DuckSouth.com

I served for many years on our local DU chapter from a committee member to the Chairman position....I'm wondering what ya'll think are the comparisons of a Delta chapter vs. DU both good and bad? I would like to see some input and not any bashing...I support them both for the ducks...
thanks,
barq's

serving in a chapter is going to vary location to location just because of the difference in people.
I haven't served in a chapter in a while, still support both.

I support them both but mostly for the magazines, literature, etc. I firmly believe neither org hurts the effort to conserve but also firmly believe the effort is no where near the help they each portray. Its marketing competing for expendable income plain and simple. Thats a pro and a con of each.

Last year DU even touted that there were more ducks since we begin counting one issue after an article about how we've never had fewer acres of wetlands. Them ducks been here for lots of years and gonna be for years to come as long as groups like DU and DW dont over influence the science and good sense used to set the limits. You want to truly conserve ducks...quit shooting them. If not you can send a few bucks to DU and DW so you can sleep at night.

the doc

They are both great organizations. They have both done and continue to do many great things for duck production and duck hunters. I would research each org's mission statement and their "actual" mission and volunteer your time to the one that your thoughts/beliefs are most closely aligned with, or just volunteer for both!

Having served on DU's local committees, I know pretty much know their routine...I should have clarified that better. I more or less was asking for input from someone that has served or is serving on a Delta committee...
Thanks,
Barq

Habitat, Habitat, Habitat, Habitat... once you have that... more habitat.....

whether its ducks or turkeys, I work for NWTF so I am bringing up turkeys into this... The most critical need is habitat. all the other stuff takes a huge back seat to habitat. If you believe what I am saying about habitat then the choice should be clear....... or like others have said support both.....

Or let us know because we would love to have you support NWTF as well.

Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.

What percentage of donations, membership money, events, ect go towards habitat vs paying salaries and non habitat related finances out of the 3 mentioned above? Basically what percentage per dollar goes into the ground is what I'm asking. That is a question you don't see asked much. I have been told what DU's and DW's are but can't think of them off the top of my head

Since '95 DU has received nearly $44M in conservation payments through the WRP program, and they are a country mile ahead of the next closest recipient. According to their 2013 annual report, nearly 45% of their budget is derived from "federal and state habitat support" i.e. tax dollars. I choose to support DW by my own free will, I support DU by government decree.

JaMak84 wrote:Since '95 DU has received nearly $44M in conservation payments through the WRP program, and they are a country mile ahead of the next closest recipient. According to their 2013 annual report, nearly 45% of their budget is derived from "federal and state habitat support" i.e. tax dollars. I choose to support DW by my own free will, I support DU by government decree.

I like that..........

Very well said JaMak84

JaMak84 wrote:Since '95 DU has received nearly $44M in conservation payments through the WRP program, and they are a country mile ahead of the next closest recipient.

Did not know this. Looked up the financials.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.c ... -g4eFvfZDh
REVENUE
Contributions
Contributions, Gifts & Grants - $32,184,911
Federated Campaigns - $406,557
Membership Dues - $18,742,745
Fundraising Events - $22,808,171
Related Organizations - $333,099
Government Grants - $83,449,704
Total Contributions - $157,925,187
Program Service Revenue - $0
Total Primary Revenue - $157,925,187
Other Revenue - $27,223,658
TOTAL REVENUE - $185,148,845

Disclaimer: Below is merely an opinion and not substantiated by facts...

I have always felt that DU has a better presence ($$$) in Washington, D.C. thus more influence that will hopefully translate to more habitat and more ducks through better representation for those who give a $@%! about ducks.

I served as treasurer for the Bulldog Chapter (MSU) of DU when I was in undergrad, and have no experience with Delta Waterfowl. Bottom line is, $25 or whatever it is these days for a membership is a wise investment regardless of your ideals of how the money should be allocated or your perception of individual groups. Only a fool would believe that a few dollars a year will translate into you personally killing more ducks as a direct result of your annual subscription. However, the combined minimal fees of tens of thousand members keeps everything rolling in D.C. and helps our minority of like-minded individuals achieve decent representation. I try to support as many outdoor interest groups as possible, well at least as many as I can remember to renew each year. I look at it like a simple tax on my interest in the outdoors. I know my small contribution will not equate to more meat in the freezer, but at least I did as much as personal motivation allowed.

I hope the sum of all involvement by us outdoorsmen insure the opportunities for the generations to come. If we all say, "well this $25 isn't going to help anything", we are part of the problem and not the solution. Meaningful conversations with people who have the authority and influence to make changes in our best interest are very expensive. I have no delusion of this, it's the way of the world and always has been. I have no problem supporting organizations who pay attorneys and lobbyists to maintain relationships in D.C. This is the part where I think DU has the upper hand on DW. Regardless, if I ever have the opportunity to represent an outdoor interest group I will try to take it...

It's all bullshiz

I am an avid duck hunter. I live in north ms and there is a game area that d.u. (Helped) to construct into a waterfowl resting area. The sign for the area is about 25 yards off the gravel road and you can not even see the sign in the winter time because of all the brush grown up around it. The sign is a big nice sign with a roof on it and all the doozy signs from d.u. Quail unlimited. Nwtf usda etc. I know it's the states responsibility to maintain. But it'd be nice if d.u. Or delta w helped to up keep it. The place has turned into nothing but over grown fields and rusted tight well pumps.

the doctor wrote:You want to truly conserve ducks...quit shooting them. If not you can send a few bucks to DU and DW so you can sleep at night.

the doc

That's extremely naive logic. Hunting accounts for around 5% of the amount of ducks that die each year. On top of that, the vast majority of conservation funds that come in for waterfowl conservation comes from people who hunt them. I'm not going to wave the flag for one particular organization, but without the efforts of DU, The Nature Conservancy and other habitat conservation minded organizations, you can believe that the duck numbers would be a small fraction of what they are today. A huge portion of what the reputable conservation organizations do is behind the scenes. Working to make sure that federal environmental funding goes to appropriate places, for critical conservation initiatives like CRP programs for instance. If you think CRP would have ever happened if it weren't for smart conservationists bending key political ears, you would be hopelessly wrong.

Delta is a research organization. Anything else they try and sell you on what they "do" is a marketing gimmick.