agree with everything they do, but the biggest groups have the most political pull and DU can get stuff done.

Yes

DU spends a lot of money on public lands too. Their political pull gets that $35 membership and $100 raffle ticket pack, leveraged 5-6x by state and Fed agencies too.

Used to. Won the duck calling the contest several times as a kid at banquets. Haven’t participated in a long time. I think I’m about to look into DW. Local banquet next week near my town.

quote:

---

my biggest complaint with them is they will help Joe Blow Landowner down here with his wetland project. They will help design, flood, and manage his property so he can have habitat, and yes, hunt on it. That work is done with funds coming from my donations. So, do I get to hunt on it as a DU member? Frick no. I know that more habitat means more places for birds to be at and we all need more habitat, but that kinda rubs me the wrong way.

---

Almost all of the ducks I have ever seen have wings.

Without the projects to help landowners, the wetlands are dry lands.

Most if not all of those landowners are huge contributors as well.

DU was instrumental in helping us with a water control project on a piece of family land. It has brought ducks back to a piece of property that has helped us, but also all the neighbors have commented on better puddle duck hunting now that we keep our water right.

DU and DW are totally different and they are not competitors. DW is more of the research side of waterfowl DU is much larger

The "delta" in delta waterfowl has nothing to do with the southern delta. DW has been around before DU. They were relatively unknown down here until people started hating on DU (which was silly to begin with)