# State Waterfowl Association



## culprit73

I am looking to see if anyone else out there thinks that we need a state waterfowl association.  I lived in NC for several years and they had one. DU does a fine job but I believe that we should have a group that is specifically dedicated to Ga. Does anyone else agree?


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## GADawg08

there's already one here.....its called Duck Dynasty and from what I hear, the application process to be a board member is pretty strenuous


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## rnelson5

I know there used to be the Georgia waterfowl association. Idk if the fizzled out or what.


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## culprit73

I heard the same thing about the Georgia Waterfowl Association


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## Duckbuster82

What is your goal with this group? Raise money for local projects, do the actual work, is it going to be public land or private? Or you just looking for a group to drink beer with and talk duck hunting?


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## hrstille

Improving Ga habitat is simple. Plant some oaks around water. Wood ducks eat acorns. We primarily have wood ducks. Problem solved. The other fix would be to move state line west into a decent flyaway. Unfortunately that would be difficult and require much paperwork.


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## across the river

culprit73 said:


> I am looking to see if anyone else out there thinks that we need a state waterfowl association.  I lived in NC for several years and they had one. DU does a fine job but I believe that we should have a group that is specifically dedicated to Ga. Does anyone else agree?





Duckbuster82 said:


> What is your goal with this group? Raise money for local projects, do the actual work, is it going to be public land or private? Or you just looking for a group to drink beer with and talk duck hunting?



This comes up over and over and the problem with trying to do anything in Georgia is it is difficult to do anything that will really have any impact.   If somebody gives you money, they want to know what it is going to.  Georgia isn't a breeding ground, so outside of putting up wood duck boxes, there is nothing you can do locally within the state.   Any money spent on public land is pretty much a waste, because it will get way too much hunting pressure and won't be maintained.  DU has done project overs the years here, and most of those haven't even been kept up by the state.   Private land is the way to go, but how are you going to collect money from people to build something on private land that they aren't going to get to hunt.  Unfortunately, there just really isn't anything you can to that will have any dramatic impact on public land opportunities.


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## killerv

Been tried, I think GWA lasted two years tops...atleast the macon chapter did.


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## culprit73

I was thinking of something like NC has, I know they're on a flyway so they will have more ducks, I used to live in eastern NC and there were several impoundments and more public land access, I guess I'd just like to see more of that around here, could be wishful thinking.


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## king killer delete

Welcome to Georgia


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## Marverylo287

Public land access is key. There needs to be a group that fights for that. 
This state makes a lot of money off of duck hunters but doesn't seem to want to give anything back... They sure do like to pop us for any CensoredCensored problem with our boats or a forgotten license... Since you have to have 4 different licenses to shoot a duck. We buy equipment from cabelas, basspro, academy, dick's, and gander all over the state which is taxed and also contributes to the local economy. There are some cool dnr officers out there but it seems a majority are out there trying to make up revenue in duck season.


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## MudDucker

Been there, done that, lost the t-shirt.


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## across the river

Marverylo287 said:


> Public land access is key. There needs to be a group that fights for that.
> This state makes a lot of money off of duck hunters but doesn't seem to want to give anything back... They sure do like to pop us for any CensoredCensored problem with our boats or a forgotten license... Since you have to have 4 different licenses to shoot a duck. We buy equipment from cabelas, basspro, academy, dick's, and gander all over the state which is taxed and also contributes to the local economy. There are some cool dnr officers out there but it seems a majority are out there trying to make up revenue in duck season.




They really don't make much of anything off of duck hunters.  They typically sell less that 20,000 Georgia waterfowl licenses a year.  The federal duck stamp money goes to the feds, so outside of what the state gets for NWRs, that money doesn't go to Georgia.  The Georgia waterfowl license is $5.50, so the state gets a whopping $100,000 of revenue devoted to water fowlers.  In salaries alone it would cost more that that to maintain Butler and Dan Denton.   If anything, the waterfowl areas you do have now are being subsidized by deer hunters and tax payers.
The problem is and will always be the fact that there are 10 million people in a state that realistically probably has less migrating ducks passing through than nearly any other state in the Union.   You can't raise enough money to even begin creating enough habitat to change the supply verses demand scenario.  No one is going to donate a bunch of money to go to create a "wetland" that gets sky busted every weekend and overrun with yahoos.  That had rather put that money toward something for them.  At the same time, people aren't going to donate $25, $50, or $100 dollars to an organization that spends the money on private land someone else owns and gets to hunt, which is really the best way to make it sure the property gets manages and maintained.   So what you are left with is what we have now.  People with private land and the funds to manage it have pretty good places to hunt, especially for Georgia.   People who don't have the land or money, are left beaten around public land with way to many other people, and are left wishing someone would somehow magically create more duck habitat to hunt.  It is what it is.


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## Marverylo287

across the river said:


> They really don't make much of anything off of duck hunters.  They typically sell less that 20,000 Georgia waterfowl licenses a year.  The federal duck stamp money goes to the feds, so outside of what the state gets for NWRs, that money doesn't go to Georgia.  The Georgia waterfowl license is $5.50, so the state gets a whopping $100,000 of revenue devoted to water fowlers.  In salaries alone it would cost more that that to maintain Butler and Dan Denton.   If anything, the waterfowl areas you do have now are being subsidized by deer hunters and tax payers.
> The problem is and will always be the fact that there are 10 million people in a state that realistically probably has less migrating ducks passing through than nearly any other state in the Union.   You can't raise enough money to even begin creating enough habitat to change the supply verses demand scenario.  No one is going to donate a bunch of money to go to create a "wetland" that gets sky busted every weekend and overrun with yahoos.  That had rather put that money toward something for them.  At the same time, people aren't going to donate $25, $50, or $100 dollars to an organization that spends the money on private land someone else owns and gets to hunt, which is really the best way to make it sure the property gets manages and maintained.   So what you are left with is what we have now.  People with private land and the funds to manage it have pretty good places to hunt, especially for Georgia.   People who don't have the land or money, are left beaten around public land with way to many other people, and are left wishing someone would somehow magically create more duck habitat to hunt.  It is what it is.



WMA stamps, hunting license, and all the tickets they write make up way more than $100k. Tax revenue off of equipment. Boat registration. It's more than 100k


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## across the river

Marverylo287 said:


> WMA stamps, hunting license, and all the tickets they write make up way more than $100k. Tax revenue off of equipment. Boat registration. It's more than 100k



The money from any ticket paid goes to the county in which the ticket was written, not the DNR. The same is true for boat registration.  This money is going to the general fund, not wildlife management.   Taxes on equipment you mention also go the county, and some goes to the state.   The overwhelming majority of the WMA and license money comes from deer hunters.   The only money they get specifically designated for waterfowl is the waterfowl stamp, and as I already mentioned, it is not enough to do anything with.

