# Ducks Unlimited Back On Offensive



## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

Young: Ducks Unlimited back on offensive
Philip Timothy / Assistant sports editor Town Talk
Posted on February 29, 2004

The message Ducks Unlimited vice president Don Young delivered Saturday to the state's DU leadership meeting was optimistic.

"We haven't found all the answers, but through aggressive communication and education, people have gone from blaming Ducks Unlimited for two poor ducks seasons to an understanding that this is a more complex issue."

Young, who assumed the organization's top staff position in 1999, was in Alexandria to affirm to state DU leaders that the 67-year-old organization, which has gained the support of more than one million people and 70,000 volunteers, is back on the offensive.

"It is easy to succumb to emotions," said Young. "DU, though, is guided by good science and not emotion.

"I've heard and read it all," said Young, who has a degree in wildlife biology. "DU is warming the lakes to keep them open and dumping corn to short stop the birds.

"I've also heard that migration routes are changing and there will be fewer and fewer mallards coming to Louisiana. I believe it is much too early to say something like that. Two poor years of hunting doesn't justify a switch in migration.

"What we are discovering is there are more and more hunters, and the birds are sensitive to pressure. As more and more people hunt, the birds are naturally going to shy away from the pressure.

"There have been other changes as well, including a change in farming practices, the weather, too much or too little water," he said. "Today's hunter is better equipped and better able to get to spots once unreachable. Now people are saying there are not enough birds to go around, but actually the long-term trend shows that duck numbers are above the average."

He believes the days of six-ducks and 60-day seasons could be numbered, depending on the outcome of a series of ongoing meetings. State and federal waterfowl biologists are studying the way the seasons are drawn and the way duck numbers are counted.

"I will say the present method of determining breeding pairs and duck numbers is the most consistent model we have, but any system can be refined," said Young. "We (DU) have no say-so in the makeup of the season. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the agency that determines the season and bag limit.

"One thing, I think hunters are going to have to do is to adjust their expectations," he said. "They've gotten a little spoiled.

"Do you realize that three years ago we had the best duck season in memory? Hunters were limiting out and seeing birds everywhere. No one complained back then.

"The success of three years ago brought an influx in new hunters," he said. "Clubs sprang up, bigger blinds, spreads and leases. A duck may have a brain the size of small pea, but it is not stupid. It cannot withstand severe hunting pressure."

Young said the often-asked question, "Where are the birds?" has a simple answer, "They are where the hunting pressure isn't."

Young stressed to group leaders to focus once again on the organization's primary mission ... conservation, protection and preservation of vital waterfowl habitat and waterfowl hunting.

He said DU is in a "race against time, and we can't lag behind.

"Our prairie waterfowl habitats are under assault on a number of different fronts - continuing wetland losses, new agricultural practices, and changes in important federal programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program. These precious wetlands are being gobbled up by a growing human population."

He said the U.S. must increase its efforts to protect and restore wetlands, which are disappearing at the rate of 465 acres every day.

"We have already lost more than half our original wetlands, and we continue to lose more than 170,000 wetland acres every year," he said. "We just cannot stand by and allow this trend to continue. It must be stopped before it is too late."

Fresh from a Tuesday meeting at the White House with Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council of Environmental Quality, Young told the gathering President Bush's administration is committed to the continue protection of America's wetlands.

At the meeting, Connaughton said DU was the model people should follow in conservation efforts. And he said he wanted the organization to provide a leadership role in helping Louisiana with its coastal restoration.

"He has toured the coast and is aware of the situation," said Young. "He said the Bush administration is committed to helping with the ecological restoration of Louisiana's coast and we will have a part in it."

Ducks Unlimited, according to Young, has a lot of respect for Louisiana.

"Louisianans are our best supporters, year in and year out," he said. "We have tried to provide the right info, based on fact and not hearsay, and let them make their own decisions. We've lost some members and support, but in independent surveys many of those say they will be coming back to us within five years or less. DU is committed to spending the money raised where it will help Louisiana the most."


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

What a bunch of crap!

*"The success of three years ago brought an influx in new hunters," he said. "Clubs sprang up, bigger blinds, spreads and leases. A duck may have a brain the size of small pea, but it is not stupid. It cannot withstand severe hunting pressure."*

IMO I think more clubs mean less pressure on the birds, it's not like those clubs are going to be out shooting the same spot every day. They leave roosts and limit the hunting pressure to keep the hunting good. Plus possibly affect the migration and mess up the hunting for others. :roll:

*"Our prairie waterfowl habitats are under assault on a number of different fronts - continuing wetland losses, new agricultural practices, and changes in important federal programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program. These precious wetlands are being gobbled up by a growing human population."*

Yeah, sure it is....the population is just 'booming' in the Dakotas.

These are just a bunch of lame responses to the criticism DU has been getting recently. It's funny how DU preaches this crap to all the southern hunters and states who have no clue what is actually going on up at the breeding grounds. No wonder they don't try to preach that crap up here they'd get their ***** booed.


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## WhakGreenie03 (Feb 20, 2004)

NO sh*t!!! Got your back on that one. If the prairies are doing so bad, why must you help loisiana. Dont you usually help the person who needs help the most. We are losing wetlands due to the drought. Not the booming population! hahaha omg! There is nothing that you can do to control rain fall/snow fall.


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

Word up G. It's for the kids. 8)


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

Damn Jones, you got cliff notes for that post? :lol:


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

The only thing DU is good for is there stickers. :lol:


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## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

Also for their DU dog.... Drake! :rollin:


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## rifleman (Jan 22, 2004)

Just a couple comments. I'm not defending DU but some of the statments have some truth. We have been a bit spoiled by a few years of 6 duck limits, even in years where nobody anywhere could figure out where all the ducks were that we all kept hearing about. Those liberal limits might be lowered soon.

We are still losing wetlands in ND, not from an increasing human population but by draining or filling. It might not be alot of acres but it all adds up and don't kid yourself, Swampbuster doesn't stop all drainage. Drought doesn't destroy a wetland, it just recycles it. Drainage destroys it.

We are also losing native grassland, a little at a time. And if we aren't careful, we will lose alot of seeded grass if CRP is allowed to expire, starting as soon as 2007 I think.

So, take DUs comments for what they are but don't get too content and think all is well with the natural resources in ND.


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

I don't think anyone's under the false notion that things are all gravy when it comes to wetlands in ND. We're still losing wetlands but it's not due to rising populations and developement like Young was saying.


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