DU Loses It's Mind???

[weimhunter]

John wouldn"t "want " this, although I bet he is flattered. Maybe they make a lot of money, but maybe they're actually doing a whole lot of actual work running the organization. the doctor, the higher ups are running a pretty big organization, agreed???? How much do they take in every year?? How much are they supposed to make?? I wouldn't want the responsiblilty for $75,000/ year. I bet $250,000 a year for "the doctor" wouldn't be enough! We're all up in the air about lil ole MS, but they are a lot bigger than us. National. Continental. Would we like to have the guy we know still as our RD, yes. Is it the end of the world if somebody else does his job??? No. Did he get a chance to stay with them??? At the same rate of pay?? Yes. Pretty damn nice of 'em if you ask me. People get moved around everyday. Everybody on here has probably experienced it or knows of an example. Now, I don't know that it make sense to move him from here in order "to save money" just to another job paying the same amount, but I don't have all the info that the people that actually work for DU have. None of us do.

Yea, pretty damn nice of um to offer to send him to freaking Wisconsin. For all he has done for MS DU. I have most of the info you say we dont have and it is complete BULLCRAP. Yes bankerman I would be just as upset if BRF was let go. This was a spit in the face to MS DU. I will leave this thread on this note, I did not leave DU, they have left me! If anyone wants to call me from DU, please do. I would love to hear from you. I will still send my 25 dollars a year but I will not be writing them anymore 15,000 a year donations. 662-494-9449 THANKS

[the doctor]

prolly not bankermane, but things are slow here at the office for me in light of our plant's recent news that we too will be losing our jobs 1st qtr 2006, so it helps the day go by and gives me an avenue to vent

but, I have always had issues with the way the org was managed and their results beyond the state level

the doc

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Ironically, some of you have been bashing DU on this board for as long as I have been on the board ---and many in that category are the same ones now complaining about a loss of one of our RD's due to declining $$$ raised by MS for DU. You advocated against DU for years, encouraging folks not to give to DU. DU's $$ numbers declined. And then a somewhat logical consequence of that happens that perhaps you did not expect. So, now you are angry that DU made efforts to trim some overhead to maximize more $$ for the ducks, suggesting that there were other ways $$ could have been saved ---other heads that could have rolled. But, in the past, I have not heard any positive suggestions from any of you re DU ---EVER. All we have heard from most of you are harsh criticism, usually based upon nothing but emotion and misplaced anger, every chance you get, with the proposed solution being : "just don't contribute to DU". Not, " here is what could be done better". But, instead, "abandon DU altogether". Be careful what you wish for, there could be other unforeseen bad consequences from such actions.

I'm not bashing DW ( I am a member and supporter), but how many RDs does it have to cover MS? I can tell you : One. And that RD covers a territory much larger than just MS. Does this mean that DW just does not care about MS? Using the "logic" of some of you, that would be exactly what it must mean. But, I know that is not true, and so do you.

One of the positive attributes of DW that many cite, when comparing to DU, is that DW is more streamlined and cost conscious, putting more of a percentage of the money raised on the ground for the ducks. In other words, more bang for the buck. I don't know if such is really true or not, but that is what is suggested on this board time and time again. Is cost consciousness really a positive attribute that should be the deciding factor in where to give your conservation dollars? And if so, then how can you be mad at DU for trimming some costs in MS and other southern states whose dollars have declined?

And if it matters more how they trim the costs, then what amount of compensation do you suggest should be paid to the upper management of an organization that raises as much money as DU does? By comparison, how much do the executives at DW make? Are they overpaid too? And, by comparision, how many total dollars does DU raise as compared to DW? Should an organization that raises substantially more dollars than another pay their employees better than the one raising fewer dollars? How does DU's RD salaries compare to the salaries of DW's RDs. Are the RDs paid about right or too much? (I know BRF took a significant pay cut to go to work for DU to help a cause he is very passionate about). These are some things to ponder as some of you are making some very sweeping generalities in a very venomous tone.

A lot of you are making a lot of harsh conclusions based upon inadequate knowledge and facts. But, facts have never gotten in the way of a good ol DU rant on this board. It has never taken much to get some of you started on criticizing DU. Some things will never change.

[Dog's Eye]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I can't believe that some of you actually think 300k a year is unreasonable for an organization to purchase influence in top positions.

There are people all around you making that kind of money. Some are making much much more.