Even if they could capture every single penny of taxes and fees associated with water fowling, it still wouldn't be even a tenth of a percent of what you need to make any meaningful impact.   Here is what people fail to consider every time a conversation  like this comes up.   The birds in any of the "flyway states" aren't there because of anything the government has done in that state.   They are there because of the million of acres of agriculture (hence food) in the area.   That is why they keep going back to the same areas year after year.    The DNR couldn't build enough habitat in the middle of the pine trees and cotton fields of Georgia to change anything.   However if you build some impoundments or flood some timber in the middle of thousands of acres of rice or corn fields, then birds in the area will use it, because they are already there.  It wouldn't work here, because there aren't many ducks.   It would be pointless to dump a bunch of money into public projects, because large concentrations of waterfowl just don't fly through Georgia. 

 You have public spots in the state now that get hunting once per week tops via quota, and folks wait years to get drawn.    If all it took was for the DNR to "create a public place", you would think these "managed" areas would be stellar.  They are not that good, ever.   Year after year, Butler will have a couple of blinds holding birds, and 28 blinds with nothing but  people sky busting.  Dan Denton might yield a decent hunt or two per year, but if it was as simple as building more public opportunities, the ones we have would be great.  Even the best high dollar private spots in the state can't produce more than a hunt a week or so.  Why, because there just aren't that many birds passing through.   There just aren't the birds here to make it worthwhile, and there is nothing the DNR can do to change that.


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## Duckbuster82

Yea but most private corn ponds produce decent birds. I know of several ponds and swamps that are private unplanted and they produce birds. So there are birds here. I have killed lots of birds off public ground in Georgia. The habitat that was here a few years ago is going away. Most of the lakes that were full of grass no longer are.


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## Marverylo287

across the river said:


> The money from any ticket paid goes to the county in which the ticket was written, not the DNR. The same is true for boat registration.  This money is going to the general fund, not wildlife management.   Taxes on equipment you mention also go the county, and some goes to the state.   The overwhelming majority of the WMA and license money comes from deer hunters.   The only money they get specifically designated for waterfowl is the waterfowl stamp, and as I already mentioned, it is not enough to do anything with.
> 
> Even if they could capture every single penny of taxes and fees associated with water fowling, it still wouldn't be even a tenth of a percent of what you need to make any meaningful impact.   Here is what people fail to consider every time a conversation  like this comes up.   The birds in any of the "flyway states" aren't there because of anything the government has done in that state.   They are there because of the million of acres of agriculture (hence food) in the area.   That is why they keep going back to the same areas year after year.    The DNR couldn't build enough habitat in the middle of the pine trees and cotton fields of Georgia to change anything.   However if you build some impoundments or flood some timber in the middle of thousands of acres of rice or corn fields, then birds in the area will use it, because they are already there.  It wouldn't work here, because there aren't many ducks.   It would be pointless to dump a bunch of money into public projects, because large concentrations of waterfowl just don't fly through Georgia.
> 
> You have public spots in the state now that get hunting once per week tops via quota, and folks wait years to get drawn.    If all it took was for the DNR to "create a public place", you would think these "managed" areas would be stellar.  They are not that good, ever.   Year after year, Butler will have a couple of blinds holding birds, and 28 blinds with nothing but  people sky busting.  Dan Denton might yield a decent hunt or two per year, but if it was as simple as building more public opportunities, the ones we have would be great.  Even the best high dollar private spots in the state can't produce more than a hunt a week or so.  Why, because there just aren't that many birds passing through.   There just aren't the birds here to make it worthwhile, and there is nothing the DNR can do to change that.



I'm not asking them to build habitat. If you'd look at my first post in this thread I said there needs to be more public land opened.


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## across the river

Marverylo287 said:


> I'm not asking them to build habitat. If you'd look at my first post in this thread I said there needs to be more public land opened.



What public land is closed that you think they should open?


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## king killer delete

Georgia has the second largest amount of salt marsh in the U.S. and most of it open to hunting and fishing. That's allot of public land. Just most folks just don't want to hunt it. It starts at the South Carolina Border and stops at the Florida border and then we have allot of big water out on the coast.


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## Marverylo287

king killer delete said:


> Georgia has the second largest amount of salt marsh in the U.S. and most of it open to hunting and fishing. That's allot of public land. Just most folks just don't want to hunt it. It starts at the South Carolina Border and stops at the Florida border and then we have allot of big water out on the coast.


 You want all of us coming down there to your territory?
Honestly I'm three hours away and haven't the slightest idea of where I would be allowed to hunt. Also very limited experience with falling and rising tides which would amount to me getting sucked out to sea or burning up the prop on my motor when the water went out from under my boat. Not mention the impact the salt water has on your gear and driving down only to find the conditions too rough to go out into.


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## Marverylo287

across the river said:


> What public land is closed that you think they should open?



I could name a few reservoirs within 15 minutes of my house that hold lots of ducks and are closed to hunting. 
Now I know they hold ducks bc they are closed to hunting, and are also controlled by the counties, but it seems to be working for Henry county to do a quota system, the state could definitely do something to help out with that.


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## across the river

Marverylo287 said:


> I could name a few reservoirs within 15 minutes of my house that hold lots of ducks and are closed to hunting.
> Now I know they hold ducks bc they are closed to hunting, and are also controlled by the counties, but it seems to be working for Henry county to do a quota system, the state could definitely do something to help out with that.



So the state is going to force the county to open up ponds the controls to a statewide quota system, because a group formed a Georgia Waterfowl association that asked for more public land opportunities?   This is what you believe is the path forward?  Seriously, I am just trying to understand.


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## king killer delete

Marverylo287 said:


> You want all of us coming down there to your territory?
> Honestly I'm three hours away and haven't the slightest idea of where I would be allowed to hunt. Also very limited experience with falling and rising tides which would amount to me getting sucked out to sea or burning up the prop on my motor when the water went out from under my boat. Not mention the impact the salt water has on your gear and driving down only to find the conditions too rough to go out into.


Come on down. Just got to wash your stuff and educate yourself on how to hunt it. We got miles and miles of coast. People fish it all year long and duck hunt it during the season. It ain't rocket science.


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## Marverylo287

across the river said:


> So the state is going to force the county to open up ponds the controls to a statewide quota system, because a group formed a Georgia Waterfowl association that asked for more public land opportunities?   This is what you believe is the path forward?  Seriously, I am just trying to understand.



