Silent Fall - Will this be the Year that Causes Positive Change?
By John Devney Vice President Communications and Marketing
In 1962 Rachel Carson authored Silent Spring, a treatise on the state of our environment. Some viewed Silent Spring as a wake up call to the ills of our planet, while others saw it as a knee-jerk environmentalist manifesto full of ideological gobbly goop.
But what Carson accomplished was a rebirth of the conservation movement which instilled remedial measures like the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and other actions aimed at improving our natural resources. The book defined a problem, demanded action and prompted solutions.
This winter my Delta cohorts and I have again been inundated by calls from hunters across the flyways searching for concentrations of migrating ducks. Hunters frequenting Internet chat rooms and outdoor writers are pondering the same question: “Where are the ducks.â€
Unlike recent years, this was not just a southern duck hunter’s problem. Minnesota, home of the largest duck hunting community in the United States, is howling, as are their neighbors in Wisconsin and Iowa. Reports from the Dakotas and prairie Canada, traditionally hotbeds of waterfowling even in the leanest of years, are only slightly better. And in the mid-latitude states—while richer in terms of ducks than other areas according to surveys—positive reports were few and far between.
In recent years much has been made of mild winters, with hunters, biologists and waterfowl managers claiming the ducks are “all up north.†While mild winters certainly haven’t helped the situation in the recent past, deep-reaching cold fronts resulting in sub-freezing conditions, ice and snow in the southernmost reaches of the country should knock a hole in the shortstopping hypothesis.
The 2004-05 hunting season should be the one to finally jolt hunters into the awareness that we indeed have a duck problem. No longer will hunters listen blindly to assertions that the birds are simply not where you are. This silent fall may be the one to create positive change.
The difficulties in finding the silver bullet to cure the longing for birds over decoys are daunting. Hunting pressure is emerging as an issue, with long seasons, season extensions, high bags and other elements possibly causing our flocks to be warier than the past.
Weather patterns and local habitat conditions will impact what hunters see overhead, but all these issues and the myriad of others cited for poor seasons rank well behind the size of the fall flight in contributing to hunting success or failure.
Delta Waterfowl has repeatedly reported on the steady productivity decline on the prairie breeding grounds. Given this loss of productivity, coupled with poorer wetland conditions and largely average populations, hunters should not expect large flights and grand success.
The question is when will waterfowlers and waterfowl management acknowledge the problem and step forward boldly to intervene? The data is more than compelling—it is a slap in the face illustrating the problem. Despite a huge investment aimed at increasing duck production, nest success has declined and wetland and grassland losses continue in key areas like prairie Canada.
We need to do more.
We need to do better.
I think many are fearful that the status quo is all we can expect. I am much more optimistic, but before change can occur, we need to wake up from our haze and acknowledge the problems, identify solutions and put our dollars and collective inertia to work on the ground.
We need to leverage all organizational strengths, whether the task is wetland or grassland conservation, policy reform that can lead to improved habitat or intensive management like predator removal, Hen Houses and other tools.
Ducks aren’t going to go extinct, but that shouldn’t be our measuring stick for success. We need to do better to ensure the only client of waterfowl management—the duck hunter—is receiving a handsome dividend for his tremendous investment.
Here at Delta, we are ready to boldly chart a new course for waterfowl and waterfowl hunting.
The question is, “who is willing to help us achieve that goal�
The question is “will this fall be the one that starts us down the path�
Will this be the Year that Causes Positive Change?
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webfoot
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Will this be the Year that Causes Positive Change?
"We face the question whether a still higher standard of living is worth its costs in things natural, wild, and free." - Aldo Leopold
John Devney has been "Olsonized".....it's spring - time to start the gloom and doom press releases!
Tell that to those folks in North Dakota Mr. Devney.
Didn't they just report record harvests? Like more than DOUBLE their annual harvest from the previous year???? Either they have been talking to the wrong people (like the ones who didn't hunt) or they prepared this press release prior to the North Dakota numbers that have been released. Anyway - someone is WAY friggin' wrong here so who is it? Also - this appeared to be a pretty fat year for them so why the use of the term lean......AND......aren't they HQ'd in North Dakota? Do they not know what's going on in their own back yard?
These guys have been drinking way to much DW Koolaid!!!
