Have corn pond complexes affected your 2018 duck season?

[7mmCoug]

Ducks Unlimited would tell you that improving habitat is better for the birds, therefore better for everyone.  There are many documented DU projects that put members dues to use on private land.  Deer Island in Oregon is one such project.  Millions of $$$ of habitat restoration and improvement and all for a club that myself and hundreds of other card carrying members can’t even put to use?  Duck Unlimited’s arguement is birds are always moving.  By improving this habitat and bringing more birds to this location will only improve the areas around it.  Is it true....I have no idea...

Access is the issue for hunter success and recruitment. DU's argument for a net gain in duck numbers will equal better hunting is simply not true. I haven't been to a DU banquet in a decade and will never step foot in one ever again. I dont care what anyone says legal or not corn ponds are not ethical and should not be legal. Jaimie Pierre who runs and owns the Sugar ranch south of Othello does not have any corn ponds and holds many birds. Unlike Mike Bernson North of there who makes as many corn ponds as possible.

I can’t speak for the Eagle Lakes area but I certainly haven’t seen my hunting improve near Deer Island.  The thing that makes the Eagle Lakes dilemma so tough is - it’s their land.  What they are doing is technically legal.  I’m really torn on this issue.

[full choke]

Ducks Unlimited would tell you that improving habitat is better for the birds, therefore better for everyone.  There are many documented DU projects that put members dues to use on private land.  Deer Island in Oregon is one such project.  Millions of $$$ of habitat restoration and improvement and all for a club that myself and hundreds of other card carrying members can’t even put to use?  Duck Unlimited’s arguement is birds are always moving.  By improving this habitat and bringing more birds to this location will only improve the areas around it.  Is it true....I have no idea...

Flooding corn is NOT habitat.

Ducks Unlimited is NOT a hunting organization. Ducks Unlimited is a CONSERVATION organization. Their sole focus is more ducks- not places to hunt ducks. Rubs hunters wrong sometimes, but what they do is actually good for ducks. Sure, sometimes that is on private ground and public guys get mad, but net gain is for ducks. Entirely different situation than flooding corn though.

[singleshot12]

I know Ducks Unlimited has helped flood farm land and create estuaries, but do they have anything to do with these commercial corn complexes?

[Samloffler]

Sugar ranch and the Pierre's should not be propped up as sportsmen. They're nothing close to that. The only reason they still have any hunting privileges is because they are so huge the game wardens can't see far enough to see most of the illegal crap they do. For the record, they absolutely have flooded corn. I've witnessed all of the above.

[hunterednate]

I know Ducks Unlimited has helped flood farm land and create estuaries, but do they have anything to do with these commercial corn complexes?

As far as I know, DU doesn't have an "official" position on flooded corn ponds. I emailed them two years ago on the subject and never got a reply. I'm curious to know if anyone else has heard otherwise.

[hunterednate]

Ducks Unlimited would tell you that improving habitat is better for the birds, therefore better for everyone.  There are many documented DU projects that put members dues to use on private land.  Deer Island in Oregon is one such project.  Millions of $$$ of habitat restoration and improvement and all for a club that myself and hundreds of other card carrying members can’t even put to use?  Duck Unlimited’s arguement is birds are always moving.  By improving this habitat and bringing more birds to this location will only improve the areas around it.  Is it true....I have no idea...

Flooding corn is NOT habitat.

Ducks Unlimited is NOT a hunting organization. Ducks Unlimited is a CONSERVATION organization. Their sole focus is more ducks- not places to hunt ducks. Rubs hunters wrong sometimes, but what they do is actually good for ducks. Sure, sometimes that is on private ground and public guys get mad, but net gain is for ducks. Entirely different situation than flooding corn though.

 

[singleshot12]

I know Ducks Unlimited has helped flood farm land and create estuaries, but do they have anything to do with these commercial corn complexes?

As far as I know, DU doesn't have an "official" position on flooded corn ponds. I emailed them two years ago on the subject and never got a reply. I'm curious to know if anyone else has heard otherwise.

Well then if you didn't get a reply then that helps answer the ?. thx I hate politics

Something has to eventually be done. I and many others are at the point of giving up waterfowl hunting because of the lack of birds on traditional migration routes.

And it's not the weather either. 90% of the waterfowl are locked up in these bait stations and won't leave till the corn is gone which is usually after the season.

[92xj]

Anyone doing anything about this hate besides posting on the internet?

[vandeman17]

Anyone doing anything about this hate besides posting on the internet?

I am feeling sorry for myself. Does that count?

[singleshot12]

Anyone doing anything about this hate besides posting on the internet?

"Hate" is an awfully strong word!? If you know of anyone or any groups who are not affiliated with the corn complexes who could change things please let us know.

[92xj]

Call it whatever you want.

I'm just curious if anyone is or has actually done anything to try and change this current practice.

[singleshot12]

Personally I'm just gonna B-itch about it for a while till enough folks wake up and smell the roses and then maybe then something can be done to change things  .

[92xj]

Fair enough 

[hunterednate]

Anyone doing anything about this hate besides posting on the internet?

The best thing is for all hunters to submit comments to WDFW during the comment proposal period (this year, they're accepting public comments from Jan. 23 to Feb. 13). This will keep the issue in front of policy makers eyes, at least, and let them know there is some frustration among hunters.

Realistically, these sort of rule changes take time, but as the recent modifications of deer/elk baiting prove, WDFW will act on these things if they fear a drop in license holders or new hunter recruitment will occur if they don't. I think corn ponds will have this effect.

I recently submitted an email to wildthing@dfw.wa.gov, and received a response today that my comment was forwarded to the appropriate wildlife manager. I encourage anyone with an opinion about corn ponds (for or against) to do the same.

You can find more info about how to submit comments here:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/how_to_participate.html

[bigbuckdown]

If everyone who feels taken advantage of or is thinking about quitting hunting because of these complexes could hurry up and quit hunting i would appreciate it very much. more birds for me to shoot [/size]
Thanks