Don't try to put words in my mouth or act like I'm an idiot for saying more could be done by this state there chief. We are talking about a state that is sandwiched by two states that don't have income taxes while we still do. A state that only recently allowed Sunday alcohol sales and fireworks when all the surrounding states have had them my entire life. Georgia has a history of bad governorship and corrupt politicians mismanaging this entire state. 
All im saying is the state could do more. I never said force them to open it up, You said that!  but perhaps educate them and help counties to develop a system to open their reservoirs to quota hunts like Henry county has done.
That would benefit


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## king killer delete

I have been in Georgia since 1978 and I have worked for DU and have tried to do what you are asking. What you are asking, what you think you would try to get done. Just ain't going to happen. The Federal wild life systems have been taken over by tree hugers and bird watchers. This year the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge tried to open up one of the impoundments for a Saturday youth hunt for a couple of hunts. Former employees and bird watchers turned out in numbers to stop the proposed hunts. It is a fact that hunting in general is under attack. This is just an example of the push back you would get. I was the only hunter at the hearing and all I heard was we're not against hunting which I knew was not true. Hunting is on the down turn. The only reason that the deer hunters get away with it is because nobody wants that car insurance rate to go up. I am sorry but what you would like to happen is not going to happen. Now don't get me wrong I support your idea but I also have been around long enough to understand how things go. Good Luck.


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## king killer delete

Keep it civil


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## Duckbuster82

king killer delete said:


> I have been in Georgia since 1978 and I have worked for DU and have tried to do what you are asking. What you are asking, what you think you would try to get done. Just ain't going to happen. The Federal wild life systems have been taken over by tree hugers and bird watchers. This year the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge tried to open up one of the impoundments for a Saturday youth hunt for a couple of hunts. Former employees and bird watchers turned out in numbers to stop the proposed hunts. It is a fact that hunting in general is under attack. This is just an example of the push back you would get. I was the only hunter at the hearing and all I heard was we're not against hunting which I knew was not true. Hunting is on the down turn. The only reason that the deer hunters get away with it is because nobody wants that car insurance rate to go up. I am sorry but what you would like to happen is not going to happen. Now don't get me wrong I support your idea but I also have been around long enough to understand how things go. Good Luck.



The problem is too many people want to complain about the situation and do nothing while groups like the bird watchers have come together lawyerd up and lobbied to get what they want.


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## king killer delete

Duckbuster82 said:


> The problem is too many people want to complain about the situation and do nothing while groups like the bird watchers have come together lawyerd up and lobbied to get what they want.


Your right. They have been appointed and been hired in the lower levels in the Federal Government. These positions matter. The regulations are written against the hunter by people that do not hunt. It just not hunting , it is every part of the Federal Government. Look at the VA or social security or the IRS. The poor guy that works for a living that is trying to hunt Legally is way behind the power curve. Some person can make a complaint and the LEO has to follow up. Several years ago the bird watchers called the Game Wardens out to complain about folks hunting legal. The game wardens came checked the hunters and told the bird watchers that it was duck season and there was nothing they could do about it. Nonetheless every hunter in that area had to deal with them. I had them try to run birds away from my decoys. Didn't work but they sure did it. These people will try to use the law against the hunter. That's why it is very important to do everything right.


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## Marverylo287

king killer delete said:


> Your right. They have been appointed and been hired in the lower levels in the Federal Government. These positions matter. The regulations are written against the hunter by people that do not hunt. It just not hunting , it is every part of the Federal Government. Look at the VA or social security or the IRS. The poor guy that works for a living that is trying to hunt Legally is way behind the power curve. Some person can make a complaint and the LEO has to follow up. Several years ago the bird watchers called the Game Wardens out to complain about folks hunting legal. The game wardens came checked the hunters and told the bird watchers that it was duck season and there was nothing they could do about it. Nonetheless every hunter in that area had to deal with them. I had them try to run birds away from my decoys. Didn't work but they sure did it. These people will try to use the law against the hunter. That's why it is very important to do everything right.



Kinda like all the protesting going on, those people apparently have the time to protest and form bird watchers organizations. People like us are too busy working for a living and taking care of our families to form a lobbying a group for hunters, most people assume DU is doing everything they can to improve duck hunting but I don't believe that to be so in places without many ducks like Georgia. I don't know what the laws are about taking water from a creek during drought but they let the DU impoundment at Joe kurz go dry this year and they have a pump and water line right there. If they weren't legally allowed to take the water I understand, but if they could have then that's pretty sorry.


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## king killer delete

DU approached the Feds many years ago about improving the SNWR in areas where hunting was allowed. The bottom line was no way. Now understand not all the areas that are open to waterfowl hunting are not all the areas open to hunting. All types of hunting are allowed. Very few of the areas that are open to waterfowl hunting are huntable. Example you can not hunt with in 50 yards of the main river channels. Where do you put out your decoys? This means you that you can not be in shotgun range of some of the main channels. Now add to that you not only have to have a duck stamp you now have to buy an additional Refuge pass. Bird watchers do not have to buy the pass.
So not only do you pay your taxes. You buy a duck stamp and now a Refuge pass.


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## king killer delete

It's like this you are bad , you are a hunter. Allot of these groups are not for jobs unless they are green jobs. They don't like guns, guns are used in crime. You are probably not politically correct. 
You are everything that they hate. The politicians listen not to you but to these people. It's like guns. You have a right to have your gun, you don't have a right to have ammo. Now you guys will say killers is just some old nut. Maybe but it sure does seem to be tied together. That means that you and your ideas are not high on the priority list for the politicians. The deer hunters have a much bigger voice than that of the duck hunters. I would love to have more places to duck and goose hunt but it takes money and power. These are two things we as a group don't have.


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## Marverylo287

Let's turn this topic on its head. What DOES the state do for waterfowl hunters in Georgia? Maybe they do more than I realize?


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## king killer delete

Marverylo287 said:


> Let's turn this topic on its head. What DOES the state do for waterfowl hunters in Georgia? Maybe they do more than I realize?



Several WMA quota hunts and the Altamaha Waterfowl MA. I am not sure what they do in the western part of the state.


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## across the river

Duckbuster82 said:


> The problem is too many people want to complain about the situation and do nothing while groups like the bird watchers have come together lawyerd up and lobbied to get what they want.



I completely disagree.   I think a large number of hunters do plenty.   There secure private land in Georgia and make the best of what they have.   They go out of state and hunt in a flyway.   The save money all year so they can go other places where they have better opportunities.   I don't think the majority of those people really care if they open up more public land in Georgia, because they know they will be just like the public land we have now.  Too many people and too few birds.    People sky busting, running birds up constantly in a boat, "scouting" birds by jumping them the moment they land, and so on.   It is those actively that mess up the public land we have now.   Why would you want more of that.


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## MudDucker

One of the problems is that we are a very large state and that makes it difficult to get folks to a meeting.  Having said that, United Waterfowler in Florida has 2 per year and they have a good working relationship with federal and state wildlife agencies.

It takes someone who is both a diplomat and an energizer bunny to build the relationship and push the duck hunters agenda.

A retired biologist that loves duck hunting would be a great choice.

Georgia Waterfowler has tried and we used to have well attended get togethers, but it was mostly social and to raise money for young duck hunters.