Reports from the Dakotas and prairie Canada, traditionally hotbeds of waterfowling even in the leanest of years, are only slightly better
Tell that to those folks in North Dakota Mr. Devney.
Didn't they just report record harvests? Like more than DOUBLE their annual harvest from the previous year???? Either they have been talking to the wrong people (like the ones who didn't hunt) or they prepared this press release prior to the North Dakota numbers that have been released. Anyway - someone is WAY friggin' wrong here so who is it? Also - this appeared to be a pretty fat year for them so why the use of the term lean......AND......aren't they HQ'd in North Dakota? Do they not know what's going on in their own back yard?
These guys have been drinking way to much DW Koolaid!!!
Last edited by SoftCall on Wed Feb 23, 2005 8:34 am, edited 2 times in total.
run me out in the cold rain and snow
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Wildfowler
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Re: Will this be the Year that Causes Positive Change?
Webfoot wrote:In recent years much has been made of mild winters, with hunters, biologists and waterfowl managers claiming the ducks are “all up north.†While mild winters certainly haven’t helped the situation in the recent past, deep-reaching cold fronts resulting in sub-freezing conditions, ice and snow in the southernmost reaches of the country should knock a hole in the shortstopping hypothesis.
Did I sleep through all this sever Winter weather they are talking about here?
driven every kind of rig that's ever been made, driven the backroads so I wouldn't get weighed. - Lowell George
Wildfowler -
I think that they are talking about the freak snow storm that happened in Houston and Galveston this year. Although it had absolutely NO IMPACT on the MS flyway (or the central) it was "the southernmost reaches of the country".
I don't recall getting out the snow plow when that storm hit...do you?
This press release makes me think that DW is even more full of poop than I thought they were.
Releasing this kind of crud really weakens their credibility. I'll still support them though.....wait a minute....did I send them my check? I sure would hate for them to be short on funds the next time they need to generate some press. 
Webfoot - can you tell them to lay off of the pipe?
I think that they are talking about the freak snow storm that happened in Houston and Galveston this year. Although it had absolutely NO IMPACT on the MS flyway (or the central) it was "the southernmost reaches of the country".
I don't recall getting out the snow plow when that storm hit...do you?
This press release makes me think that DW is even more full of poop than I thought they were.
Releasing this kind of crud really weakens their credibility. I'll still support them though.....wait a minute....did I send them my check? I sure would hate for them to be short on funds the next time they need to generate some press.
Webfoot - can you tell them to lay off of the pipe?
run me out in the cold rain and snow
Oh Oh Nevermind....this was a tag line to their new membership drive.....
Look at the web site layout....kind of "catchy" to the eye...right?
Look at the web site layout....kind of "catchy" to the eye...right?
Last edited by SoftCall on Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:03 am, edited 2 times in total.
run me out in the cold rain and snow
We need to do better to ensure the only client of waterfowl management—the duck hunter—is receiving a handsome dividend for his tremendous investment.
Ooooooo......I don't know if I would have worded it quite like that, because I think part of the problem with the mentality of the current generation of duck hunters is, it APPEARS that a significant number of them (if you use this forums as a cross-section), think if they contribute to a conservation organization, they 'expect' to see a return in their investment. Then when they don't get what they expected (because their expectations were either grossly unrealistic and/or they want results sooner than research and implementation can produce)......Who are they going to bash?..........that's right.....DW.
I certainly don't think that way, and there are others on this board that understand that we may not reap an immediate benefit from conservation efforts, but I think some effort to avoid an 'entitlement' mentality should be made when releasing statements to people who don't know how to differenciate between 'dollars for ducks' and 'why ain't I gettin' my @^&# money's worth?'
I'm glad DW is standing-up for duck hunters, but I don't know if that's such a good approach for them, given the mentality that has become so prevelant in today's society.
Just an observation.
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Po Monkey Lounger
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Softcall, I understand your frustration.
I met John Devney at a DW meeting in Oxford a few years ago and since that time have gotten to know him ---- I see him every year at the DU fest in Memphis and have spoken to him, from time to time, on the telephone, especially when I was helping Tupelo get a DW chapter going. IMO, John is a great guy who is very passionate about duck hunting and conservation. (No different than our board members/ DU staff Billie Ray Fann and Chad Manlove).
