What's wrong with DU?

[Duckenfuss]

I have heard some people saying that ducks unlimited (Ducks Eliminated)is not all they claim to be. I've heard they create less ducks for the duck hunter. I always thought they did good things and was proud to support them. What is the deal here? Are these claims unfounded or are they really not all that great. I want to know before I renew my membership.

[baltz526]

du makes more ducks, in all flyways. but in some of their projects, they reduce hunting success. by creating nonhuntable resting areas for birds. or when they do a project in a huntable area they will remove good hunting cover/blinds to reduce the good hunting spots, to reduce harvest.this in turn increases the total number of birds. more birds, but less good places to hunt them.i'll keep paying my dues, but they do not get any extra donations from me.

[Duckenfuss]

Hmm, so they are shot blockin' us. That is the same story I have heard from others. I think they are a great conservation team as are we hunters. Don't we all want more birds though? Even though the extras may not be flying over our blind?

[duckintheblood]

that is just it, now i am all for more ducks, but why can't we work something out like hunting those places once or twice a week. to me that isn't to much to ask and it seems like a great compromise. we have that exact problem out in sherwood were there is a huge refuge but you can't hunt it so all of the ducks just sit there all day. on one hand the refuge is great cause there are a ton of ducks out there now, but on the other hand it sucks cause they never leave the refuge. it is amazing out there right after shootin light the sky is just full of ducks cause the know it is safe for them to fly.

[Duckenfuss]

Baskett Slough NWR is near me and I love to go watch all the birds that aren't flying over my hunting spot.

Is there anything in Oregon that DU has done? I would expect to see signs that said "Bought by DU" if there were such a place around here.

That is why I would put more $ in to places like OHA where you see it at work locally.

[onstep]

Let me see... I would start with the fact that the official DU dog is an English Labrador possessing superior temperment, birdiness, and tractability to the American Lab. At least according to Vic Barlow and Mike Stewart...

[The_Duck_Master]

A few numbers for ya...

778,648 (Number of DU members (8,402 in Oregon))
$23,750,078 (Amount spent to date on projects in Oregon)
70,788 (Total acres conserved in Oregon)
11,298,329 (Total acres conserved in N.A.)

If you take a look at the impact DU has had on ducks and waterfowl habitat in Oregon and overall, I don't see how you can not support them. Sure they may do things that bother some of us one way or another but in the overall scheme of things your dues are a small price to pay to help ensure the conservation of all that habitat.

I don't want to think what our sport would be like today if DU didn't exist.

[Duckenfuss]

good point duck master. Nobody has convinced me not to support them yet. Do you know specific lands that they have preserved?

[rimrock]

Baltz hit it pretty good; overall DU is good for duck hunting their projects focus on creating added seasonal/permanent wetlands in all U.S. Flyways.

I’ll further add some projects DU will utilizes matching Federal funds in a partnership agreement with Government agencies even when they are the lead group (i.e. not the Feds) to complete a project. If theses projects are on private land the landowner must agree to give over control of the management of the develop portion of their property to the Government. Not all projects in a flyway are for hunting access, some are; some aren’t. I’d say the majority of projects aren’t to provide hunting access but are done to create resting/feeding areas spaced throughout the flyway to maintain the health of the birds during their migration. Wetlands can be designed and built for feeding and resting habitat, some properties depending on various existing conditions can double as brooding areas, and on I could go…

Why do the Feds require private landowners to give up control of the developed portions of their properties, I’m frequently asked? The Feds aren’t in the business of using public money to create private duck hunting clubs.

DU along with other Federal and State agencies do wetland enhancement – but each project cannot be about hunting, in fact most shouldn’t and aren’t. If they were hunting would ultimately decline since birds would be continually pushed off the needed habitat they require during their migration.

There's much more I could add if ya want.

[duckintheblood]

i would choose an American born and breed dog over a stuck up british dog any day of the week and twice on sunday. hahaha

[duckboy]

Ill see you guys at the event tomorrow, Going there to set up at about noon.

D.U. Is good,

How many duck projects does sierra club do? How many does PETA do?

How many acres of waterfowl habitat has The Animal Liberation Front conserved for the future ?

[BrotherWolf]

Not a Darn Thing!!



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