what has Ducks Unlimited done for you?

[hdshot]

With salmon in the mix causes a real mess.  Commercial fisheries have lots of power and even the dams on the snake are in jeopardy that produce power and irrigation to provide our basic needs.  Sportsman or DU wouldn't even be a fly on the wall in that room.  In southern Oregon farmers are in a bind because of salmon.

[sakoshooter]

Negative: They supported returning the Nisqually Delta to what it was over 125 yrs ago. It's been a fantastic waterfowl area for 25 of the 28 years I've been hunting it. Since the "remodel", it's not half of what it was.
After all the letter writing I did to them a few years ago, their main project person(name withheld)knew hardly anything at all about what was really happening out there including that 'Pier'(boardwalk)the refuge built.

[Tealer]

Negative: They supported returning the Nisqually Delta to what it was over 125 yrs ago. It's been a fantastic waterfowl area for 25 of the 28 years I've been hunting it. Since the "remodel", it's not half of what it was.
After all the letter writing I did to them a few years ago, their main project person(name withheld)knew hardly anything at all about what was really happening out there including that 'Pier'(boardwalk)the refuge built.

Anybody else see a problem here? Sounds like WWA should get OUR money.

[johnsc6]

To answer the original question: I think DU has done a lot for the Duck Hunter. I am not a strong supporter of DU- I am a member, they get my $35 and that is as far as it goes. I think that DU has a huge image problem. Most people seem to think that they are a HUNTING organization. They are not. What DU is, is a CONSERVATION organization. They are not in the business of making hunting spots. They are in the business of making ducks. Period. That is their focus. They secure and grow habitat so that ducks can survive. The average duck hunter thinks that they can donate to DU and then sit back and reap the rewards of some sweet well manicured duck pond that will hold a hundred thousand mallards throughout a 107 day hunting season. Not going to happen. The average duck hunter will throw up his arms and get mad at DU because they see a million dollars of "their" money go into a habitat project at a wealthy duck club. A club that they can't hunt. "DU is for the rich man!" "All DU is is a bunch of rich guys" "Why should I donate to DU- all they do is improve habitat on some rich guys property!" Ever heard these things before? Hard to disagree until you stop and think- maybe come springtime these lands will support a couple of dozen breeding pairs of mallards? Mallards that wouldn't have had the chance to breed there until the habitat was improved. Ducks need marshes to breed- not barley fields. DU is not in the business of planting crops so guys can shoot released pheasants, or only have to drive 20 minutes from home to crank off most of a case of 3 1/2" dead coyote loads at 120yd high spoonies. It sucks to lose hunting spots, I know. It would suck more to not have something to hunt.

:yeah:DU is for ducks not hunters, we as hunters have always been the stewarts of conservation, thats why they target us for the donations. They get my $35 bucks and sometimes more if I have to many whirrly pops at the banquet !

[T-Bone]

Although I now live in far Eastern WA; previously, I hunted the Skagit Wildlife Area for over 20 years. DU's support of WDFW's "Project Salmon...Use WDFW Lands To Keep The Tribes From Sue-ing Us..." caused me to cancel my over 30 year membership. In their arrogance, DU refused to listen to anyone that actually hunted the area and ignored the plight of the urban, walk-in water fowler. I was at one time one of those "urban, walk-in water fowlers"; so I found the DU support of WDFW mis-guided destruction of much of the former walk-in access to be an act of betrayal to the boat-less, duck hunter. When questioned, I found several supporters in DU of the Skagit destruction had never hunted it; let alone in a walk-in fashion and even when confronted answered with, "Oh...Just buy a boat." I remember my Seattle apartment living days; great, elitist answer.

[Stilly bay]

Negative: They supported returning the Nisqually Delta to what it was over 125 yrs ago. It's been a fantastic waterfowl area for 25 of the 28 years I've been hunting it. Since the "remodel", it's not half of what it was.
After all the letter writing I did to them a few years ago, their main project person(name withheld)knew hardly anything at all about what was really happening out there including that 'Pier'(boardwalk)the refuge built.

Anybody else see a problem here? Sounds like WWA should get OUR money.

definitely the lesser of two evils and personally I would rather see donations go to WWA. However, I have heard a lot of complaints about WWA from local guys, but thats a whole other thread.

IMO we should be raising awareness that duck hunters might just be shooting themselves in the foot if they support DU instead of WWA or other organizations. Like I said earlier, out of all the people that have opened this thread, how many have DU memberships but don't have a clue as to what they are supporting? go to any public hunting parking area during duck season and you can't throw a dead bufflehead without hitting a truck that has a DU sticker on it.  there are lots of sheeple out there that just do what ever the other guy is doing.

[Tom Reichner]

  Most people seem to think that they are a HUNTING organization. They are not. What DU is, is a CONSERVATION organization. They are not in the business of making hunting spots. They are in the business of making ducks. Period. That is their focus. They secure and grow habitat so that ducks can survive. 