While he may have overstated his case a little in that article, one thing we southerners need to understand is how the yanks view harvest numbers.(Yes, John is one of those damn yankees, but still a great guy). They focus more on the breakdown of harvest numbers per hunter, as opposed to total harvest figures for the state. Minnesota has a lot more hunters than MS does. Consequently, even in our lean years in MS, our hunters still average way more ducks per hunter than Minnnesota hunters do. And I think such is true in many of the other northern MS flyway states as well, as compared to the southern states. True enough, the northern states are harvesting many more ducks in total than in past years(most likley at our expense). But, the average number of ducks harested per hunter is probably not much higher than it was before due to the increase in the number of hunters. North Dakota would be a similar scenario. I offer this tidbit to perhaps shed some light into the mindset of our northern brothers and to put some context to the article.
While there are some who think John is overstating his case, there are probably just as many hunters who think he may be understating it. Do we have a duck production problem? In terms of keeping up with the growing hunter numbers and the expectations of those hunters, I think we do. And when you consider how much more could be done in terms of conservation and breeding habitat protection than is being done now, and how much critical breeding habitat is being destroyed each year, there is a strong sense of lost opportunity and urgency in stopping the decline of breeding habitat that could be lost forever.
IF the result of John's article is to spur duck hunters into contributing more money and time and their collective voice for breeding habitat preservation and a more focused attack on fixing the problems, then overstated or not, such would be a good thing IMO.
I met John Devney at a DW meeting in Oxford a few years ago and since that time have gotten to know him ---- I see him every year at the DU fest in Memphis and have spoken to him, from time to time, on the telephone, especially when I was helping Tupelo get a DW chapter going. IMO, John is a great guy who is very passionate about duck hunting and conservation. (No different than our board members/ DU staff Billie Ray Fann and Chad Manlove).
While he may have overstated his case a little in that article, one thing we southerners need to understand is how the yanks view harvest numbers.(Yes, John is one of those damn yankees, but still a great guy). They focus more on the breakdown of harvest numbers per hunter, as opposed to total harvest figures for the state. Minnesota has a lot more hunters than MS does. Consequently, even in our lean years in MS, our hunters still average way more ducks per hunter than Minnnesota hunters do. And I think such is true in many of the other northern MS flyway states as well, as compared to the southern states. True enough, the northern states are harvesting many more ducks in total than in past years(most likley at our expense). But, the average number of ducks harested per hunter is probably not much higher than it was before due to the increase in the number of hunters. North Dakota would be a similar scenario. I offer this tidbit to perhaps shed some light into the mindset of our northern brothers and to put some context to the article.
While there are some who think John is overstating his case, there are probably just as many hunters who think he may be understating it. Do we have a duck production problem? In terms of keeping up with the growing hunter numbers and the expectations of those hunters, I think we do. And when you consider how much more could be done in terms of conservation and breeding habitat protection than is being done now, and how much critical breeding habitat is being destroyed each year, there is a strong sense of lost opportunity and urgency in stopping the decline of breeding habitat that could be lost forever.
IF the result of John's article is to spur duck hunters into contributing more money and time and their collective voice for breeding habitat preservation and a more focused attack on fixing the problems, then overstated or not, such would be a good thing IMO.
You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning.
IF the result of John's article is to spur duck hunters into contributing more money and time and their collective voice for breeding habitat preservation and a more focused attack on fixing the problems, then overstated or not, such would be a good thing IMO.
Po Monkey - I don't disagree that this is a goal that all should have in common.
My point is "don't blow smoke up my @$$ DW with your half truths".
I can take an index or part of an analysis and make it tell whatever kind of story that I want to....just like John has done here.
Let's boil it down...
Comparing 02 to 03 in MN, IL, MO & MS
MN - averaged 10 birds per hunter in both years with a extremely slight and almost immaterial increase in the number of hunters BUT a decrease in the man days afield.
MO - man days increased and hunters increased but harvests increased at a higher rate from 02 - 03.
IL...better in 03 than 02...
MS - fewer hunters and more ducks between 02 and 03.
What will this years numbers reveal? I see more ducks being shot and more people bitching about how crappy the season was. That doesn't make sense.
Look at the Trent Lott post.
Now What the heck is DW talking about?
Are they explaining away 700K ducks getting shot in ND because of an increase in the number of hunters?