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## Marverylo287

across the river said:


> I completely disagree.   I think a large number of hunters do plenty.   There secure private land in Georgia and make the best of what they have.   They go out of state and hunt in a flyway.   The save money all year so they can go other places where they have better opportunities.   I don't think the majority of those people really care if they open up more public land in Georgia, because they know they will be just like the public land we have now.  Too many people and too few birds.    People sky busting, running birds up constantly in a boat, "scouting" birds by jumping them the moment they land, and so on.   It is those actively that mess up the public land we have now.   Why would you want more of that.



I was thinking the same thing and didn't want to say it.
More open public land. More uninformed "duck hunters" out there over crowding and doing stupid and illegal things.
I am looking HARD for a lease right now but hitting many dead ends so far. Anyone who has a private duck hole is hunting it themselves or the lease holder is not letting it go and I can't blame either of them because once I find myself a duck hole I won't let it go any time soon.


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## king killer delete

We all suffer this. I have seen the running and gunning mergansers on the salt water.


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## Marverylo287

We don't ever run and gun, but we are known to sneak up on a raft of divers in a kayak when it's been a slow day.
I really need to get a scull boat.


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## king killer delete

Marverylo287 said:


> We don't ever run and gun, but we are known to sneak up on a raft of divers in a kayak when it's been a slow day.
> I really need to get a scull boat.


I have floated with tide and my blind up and my motor out of the water which is perfectly legal just as paddling up to a raft of divers is .Theses guys were under power.


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## rnelson5

across the river said:


> I completely disagree.   I think a large number of hunters do plenty.   There secure private land in Georgia and make the best of what they have.   They go out of state and hunt in a flyway.   The save money all year so they can go other places where they have better opportunities.   I don't think the majority of those people really care if they open up more public land in Georgia, because they know they will be just like the public land we have now.  Too many people and too few birds.    People sky busting, running birds up constantly in a boat, "scouting" birds by jumping them the moment they land, and so on.   It is those actively that mess up the public land we have now.   Why would you want more of that.


Once you see the light there isn't any looking back. This post pretty much sums it up.


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## Marverylo287

Where are y'all finding private land? Own it? Timber company lease? Permission from someone you know?


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## king killer delete

http://forum.gon.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=100


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## Marverylo287

king killer delete said:


> http://forum.gon.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=100



Yeah but I don't wanna join somebody's deer lease with 20 members and stricter rules than this forum has. I just need about 20-40 acres of worthless swamp land.


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## Barebowyer

Interesting post here for sure.....I cannot add too much input as I have only been in Ga for nearly three years.  I can say that there are plenty of people doing dumb, inexperienced things all throughout the woods, on the roads, from their trucks, etc in and out of the season and not just on the waterways and swamps.  Where I was raised, these things rarely occurred and were pretty big news but here in middle Georgia, it is commonplace.  I have personally encountered it more in three years here than in 39 years in Va.  I understand there's a lot more deer woods than duck holes, lakes, etc, I am just making a point.  I think we all would benefit as hunters in general, of all species, if some ethics were put into our youths and new hunters.  Just my .02.


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## king killer delete

Marverylo287 said:


> Yeah but I don't wanna join somebody's deer lease with 20 members and stricter rules than this forum has. I just need about 20-40 acres of worthless swamp land.



Post that you are looking for a spot like that.


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## bigE1995

Solution: 
1. Restart the waterfowl association. SC has one, NC has one, nearly every state has one. Get five notable land owners/well known GA residents that give actually care about hunting to join and support it.
2. Petition a raise in the state stamp from $5.50 to $80 a year, which will easily raise state funding to over 1 million a year. This will also weed out the hunters that are not willing to pay $80 to participate in public conservation (you don't want these hunters on the water anyway).
3. Use your newly founded waterfowl association to help direct the state in ways to spend that money on waterfowl habitat enhancement. 

For all the people saying its a waist of time you should rethink your logic. I have personally built 2 half acre duck ponds an hour south of Atlanta (where apparently there are no ducks according to some of these forums). These ponds were built in a couple hours using my tractor and a skid loader to create a shallow dyke to hold in the water. Both ponds hold about 300 ducks on average throughout the season, and are planted with millet and sorghum. 2/3 of the ducks on these ponds are not woodducks, but are a mix of teal, gadwall, mallards, and ringnecks. Habitat enhancement on the coast would have amazing results, and habitat enhancement throughout the coastal plain and piedmont would have good results as well. A new wetland could be built/restored/planted every year, made a refuge for two years to attract the ducks, then opened to limited(wed. sat. only) public hunting. Other states are doing it, and it works great. I guess it makes too much sense for us though.

Q-"How much difference could managed duck habitats make?"
A- One acre of unharvested corn can feed 25,669 ducks per day, and one acre of manged moist soil wetlands can feed 8,562 ducks per day (NRCS, USFWS. 2007).


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## WOODIE13

Grass roots orgs are great, but for the stamp increase, it typically goes to a general fund.

With that said, I was part of the VA waterfowl association, but once some of the founders left (mostly military) it fell off.   Dedication, time and connections are key to getting one up and running (plus keeping it running).

Sweat equity goes along ways with the DNR, something they are lacking now days


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## flatsmaster

Big E makes some good points ...you certainly have to pay to play ... . I'm curious how many people and how many days a wk do u hunt ur 2 1/2 acre impoundments??? You can have ducks with no pressure ... I'm in Fl but I'm sure there's plenty of places in Ga that holds ducks where u can't hunt or it's very limited .... I have a personal lake that's holding 300 ducks but we hunted it once all year ... spent my time in Ms


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## Marverylo287

bigE1995 said:


> Solution:
> 1. Restart the waterfowl association. SC has one, NC has one, nearly every state has one. Get five notable land owners/well known GA residents that give actually care about hunting to join and support it.
> 2. Petition a raise in the state stamp from $5.50 to $80 a year, which will easily raise state funding to over 1 million a year. This will also weed out the hunters that are not willing to pay $80 to participate in public conservation (you don't want these hunters on the water anyway).
> 3. Use your newly founded waterfowl association to help direct the state in ways to spend that money on waterfowl habitat enhancement.
> 
> For all the people saying its a waist of time you should rethink your logic. I have personally built 2 half acre duck ponds an hour south of Atlanta (where apparently there are no ducks according to some of these forums). These ponds were built in a couple hours using my tractor and a skid loader to create a shallow dyke to hold in the water. Both ponds hold about 300 ducks on average throughout the season, and are planted with millet and sorghum. 2/3 of the ducks on these ponds are not woodducks, but are a mix of teal, gadwall, mallards, and ringnecks. Habitat enhancement on the coast would have amazing results, and habitat enhancement throughout the coastal plain and piedmont would have good results as well. A new wetland could be built/restored/planted every year, made a refuge for two years to attract the ducks, then opened to limited(wed. sat. only) public hunting. Other states are doing it, and it works great. I guess it makes too much sense for us though.
> 
> Q-"How much difference could managed duck habitats make?"
> A- One acre of unharvested corn can feed 25,669 ducks per day, and one acre of manged moist soil wetlands can feed 8,562 ducks per day (NRCS, USFWS. 2007).