Full Choke, this insight of yours is exactly right. 

It seems that those who have a problem with DU are judging the organization according to how their own personal hunting opportunities have been affected by DU projects and activities. 

I am not primarily interested in what DU does for me - rather, I am interested in what DU does for duck populations across North America.  It is not about us and what we want for ourselves - it's about habitat conservation and the ducks. 

Ducks need nesting habitat even more than they need staging areas along their migratory routes.  It is the staging areas that people (mostly) hunt.  But springtime nesting habitat is the primary limiting factor to overall duck populations.  Therefore, it is better for the ducks if DU puts their resources into managing habitat for spring nesting, and not the fall staging areas that produce hunting opportunities.

[Echomules]

I stopped supporting DU a few years ago after a 20+ year run of support. I'm all for supporting conservation. BUT when I saw them help take hunting opportunity away in the same year I truely saw them flaunting the rich clubs they helped. No more, the rich clubs would improve their land to hold ducks with or without DU dollars. The way I see it, DU is in the business of robbery of raised funds, supporting their own highest paying members which is a direct violation of their tax exempt status.
Surveys claim the number one issue with hunters is lack of access, which I would have to agree with. When DU supported projects taking duck hunter opportunity away they lost my support. I have also seen other projects in Montana where DU money helped take former open huntable lands and close public access.

I now make sure that my support goes to other organizations that conserve lands and improve access, or at least concentrate on projects for openly accessible land without changing public access.

[h2ofowlr]

I know of another private club that will be working with DU this summer.  They are going to make ponds and impove the waterfowl habitat on about 80+ acres.  Only problem is only a select few can hunt it.  It will make there hunting way better, so DU will help these guys limit each outting.  The other DU project that is close to this one was done 3-4 years ago.  And because of DU's matching fund the individual is able to hunt his private spot almost daily with success.
I support conservation, but not interested in funding an organization that spends our money sprucing up private clubs.  All the birds start sitting in these locations once the hunters limit out.

[hdshot]

I know of another private club that will be working with DU this summer.  They are going to make ponds and impove the waterfowl habitat on about 80+ acres.  Only problem is only a select few can hunt it.  It will make there hunting way better, so DU will help these guys limit each outting.  The other DU project that is close to this one was done 3-4 years ago.  And because of DU's matching fund the individual is able to hunt his private spot almost daily with success.
I support conservation, but not interested in funding an organization that spends our money sprucing up private clubs.  All the birds start sitting in these locations once the hunters limit out.

Again it comes down to who provides the land for habitat.  History shows hunters are about the only group who do this. 

[singleshot12]

  Most people seem to think that they are a HUNTING organization. They are not. What DU is, is a CONSERVATION organization. They are not in the business of making hunting spots. They are in the business of making ducks. Period. That is their focus. They secure and grow habitat so that ducks can survive. 

Full Choke, this insight of yours is exactly right. 

It seems that those who have a problem with DU are judging the organization according to how their own personal hunting opportunities have been affected by DU projects and activities. 

I am not primarily interested in what DU does for me - rather, I am interested in what DU does for duck populations across North America.  It is not about us and what we want for ourselves - it's about habitat conservation and the ducks. 

Ducks need nesting habitat even more than they need staging areas along their migratory routes.  It is the staging areas that people (mostly) hunt.  But springtime nesting habitat is the primary limiting factor to overall duck populations.  Therefore, it is better for the ducks if DU puts their resources into managing habitat for spring nesting, and not the fall staging areas that produce hunting opportunities.

That is all well, but when DU orchestrates flooding two popular WDFW walk in duck and pheasant spots with salt water all in the name of more salmon for the indians to sell we got a problem. There are now few ducks, less hunters, and no ducks nesting. The average Joe public land hunter is screwed all in the name of politics. This is what this thread is about

WWA fought them hand,tooth,and claw to keep those areas open to walk in hunting but lost only becuase they didn't have enough funds or support I suppose.

[full choke]

  Most people seem to think that they are a HUNTING organization. They are not. What DU is, is a CONSERVATION organization. They are not in the business of making hunting spots. They are in the business of making ducks. Period. That is their focus. They secure and grow habitat so that ducks can survive. 

Full Choke, this insight of yours is exactly right. 

It seems that those who have a problem with DU are judging the organization according to how their own personal hunting opportunities have been affected by DU projects and activities. 

I am not primarily interested in what DU does for me - rather, I am interested in what DU does for duck populations across North America.  It is not about us and what we want for ourselves - it's about habitat conservation and the ducks. 

Ducks need nesting habitat even more than they need staging areas along their migratory routes.  It is the staging areas that people (mostly) hunt.  But springtime nesting habitat is the primary limiting factor to overall duck populations.  Therefore, it is better for the ducks if DU puts their resources into managing habitat for spring nesting, and not the fall staging areas that produce hunting opportunities.