Severe Winter Storms - a far reach
Crappy Dakota Seasons - No Friggin' Way
I think that DW underestimates the intelligence level of the average duck hunter....the sky is falling....I would listen if they would just get real.
run me out in the cold rain and snow
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Po Monkey Lounger
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I don't think there is any real doubt that the decline of duck harvest numbers in the southern states is primarily due to a re-distribution of the total harvest in favor of the northern states. I don't think this re-distribution has been caused by any grand conspiracy against the south, but is due to the many factors that have affected our duck hunting, all of which have been discussed on this board. This re-distribution of the harvest has obviously benefitted some and not others. Where in all this lies the "truth" about the current duck hunting situation? I don't know. But regardless of the overall duck numbers and the harvest distribution numbers, and what such might really mean, one thing is certain: duck hunters are always going to complain about something. I think it has been a part of the sport for quite some time. 
And while duly noted, I don't think the bitch factor should enter the duck management equation in the setting of the seasons, bag limits,etc. Rather, such should be left to the best science available.+
What to do about the sitiation? Assuming that many of the factors negatively affecting our duck hunting in the south are outside of our control ---milder weather patterns, no-till farming practices, etc. ---- the only thing we can do to possibly improve things is to focus on those things that we can control to various degrees ----- season lengths, framework, bag limits, preserve and improve breeding habitat, preserve and improve wintering habitat, etc. And, if we would like to keep the current season length and bag limits, then it stands to reason that waterfowlers must focus more of our efforts on protecting and improving breeding habitat so that the duck numbers remain above desired goals and the table remains set to take full advantage of the next wet spring to achieve the highest possible duck production numbers.
I think it is logical to assume that if we increase the overall duck numbers, more ducks will fly south than otherwise, regardless of all the myriad reasons given for them being short-stopped, including increased harvest by northern states (harvest = the ultimate short-stop). And, John and DW are simply trying to reach all duck hunters with this message, and the warning that the status quo will ultimately result in what you do not want ---a return to 30 day seasons or even less.
We can quibble all day long and next over what the duck population numbers and harvest numbers really mean, but at the end of the day, what really matters the most to each individual hunter is how many ducks they saw over their decoys during the season. The "truth" is out there, but it is perceived differently by every hunter. Everyone has their own take on it, depending upon their measure of a good or successful season. I am admittedly not smart enough about duck biology and management to know if we currently have enough total ducks or not. But, I think everyone can universally agree that more would be better.
And while duly noted, I don't think the bitch factor should enter the duck management equation in the setting of the seasons, bag limits,etc. Rather, such should be left to the best science available.+
What to do about the sitiation? Assuming that many of the factors negatively affecting our duck hunting in the south are outside of our control ---milder weather patterns, no-till farming practices, etc. ---- the only thing we can do to possibly improve things is to focus on those things that we can control to various degrees ----- season lengths, framework, bag limits, preserve and improve breeding habitat, preserve and improve wintering habitat, etc. And, if we would like to keep the current season length and bag limits, then it stands to reason that waterfowlers must focus more of our efforts on protecting and improving breeding habitat so that the duck numbers remain above desired goals and the table remains set to take full advantage of the next wet spring to achieve the highest possible duck production numbers.
I think it is logical to assume that if we increase the overall duck numbers, more ducks will fly south than otherwise, regardless of all the myriad reasons given for them being short-stopped, including increased harvest by northern states (harvest = the ultimate short-stop). And, John and DW are simply trying to reach all duck hunters with this message, and the warning that the status quo will ultimately result in what you do not want ---a return to 30 day seasons or even less.
We can quibble all day long and next over what the duck population numbers and harvest numbers really mean, but at the end of the day, what really matters the most to each individual hunter is how many ducks they saw over their decoys during the season. The "truth" is out there, but it is perceived differently by every hunter. Everyone has their own take on it, depending upon their measure of a good or successful season. I am admittedly not smart enough about duck biology and management to know if we currently have enough total ducks or not. But, I think everyone can universally agree that more would be better.
You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning.
I cant believe people are'nt getting it! The MF' en spinners are a huge part of our problem. Think about it, the North continues to kill birds and the ones that make it South are hard to decoy. It dont take much to figure out that the bulk of the young birds are falling victim up north to the spinners, and the older WISER birds are the ones we contend with down here.