I would really like to see how you created duck habitat, I'm not far from you over here in Griffin and looking to get my own duck hole. Do you have any pictures or advice on how to do it?


----------



## Water Swat

Bige is dead on. We've built similar duck swamps/ponds/flooded fields in north georgia with great success as well. Hunt em every 6-10 days and there are always ducks on them. Variety of species. Apart from having to rent a big pump this year to pump a field the expense isn't much more than planting your deer plots once you do a little tractor work. All done with a skid steer. If you want it , it can be done.


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## WOODIE13

You want to help plus up wood duck boxes here?  All goes hand in hand.  Working out the details, in the end, our ducks are yours, vice versa


----------



## across the river

bigE1995 said:


> Solution:
> 1. Restart the waterfowl association. SC has one, NC has one, nearly every state has one. Get five notable land owners/well known GA residents that give actually care about hunting to join and support it.
> 2. Petition a raise in the state stamp from $5.50 to $80 a year, which will easily raise state funding to over 1 million a year. This will also weed out the hunters that are not willing to pay $80 to participate in public conservation (you don't want these hunters on the water anyway).
> 3. Use your newly founded waterfowl association to help direct the state in ways to spend that money on waterfowl habitat enhancement.
> 
> For all the people saying its a waist of time you should rethink your logic. I have personally built 2 half acre duck ponds an hour south of Atlanta (where apparently there are no ducks according to some of these forums). These ponds were built in a couple hours using my tractor and a skid loader to create a shallow dyke to hold in the water. Both ponds hold about 300 ducks on average throughout the season, and are planted with millet and sorghum. 2/3 of the ducks on these ponds are not woodducks, but are a mix of teal, gadwall, mallards, and ringnecks. Habitat enhancement on the coast would have amazing results, and habitat enhancement throughout the coastal plain and piedmont would have good results as well. A new wetland could be built/restored/planted every year, made a refuge for two years to attract the ducks, then opened to limited(wed. sat. only) public hunting. Other states are doing it, and it works great. I guess it makes too much sense for us though.
> 
> Q-"How much difference could managed duck habitats make?"
> A- One acre of unharvested corn can feed 25,669 ducks per day, and one acre of manged moist soil wetlands can feed 8,562 ducks per day (NRCS, USFWS. 2007).





Water Swat said:


> Bige is dead on. We've built similar duck swamps/ponds/flooded fields in north georgia with great success as well. Hunt em every 6-10 days and there are always ducks on them. Variety of species. Apart from having to rent a big pump this year to pump a field the expense isn't much more than planting your deer plots once you do a little tractor work. All done with a skid steer. If you want it , it can be done.



No one says private land management doesn't work, and throughout this thread that has been mentioned over and over.   What people are asking for is more *public land opportunities*.  Open you little duck ponds to the public and see how many ducks you will hold.   A 100 acres of corn won't hold anything if it is constantly getting hunting, "scouted", run through etc....   If you go get a group together to buy some private land to manage, you could do very well, but that isn't what people were asking for.  Any money dumped into public land is going to be a waste, and no one is going to give money that will go to private land that they won't be able to hunt.  That is why it doesn't work.   The SC waterfowl association has some pretty good hunting land, but it isn't public.  They do some good things with camp woodie and all, but ask your average joe around santee what public hunting opportunities they have provided, and I doubt you will get a positive response.


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## bigE1995

flatsmaster

We hunt one of the ponds every 10 days, the other pond we try to only hunt 3-4 times per year, once opening morning, once on Christmas and once or twice the last week of the season. But we have several woodduck swamps and farm ponds within a mile from the impoundments that we shoot very regularly, because the ducks will fly off the impoundments during the day and after being shot at on other lakes will fly back there for refuge. We usually hunt 3 people all together in the impoundments.

Marverylo287,

Unfortunately I do not have any pictures for you at this time, because I am in Clemson now or I would take some. I can try to explain to you as best as I can how I built them, and feel free to message me with any more questions. If your from Griffin, I know you have plenty of clay in that dirt to hold water. What I did was I found a low spot that sometimes held water naturally when there was a lot of rain, and decided I wanted a duck pond there. Find your highest ground in that low area that you want to be flooded and set what you want your minimum depth to be on that high ground (so the shallowest you want your pond to be). I set my highest ground to be 8 inches deep. Then set a leveling laser at 8 inches high in that spot. I shot all around the area figuring out where my dykes needed to be and how high they needed to be, and I also found out what the approximate average depth of my pond was going to be. In the case of my first one, it was 8 inches at the shallowest, 2.5 feet at the deepest and about 14 inches on average (if you find your pond to be too deep or shallow, just adjust you laser height). With your laser shoot several stakes where your dykes are going to be and mark your stakes at with flags with how high you want your dyke to be. For instance on mine, since I wasn't impounding much water, I put my flags 6 in above where my laser shot on my stakes, giving myself 6 inches of free board. To build the dykes, scrape off topsoil where the dykes will be (if you are in Griffin, then the first .5-3 in of soil). Then dig borrow ditches on one or both sides of where your dyke is to be, use the dirt from the borrow ditch (which should be solid clay) to pack together and build your dyke. There is all sorts of formulas I know to calculate dyke width and slope from the amount of water your impounding, but I just made mine about 2 foot wide. Let the dirt settle for a few months before flooding and repack the dykes once or twice with a tractor/skid loader bucket. I also dug a small ditch in the middle of mine so it wouldn't hold water in the summer time. Where the ditch meets the dyke is where i put my drop inlet spillway. My drop inlet is 6in dia. PVC that makes a 90 degree turn and runs through the dyke. I take the vertical PVC pipe out of the 90 degree elbow at the end of the season to drain it and because elbow is below in the ditch that I described it drains the pond and the ditch. The impoundments are not perfect nor are they maintenance free, but they are cheap and they work. Like I said if you have any more questions feel free to message me, I just like to see people take initiative.


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## bigE1995

across the river,

Easy there now. You might want to re-read my post. The point I was trying to make was that over $1,000,000 of funding a year is more than enough to construct new/enhance public wetland habitats. The more of them you have, the more hunters spread out. When they are MANAGED (Wed./Sat. only, out before noon, no entry on non-hunting days, no entry before 4am) you can achieve a high populating of low pressured birds. The only reason I mentioned my ponds was to counter the people that say they don't work. In case you were wondering I am a huge advocate of having public land to hunt, especially in years where its too dry to pump water out of my cow ponds to flood my impoundments. Money dumped into public land doesn't go to waist as long as you have civilian organizations and decent people in charge insuring the money is being used wisely. In GA our problem is not the DNR wasting money for wetlands enhancement, the problem is the lack of money.


