Bad news for duck hunting

[AspenBud]

http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2013/02/long-feared_decline_in_duck_po.html

[scotty1969]

excellent read thanks for the post

[h2ofowlr]

Good read.  I wonder which flyways will see the largest hit.  My guess is central flyway.  It would be interesting to find out.  I know we bagged a lot of young birds this season.

[thatkidwho]

This is a tough problem. I want to see farmers farm but I also would like habitat conservation. If all it would take is 2% of the defense budget to balance this problem I say close down some foreign bases.

[JLS]

It's ironic how much ethanol is pushed, despite the fact that it's carbon footprint is less than friendly.

[BOWHUNTER45]

that was a good link right their now  Some good info on turkey hunting too ... just have to love how the east coast boys are on top of all issues dealing will wildlife and with not much interference with from legislation 

[Gringo31]

Tough situation....

I don't see any real fixes.  I think the best "plan" would be to alter CRP payouts to areas that provide real habitat.  IMO too many areas in CRP are worthless pieces of ground that don't provide any real habitat.  My favorite example is most of the horse heaven hills. 

IF the farmers got CRP-like payments for wet areas, that would allow them to personally see "value" in that piece of ground.  Today, too many look at it as their choice to feed the ducks or feed their family.   

[hdshot]

It's ironic how much ethanol is pushed, despite the fact that it's carbon footprint is less than friendly.

The climate issue is just the smoke screen to push ethanol.  It is all about the money and lots of power in the senate from the corn states to make their product more valuable.

Up to us as hunters to use non-ethanol gas and inform friends and family why our grocery bill is so expensive these days because of ethanol.  Also the government is using tax dollar subsidies towards ethanol to keep gas prices down.  So the government can get rid of these subsidies and use the money for conservation plus rest the land so the future can grow their food. 

[JLS]

It's ironic how much ethanol is pushed, despite the fact that it's carbon footprint is less than friendly.

The climate issue is just the smoke screen to push ethanol.  It is all about the money and lots of power in the senate from the corn states to make their product more valuable.

Up to us as hunters to use non-ethanol gas and inform friends and family why our grocery bill is so expensive these days because of ethanol.  Also the government is using tax dollar subsidies towards ethanol to keep gas prices down.  So the government can get rid of these subsidies and use the money for conservation plus rest the land so the future can grow their food.

You're spot on.  It pisses me off to no end that we spend tons of money subsidizing this business when we could be putting that money to other alternative fuels.

[duckkillerclyde]

But I thought we wanted all the ducks to die......

Isn't that why we kill them?   Nobody really likes the taste over beef or pork and you can't use the excuse of having to hunt ducks for meat because it is by far cheaper to buy chickens.

[Special T]

CRP was not originally a Habitat program... Its actually a program to take marginal farm ground out of production, and in the E wa area, to reduce erosion... Habitat was an added benefit.

[KopperBuck]

CRP was not originally a Habitat program... Its actually a program to take marginal farm ground out of production, and in the E wa area, to reduce erosion... Habitat was an added benefit.

Bingo.

[ShaneTyTrey]

Thanks for sharing

[Special T]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,103878.0.html

This thread talked about CRP some, but also the Feel free to hunt program.

[AspenBud]

CRP was not originally a Habitat program... Its actually a program to take marginal farm ground out of production, and in the E wa area, to reduce erosion... Habitat was an added benefit.

Does it really matter? Lost habitat is bad no matter which way you cut it.