Dont you guys remember when spinners first hit? Any idiot with a handfull of D-cells and a Robo was killing limits. These things work on birds that have not been educated to them. Having said that I dont believe that is the sole reason for the problems, there is a list a mile long that has been well covered here a thousand times. However, I do believe that it is the BIGGEST one of the problems. If we got rid of these things all together I truly believe you would see a huge differance in less than 3 years.
Dont you guys remember when spinners first hit? Any idiot with a handfull of D-cells and a Robo was killing limits. These things work on birds that have not been educated to them. Having said that I dont believe that is the sole reason for the problems, there is a list a mile long that has been well covered here a thousand times. However, I do believe that it is the BIGGEST one of the problems. If we got rid of these things all together I truly believe you would see a huge differance in less than 3 years.
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BAY KINGFISHER
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yep
Limit the days, cut the limit, outlaw spinners, shoot only males when possible, support the conservation groups, self restraint, if you love duck hunting as much as I do you would be willing to do all of the above, hell I would go as far as closing the season to figure out the problem. I want my son and his son's son to enjoy the sport, just as I have. What we need is a complete revamping of waterfowling as we know it today, the on-slaught of duck hunting being made "cool" has ruined our sport. The almighty dollar strikes again!!!!!
HRCH Mr. Buck's Delta Do "Dee" MH
[quote="HARLEY"]I cant believe people are'nt getting it! The MF' en spinners are a huge part of our problem. Think about it, the North continues to kill birds and the ones that make it South are hard to decoy.[/quote]
Dittos on outlawing spinners!!! But it's going to be hard getting those $$$ earners to let go of them.
Dittos on outlawing spinners!!! But it's going to be hard getting those $$$ earners to let go of them.
The way I look at that........
I think the influx of hunters in the last 4 years put less emphasis on the traditional skill sets and have come to rely too much on the mojo to attract ducks. Granted, not everyone that uses a mojo is lacking in skill by any means......but I would say that the majority of the 'shooters' out there have become less particular about such things as concealment, calling, blind placement, decoy setting, and mobility, because they haven't been at it long enough to develop those skills.
So, let'em use mojos.......that way, when ducks that are educated to them get down here.......they'll know to shy away from those set-ups and look for something more natural and convincing looking. That's the way to address the 'pressure' thing.......looks like the ducks have already taken their own measures to address 'pressure'.......by identifying it......and adapting to it....shying away from it. I don't think that's a bad thing.
So see, the ducks don't need 'fixin'.......they got it all figured-out. The easier we think it becomes, the more they are determined to do whatever it takes to thrive and survive. We just have to be better at adapting to what THEY adapt to, huh? That way....when ducks get down here and you get'em in your decoys with their feet down......boy, you've really DONE something!
Personally, I think they oughta outlaw the mojo everywhere. We didn't have these problems 4 years ago with duck behavior. Maybe getting rid of mojos will either discourage folks with no skills, or make'em appreciate what it takes to develop some.......and thus, a greater appreciation for the sport and heritage of duck hunting.
Good post, Po Maw-key
I think the influx of hunters in the last 4 years put less emphasis on the traditional skill sets and have come to rely too much on the mojo to attract ducks. Granted, not everyone that uses a mojo is lacking in skill by any means......but I would say that the majority of the 'shooters' out there have become less particular about such things as concealment, calling, blind placement, decoy setting, and mobility, because they haven't been at it long enough to develop those skills.
So, let'em use mojos.......that way, when ducks that are educated to them get down here.......they'll know to shy away from those set-ups and look for something more natural and convincing looking. That's the way to address the 'pressure' thing.......looks like the ducks have already taken their own measures to address 'pressure'.......by identifying it......and adapting to it....shying away from it. I don't think that's a bad thing.
So see, the ducks don't need 'fixin'.......they got it all figured-out. The easier we think it becomes, the more they are determined to do whatever it takes to thrive and survive. We just have to be better at adapting to what THEY adapt to, huh?
That way....when ducks get down here and you get'em in your decoys with their feet down......boy, you've really DONE something!
Personally, I think they oughta outlaw the mojo everywhere. We didn't have these problems 4 years ago with duck behavior. Maybe getting rid of mojos will either discourage folks with no skills, or make'em appreciate what it takes to develop some.......and thus, a greater appreciation for the sport and heritage of duck hunting.
Good post, Po Maw-key
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