[savethehens]

ditto

[mottlet]

Weim,
You're a volunteer. I know you do it for free. That's not what I'm talking about. If somebody wants to come on here and criticize what Don Young makes for being the Executive VP when it's peanuts compared to what he could be making elsewhere, are they saying that they would RUN all of DU for free? Nobody would do that. Dog's Eye is right. If you think that DU is high, take a look around. If you're a volunteer in N. Miss. then you, unlike most on here, have a dog in this fight. I'm fine with that. But you're retaining your membership.

Why is he doing that Sporty?

mottlet

[h2o_dog]

Just wanted y'all to notice that I'm staying out of this, and that I haven't bashed DU in a long time.

[weimhunter]

Po Monkey I hope you did not make the above post towards me. I have never in the past said anything negative towards DU. I have worked my butt of for this organiztion and have defended it on several occasions. I will continue to defend its position on conservation. I just will always hold a grudge against them for what they did. I still have one more big check to write them in the next few months. I will see from know until the time of my DU banquet on 1/13/2006 goes if I will vol. and give my time. I hope to here from BRF and have his help for this banquet that is coming up. Maybe he can talk me into keeping one of the oldest chapters in MS going MS006! BRF please feel free to give me a call at anytime. I have no bad feelings towards you at all! PM me for my numbers. Po Monkey, I expect you to be at my West Point banquet 1/13/06

[mudsucker]

If DU had reduced the number of RD's to one and picked John, would there ever have been a discussion?

Yes sir I would be pizzed caused then they were messing with "our" guy! I think it is a mistake to go to one RD. I have heard nothing but positive things about RP. Hell, a few years back he coached the baseball team my nephew was on and got them DU jerseys. Zack was so proud of that he sent me a picture knowing of my vol. efforts. I guess it is from a bussiness standpoint that this downsizing was done. It sucks but that is the way of corporate America.
Joe Mitchell
Peon on the local level.

[SoftCall]

PML is right...there are some folks jumping on this bandwagon and they are the same one's that bashed DU when there were two RD's on board (you know who you are). I think that it sucks that someone's friend was RIF'd and I admire folks that go to bat for their friends.

the light bulb just went off. Some that are fueling this fire have been bashing DU for a long time. Why act like they have just recently lost their mind when you thought they lost it a long time ago? Where did this revelation come from so suddenly? I call it rhetoric.

Some folks in the thread are fueled by emotion and that is understandable. Others are fueled out of pure boredom...remember that when you jump on their wagon.

After this realization...to me..this has also turned into a bunch of internet flib flab jib jab adabba doo doo...IMO.

I am sending my check to DU...I am supporting DW....I am going to get drunk at the next banquet and buy something....after I go shoot some ducks. Thank you DU...thank you DW...Thank you to the USFWS and thank you to all that support these organizations, those that enforce our game laws, those that follow them and those that respect their fellow hunters in the field.

[mudsucker]

Hell I am out the door now for a DU function. I will see BRF!

[Po Monkey Lounger]

"Po Monkey, I expect you to be at my West Point banquet 1/13/06 "

Weimhunter, be careful what you wish for. By god, I may just come. BUT, only if this banquet will be positive for DU, and not just a last hooray for West Point with folks using it as an opportunity to lash out at DU on the way out of the door. I don't want to be a part of that type of nonsense or a martyr pity party.

And no, I was not talking about you, weimhunter. I used the terms "some" and "most", not "all". The ones that fit this description know who they are without me compiling a long list.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

BTW, well said Soft Call. You da man.

[Caller1]

I like that, Softcall. the doctor, I wish you were as supposedly adamant about government. Holding everyone accountable and all.

Heard it from a good source today that MS going to a one RD state has been in the works for 3-4 months. No surprise to JP or BRF. What do you think of that?

I think that from a "running the org." position they probably made what they tought was the best decision. They, the higher ups, just had no idea who they were dealing with in the form of the already pissed North MS, and Delta particularly. I would pay JP $80 K just to sit at home. Its going to cost them more than its worth to let him go. Saving his salary and dimwittingly forfeiting $300 K or more from supporters.

Do I think one RD is enough?? Absolutely. Alot of folks cover more territory than that.

Is any of this going to change the future of DU. Probably not. He!! Mississppi is not even on the National DU website's activities/banquets list!!
MS who?

[rebelduckaholic]

Well I have not kept up with this whole thread. Gettin a little out of hand with 9 pages and all. But Has anybody seen the new DU Spinners.