----------



## emusmacker

I get tired of DU getting blamed for no hunting opportunities in Ga. DU is about duck conservation. Nothing else.  Ga isn't a duck prodcing state, thus why would DU spend millions to have a place to hunt?


----------



## Marverylo287

emusmacker said:


> I get tired of DU getting blamed for no hunting opportunities in Ga. DU is about duck conservation. Nothing else.  Ga isn't a duck prodcing state, thus why would DU spend millions to have a place to hunt?



DU is a keg party throwing, and gun raffling organization. Some chapters even LOSE money putting on their events. Ask Me how I know?  Some of us were straight up USED by an exiting regional director to try and cover his rear end because the last gun grab had lost money. He promised to be at the event to help and did not show up. He then told us we made $6,000 and upon taking over the chapter I found out the event had actually lost money. We were LIED to. The new director who had taken over had no idea on how it happened or where it went (not the new guys fault) I lost the entire committee of people who had been involved for years after they found out and the chapter died. Whole thing was very fishy and I also decided to step away. I do not have the time to volunteer for these people only to be taken advantage of. BTW I hope you are reading this Steven.


----------



## across the river

bigE1995 said:


> across the river,
> 
> Easy there now. You might want to re-read my post. The point I was trying to make was that over $1,000,000 of funding a year is more than enough to construct new/enhance public wetland habitats. The more of them you have, the more hunters spread out. When they are MANAGED (Wed./Sat. only, out before noon, no entry on non-hunting days, no entry before 4am) you can achieve a high populating of low pressured birds. The only reason I mentioned my ponds was to counter the people that say they don't work. In case you were wondering I am a huge advocate of having public land to hunt, especially in years where its too dry to pump water out of my cow ponds to flood my impoundments. Money dumped into public land doesn't go to waist as long as you have civilian organizations and decent people in charge insuring the money is being used wisely. In GA our problem is not the DNR wasting money for wetlands enhancement, the problem is the lack of money.



I hear you, but your $1,000,000 figure is pie in the sky based on stamps being $80 a piece, and nearly everyone who buys them now continuing to buy them at that price.   You can plan everything around winning the lottery too, but the chances of either of those happening ain't real good.   Here in reality land, the stamp cost $5.50 and they make about $100,000 from it each year.  As far as anything being managed properly, I only have to look at what we have now to see what would happen if the DNR had more property to manage.  If what you have now under a once a week quota doesn't produce, why would anyone expect it to be different if there were 100 of those properties?  It wouldn't be.  Look at the waterfowl projects that have been done across GA over the years, and then see how many of those have been properly maintained. Some aren't even functional anymore. I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer on this topic, but I think people need to be realistic.   If you are sitting around hoping for more and better public land waterfowl opportunities in this state, you are going to be disappointed.   The best thing anyone can do (especially the young guys) if they want to have some opportunity, is to save up some money a go buy you a place to manage yourself.   Otherwise, you can come back on this forum every year for the next decade and read more threads every year about how Georgia needs a waterfowl group to create more public land opportunities.  They thought is nice, but it just isn't going to happen.


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## king killer delete

I came to Georgia in 1978. I have done most duck hunting on the eastern side of he state. I have seen people talk about these problems since I have hunted here. DU has done some good work in the state but its very small compared to what is needed for us to have good places to hunt. More folks duck hunt or claim to duck hunt than ever before in our state. Nothing ever seems to change. All the states to our north make money on duck hunting. Bottom line we dont get as many ducks as the do. If you folks get it started I will Join. Good Luck!


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## WOODIE13

emusmacker said:


> I get tired of DU getting blamed for no hunting opportunities in Ga. DU is about duck conservation. Nothing else.  Ga isn't a duck prodcing state, thus why would DU spend millions to have a place to hunt?




For you maybe, but as a local chairman in WV, I call it grass roots, something as simple as putting up wood duck boxes, next year mallard tubes.  I am the eternal pessimist, but with the new year comes the new beginings


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## emusmacker

Marverylo287 said:


> DU is a keg party throwing, and gun raffling organization. Some chapters even LOSE money putting on their events. Ask Me how I know?  Some of us were straight up USED by an exiting regional director to try and cover his rear end because the last gun grab had lost money. He promised to be at the event to help and did not show up. He then told us we made $6,000 and upon taking over the chapter I found out the event had actually lost money. We were LIED to. The new director who had taken over had no idea on how it happened or where it went (not the new guys fault) I lost the entire committee of people who had been involved for years after they found out and the chapter died. Whole thing was very fishy and I also decided to step away. I do not have the time to volunteer for these people only to be taken advantage of. BTW I hope you are reading this Steven.



So that one incident is DU's fault? Please tell me how?  Do a little research and you'll see that DU is one of the best organizations for putting the money towards their cause.  Blaming DU for the guy being dumb and a liar is like blaming all cops for one messing up. But Like I said, some folks wil complain regardless.


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## emusmacker

WOODIE13 said:


> For you maybe, but as a local chairman in WV, I call it grass roots, something as simple as putting up wood duck boxes, next year mallard tubes.  I am the eternal pessimist, but with the new year comes the new beginings



Yes same here, and DU has helped out plenty, the problem is, everyone wants DU to build them a huge waterfowl area so they can hunt. But like I said, that's not DU's goal.  They think long term.  

Without DU what do you think the duck population would be like?


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## WOODIE13

emusmacker said:


> Yes same here, and DU has helped out plenty, the problem is, everyone wants DU to build them a huge waterfowl area so they can hunt. But like I said, that's not DU's goal.  They think long term.
> 
> Without DU what do you think the duck population would be like?



That is why we are trying to work on our little piece of the pie and do habitat improvements.  One thing we are also working on is having a work day or two with the DNR/WMA for volunteers to assist in planting food plots.  That is the biggest issue facing ours are budget and manpower.  Still a work in progress, but nothing ventured, nothing gained


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## Duckbuster82

Like I said before there are a lot of people who like to complain and not many wanting to act on it. I have been to meetings and hearings, where they are discussing plans for the future of certain lakes or rivers etc. At these meeting there is a strong voice aposing outdoorsman and not many for it. You can write your congressman senators whoever you need to. Tell them what you want. If there is enough voice there will be action. If you are not happy with the administration vote them out. Get out there and do something. Start small get a group of your friends together and meet discuss ideas of what you can do to promote ducks and act on it. Start recruiting more people and you will start to have something. Look into planting natural vegetation in the lakes and rivers you can get a permit and do this yourself. Don't let people tell you it's not possible or it's not worth your time.