That is all well, but when DU orchestrates flooding two popular WDFW walk in duck and pheasant spots with salt water all in the name of more salmon for the indians to sell we got a problem. There are now few ducks, less hunters, and no ducks nesting. The average Joe public land hunter is screwed all in the name of politics. This is what this thread is about

And again- the phone call you need to make about that is to Olympia. DU didn't just decide to go change that property. They were brought in. YOUR DFW wanted the change.

[singleshot12]

  Most people seem to think that they are a HUNTING organization. They are not. What DU is, is a CONSERVATION organization. They are not in the business of making hunting spots. They are in the business of making ducks. Period. That is their focus. They secure and grow habitat so that ducks can survive. 

Full Choke, this insight of yours is exactly right. 

It seems that those who have a problem with DU are judging the organization according to how their own personal hunting opportunities have been affected by DU projects and activities. 

I am not primarily interested in what DU does for me - rather, I am interested in what DU does for duck populations across North America.  It is not about us and what we want for ourselves - it's about habitat conservation and the ducks. 

Ducks need nesting habitat even more than they need staging areas along their migratory routes.  It is the staging areas that people (mostly) hunt.  But springtime nesting habitat is the primary limiting factor to overall duck populations.  Therefore, it is better for the ducks if DU puts their resources into managing habitat for spring nesting, and not the fall staging areas that produce hunting opportunities.

That is all well, but when DU orchestrates flooding two popular WDFW walk in duck and pheasant spots with salt water all in the name of more salmon for the indians to sell we got a problem. There are now few ducks, less hunters, and no ducks nesting. The average Joe public land hunter is screwed all in the name of politics. This is what this thread is about

And again- the phone call you need to make about that is to Olympia. DU didn't just decide to go change that property. They were brought in. YOUR DFW wanted the change.

Many of us did call, and every DFW personel including the managers of the area were against it.

It's all about the salmon anymore which IMO is just a complete waste of time and money on top of hunting loss. They want more salmon but continue stretch gill nets across the mouth of the river

[Stilly bay]

  Most people seem to think that they are a HUNTING organization. They are not. What DU is, is a CONSERVATION organization. They are not in the business of making hunting spots. They are in the business of making ducks. Period. That is their focus. They secure and grow habitat so that ducks can survive. 

Full Choke, this insight of yours is exactly right. 

It seems that those who have a problem with DU are judging the organization according to how their own personal hunting opportunities have been affected by DU projects and activities. 

I am not primarily interested in what DU does for me - rather, I am interested in what DU does for duck populations across North America.  It is not about us and what we want for ourselves - it's about habitat conservation and the ducks. 

Ducks need nesting habitat even more than they need staging areas along their migratory routes.  It is the staging areas that people (mostly) hunt.  But springtime nesting habitat is the primary limiting factor to overall duck populations.  Therefore, it is better for the ducks if DU puts their resources into managing habitat for spring nesting, and not the fall staging areas that produce hunting opportunities.

That is all well, but when DU orchestrates flooding two popular WDFW walk in duck and pheasant spots with salt water all in the name of more salmon for the indians to sell we got a problem. There are now few ducks, less hunters, and no ducks nesting. The average Joe public land hunter is screwed all in the name of politics. This is what this thread is about

Tom, full choke - right from the beginning of this thread I said that DU was about conservation, no denying that. but the problem is misrepresentation and awareness. With their merchandise, banquets and magazine they paint the picture that they are about duck hunting and conservation, when in reality they are just about conservation and could care less about the duck hunter - besides his money. and if more duck hunters were aware of this would they donate or become members. it all boils down to a bait and switch.

And again- the phone call you need to make about that is to Olympia. DU didn't just decide to go change that property. They were brought in. YOUR DFW wanted the change.

numerous calls and emails have been made to Oly as well as anyone else that could help. WWA is locked in a legal battle right now trying to turn the tide but they have limited funds unlike DU.
the problem is its also about highway 532 and the state needing to spend all of the AARA money so they don't gets fined for having too much left over in their account so they just picked a spot to spend it. DU stepped in to reap the glory along with another benefactor in the Indians who want more salmon for their nets and poof now you have a salmon restoration project, and everyone loves baby salmon so its good PR for everyone. it was a pretty easy setup for them, but I believe it backfired and now everything is up in air for a while. atleast that is how I understand it.

[Atroxus]

170+ views so far and only one person has been able to remark on a positive thing that DU does specifically for hunters.  I wonder how many people who opened this thread have DU stickers on their truck or memberships and they can't even answer.

After seeing the last DU projects I am no longer a member. I see a lot of their projects running things to their natural state, which sucks for duck hunters.

could you please list some examples. so far I am only aware of the two I stated. both small tracts of land that would benefit sportsmen and the game they pursue far better if they were just left alone and not meddled with.

I got a free duck call with my membership. Other than that I have no idea though.