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## WOODIE13

Duckbuster82 said:


> Like I said before there are a lot of people who like to complain and not many wanting to act on it. I have been to meetings and hearings, where they are discussing plans for the future of certain lakes or rivers etc. At these meeting there is a strong voice aposing outdoorsman and not many for it. You can write your congressman senators whoever you need to. Tell them what you want. If there is enough voice there will be action. If you are not happy with the administration vote them out. Get out there and do something. Start small get a group of your friends together and meet discuss ideas of what you can do to promote ducks and act on it. Start recruiting more people and you will start to have something. Look into planting natural vegetation in the lakes and rivers you can get a permit and do this yourself. Don't let people tell you it's not possible or it's not worth your time.



Another thing we have been doing is trying to increase the number of kids on youth days and hunting trips, they are the future, plant the seed early.


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## Booger Bear

Duckbuster82 said:


> Like I said before there are a lot of people who like to complain and not many wanting to act on it. I have been to meetings and hearings, where they are discussing plans for the future of certain lakes or rivers etc. At these meeting there is a strong voice aposing outdoorsman and not many for it. You can write your congressman senators whoever you need to. Tell them what you want. If there is enough voice there will be action. If you are not happy with the administration vote them out. Get out there and do something. Start small get a group of your friends together and meet discuss ideas of what you can do to promote ducks and act on it. Start recruiting more people and you will start to have something. Look into planting natural vegetation in the lakes and rivers you can get a permit and do this yourself. Don't let people tell you it's not possible or it's not worth your time.


Very naive. This will never happen. People are way to busy.


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## WOODIE13

Booger Bear said:


> Very naive. This will never happen. People are way to busy.



Some have time, some have money, some have connections, just all about piecing it together


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## Duckbuster82

Booger Bear said:


> Very naive. This will never happen. People are way to busy.



I assume this is sarcastic. Because if you have enough time to hunt you have enough time to help.


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## Booger Bear

Duckbuster82 said:


> I assume this is sarcastic. Because if you have enough time to hunt you have enough time to help.


How can you say that. I have four kids and a wife that doesn't work. I work sixty hours a week on average. I hunt local every Saturday that I can. Sunday Morning I am in church. As I have said the working people I know hunt and work hard. I join DU and the NRA every year. You must be rich because if I did all that stuff you talk about my children would go hungry.


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## Duckbuster82

Booger Bear said:


> How can you say that. I have four kids and a wife that doesn't work. I work sixty hours a week on average. I hunt local every Saturday that I can. Sunday Morning I am in church. As I have said the working people I know hunt and work hard. I join DU and the NRA every year. You must be rich because if I did all that stuff you talk about my children would go hungry.



Duck season is 10-12 Saturday's a year. I bet your kids would love to go play at the lake or river with you and can also help planting local grasses or grain or hardwoods. It doesn't take money. One night a month meet up with people plan something. Get a group together people can give what they can. Joining du and nra are a great start.


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## Booger Bear

Duckbuster82 said:


> Duck season is 10-12 Saturday's a year. I bet your kids would love to go play at the lake or river with you and can also help planting local grasses or grain or hardwoods. It doesn't take money. One night a month meet up with people plan something. Get a group together people can give what they can. Joining du and nra are a great start.


I wish I had the time and the money to do that. I work allot and I work hard. When I get a chance to do something I do , but with four kids my wife needs a break and the boys want to play ball and the girls sing at the church. I just don't know when I could do something like that.


----------



## king killer delete

Marverylo287 said:


> Yeah but I don't wanna join somebody's deer lease with 20 members and stricter rules than this forum has. I just need about 20-40 acres of worthless swamp land.



Back in the day it would be worthless but with all the attention that people pay towards duck hunting now a days 
you would need to rob your gold reserve to get that worthless swamp land.


----------



## emusmacker

Marverylo287, you never did answer my question about how can you blame DU because of some irresponible committe member?


----------



## Marverylo287

emusmacker said:


> Marverylo287, you never did answer my question about how can you blame DU because of some irresponible committe member?



Show me a chapter that raises money without throwing keggers and raffling off guns and yeti coolers

Also this thread was locked


----------



## Marverylo287

emusmacker said:


> Marverylo287, you never did answer my question about how can you blame DU because of some irresponible committe member?



Also it wasn't an irresponsible committe memeber.
IT WAS A PAID REGIONAL DIRECTOR!!!!!!


----------



## MudDucker

I still support DU, but I remember when it was us old hard core guys, then the money man showed up and turned it into a hooker's money raising extravaganza.  I told the local boys that if it wasn't fit for me to bring a kid, I was staying home!  Not because of me, but it has cleaned up 100% in the last couple of years.


----------



## king killer delete

MudDucker said:


> I still support DU, but I remember when it was us old hard core guys, then the money man showed up and turned it into a hooker's money raising extravaganza.  I told the local boys that if it wasn't fit for me to bring a kid, I was staying home!  Not because of me, but it has cleaned up 100% in the last couple of years.



This^^^


----------



## emusmacker

Marverylo287 said:


> Also it wasn't an irresponsible committe memeber.
> IT WAS A PAID REGIONAL DIRECTOR!!!!!!



Our chapter fo nearly 30 yrs have raised money without keg parties.  
And again that bad director means all paid directors are bad?  I guess you think all cops are bad because a few are corrupt?  I mean it's same line of thinking.


----------



## Duckbuster82

Define keg party. I have been and helped host plenty of du events. All have been family friendly and have made money.


----------



## Marverylo287

Duckbuster82 said:


> Define keg party. I have been and helped host plenty of du events. All have been family friendly and have made money.



Every event I have been to or heard of has advertised the "free" alcohol they're giving out, at which every event has had multiple kegs.


----------



## emusmacker

Marverylo287 said:


> Every event I have been to or heard of has advertised the "free" alcohol they're giving out, at which every event has had multiple kegs.



So how many different events have you been to?  


And I can pretty much guarantee that 90% of those chapters raise money for DU.  You said your isue came from some lame director stealing the money. Now you're saying it's all about the alcohol. 
You do know that the raffles and such is a legit way of making money right?   
Again, do you think all cops are bad because a very few are?


----------



## emusmacker

king killer delete said:


> This^^^



But you have bashed DU numerous times and even told me they are a joke. 

What changed your mind?


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## king killer delete

Nothing I still send them money but they haven't done much for me and Georgia


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## king killer delete

emusmacker said:


> But you have bashed DU numerous times and even told me they are a joke.
> 
> What changed your mind?



How many du events have you attended? Bet you don't take your boys if you do.


----------



## MudDucker

This is from one of the guys who works very hard on the annual GWF poker run and his experience dealing with the DNR to seek more support for duck hunting:

I met with the DNR two years ago to put together a Waterfowl Hunt and Learn program for the state.  GWF would fund the entire thing through the poker run proceeds.  I designed the weekend using their template for other hunt and learn programs and gave it to them.  They basically threw it in the trash.  The bottom line is the GA DNR doesn’t give a hoot about ducks or duck hunters.  They made that very clear in our conversations.  What stinks for us is that SC and FL have great programs, and the birds that get to FL don’t fly around GA to get there.  I still have all the emails saved to prove these conversations.  Those emails can be released if anyone is interested.

If duck hunters want to do something, participate and/or sponsor the poker run or the first duck contest.  It’s something, and will give them an opportunity to contribute. 

There you have it.


----------



## rnelson5

Your best place to put your money is in your OWN pocket. Save your money and travel to better places to hunt or buy your own property and improve it for yourself. I am sure DU does some good deeds, but if you want to improve YOUR hunting it starts with you. A lot of farmers in the prairie pothole region hate DU. I have been asked by a farmer "are you a member of DU?"  when asking for permission to hunt their land. If the answer would have been yes I would have been told to get off of his property quickly. Conserving wetlands is vital without a doubt, but the way DU tries to throw their weight around to farmers in that region has bred a lot of hatred towards them. I have seen it first hand in the Dakota's and Canada.


----------



## Marverylo287

emusmacker said:


> So how many different events have you been to?
> 
> 
> And I can pretty much guarantee that 90% of those chapters raise money for DU.  You said your isue came from some lame director stealing the money. Now you're saying it's all about the alcohol.
> You do know that the raffles and such is a legit way of making money right?
> Again, do you think all cops are bad because a very few are?


Stop crying, you have no point here. They throw keggers and lose money. I've seen it first hand.


----------



## Marverylo287

MudDucker said:


> This is from one of the guys who works very hard on the annual GWF poker run and his experience dealing with the DNR to seek more support for duck hunting:
> 
> I met with the DNR two years ago to put together a Waterfowl Hunt and Learn program for the state.  GWF would fund the entire thing through the poker run proceeds.  I designed the weekend using their template for other hunt and learn programs and gave it to them.  They basically threw it in the trash.  The bottom line is the GA DNR doesn’t give a hoot about ducks or duck hunters.  They made that very clear in our conversations.  What stinks for us is that SC and FL have great programs, and the birds that get to FL don’t fly around GA to get there.  I still have all the emails saved to prove these conversations.  Those emails can be released if anyone is interested.
> 
> If duck hunters want to do something, participate and/or sponsor the poker run or the first duck contest.  It’s something, and will give them an opportunity to contribute.
> 
> There you have it.



I've been to the poker run the last two years, plan on going again this year, what exactly does the money go to? Not that I'm accusing you of not using it for ducks, I literally just don't know what I'm supporting when I go.


----------



## emusmacker

king killer delete said:


> How many du events have you attended? Bet you don't take your boys if you do.



at least 2 a year. I'm a committee member on my chapter and attend neighboring county too. My son goes to both also.  So yea I do.


----------



## emusmacker

Marverylo287 said:


> Stop crying, you have no point here. They throw keggers and lose money. I've seen it first hand.



I'm not crying, just trying to figure out why you blame an organization for a bad experience you had with ONE director.  just asinine thinking to me.


----------



## emusmacker

rnelson5 said:


> Your best place to put your money is in your OWN pocket. Save your money and travel to better places to hunt or buy your own property and improve it for yourself. I am sure DU does some good deeds, but if you want to improve YOUR hunting it starts with you. A lot of farmers in the prairie pothole region hate DU. I have been asked by a farmer "are you a member of DU?"  when asking for permission to hunt their land. If the answer would have been yes I would have been told to get off of his property quickly. Conserving wetlands is vital without a doubt, but the way DU tries to throw their weight around to farmers in that region has bred a lot of hatred towards them. I have seen it first hand in the Dakota's and Canada.



Robby, not trying to argue but I have a friend that is also on our committee and he hunts No Dak several times a year. He has had different experience. Miost of the farmers he's met applaudes DU and is willing to help them. DU helps the farmers and vice versa. 
I'm sure there are some farmers that don't like them, but there's also plenty that do.


----------



## rnelson5

emusmacker said:


> Robby, not trying to argue but I have a friend that is also on our committee and he hunts No Dak several times a year. He has had different experience. Miost of the farmers he's met applaudes DU and is willing to help them. DU helps the farmers and vice versa.
> I'm sure there are some farmers that don't like them, but there's also plenty that do.



I am not arguing I heard it first hand from land owners.


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## WOODIE13

Do like we do, get the members involved instead of calling them when they want money...wood duck box sponsorship, mallard tubes, working with the DNR planting food plots...sweat equity goes a long ways


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## Duckbuster82

Marverylo287 said:


> Every event I have been to or heard of has advertised the "free" alcohol they're giving out, at which every event has had multiple kegs.



So what if there are kegs or alcohol. Most social events have alcohol. There were 20 guys who helped with our events and maybe two of them actually hunted ducks. The events were filled with people that didn't hunt ducks heck even a good many people that didn't hunt at all. They all bought tickets. For $60 dollars a head that beer isn't free. We sold thousands of dollars worth of raffle tickets to people who were there for the alcohol and social scene, they also bought thousands of dollars worth of stuff from the auction. So I am not sure what your point about a keg party is. We had people of all ages there, families and no issues.

If du isn't your cup of tea try something else there are others that have different directions, or heck get a group of your buddies together and hold fundraiser to support local projects. You don't even have to have alcohol there.


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## MudDucker

Marverylo287 said:


> I've been to the poker run the last two years, plan on going again this year, what exactly does the money go to? Not that I'm accusing you of not using it for ducks, I literally just don't know what I'm supporting when I go.



The fund raising was never about more ducks, it has always been about encouraging kids to enter the sport and hunter hunter education.


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## Duckbuster82

rnelson5 said:


> Your best place to put your money is in your OWN pocket. Save your money and travel to better places to hunt or buy your own property and improve it for yourself. I am sure DU does some good deeds, but if you want to improve YOUR hunting it starts with you. A lot of farmers in the prairie pothole region hate DU. I have been asked by a farmer "are you a member of DU?"  when asking for permission to hunt their land. If the answer would have been yes I would have been told to get off of his property quickly. Conserving wetlands is vital without a doubt, but the way DU tries to throw their weight around to farmers in that region has bred a lot of hatred towards them. I have seen it first hand in the Dakota's and Canada.



Du pushes to preserve the breeding habitat. Farmers want more tillable acres they drain the potholes where the birds nest. No nest no birds.


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## Marverylo287

MudDucker said:


> The fund raising was never about more ducks, it has always been about encouraging kids to enter the sport and hunter hunter education.



Oh well excuse me for asking


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## emusmacker

Marverylo287 said:


> Oh well excuse me for asking



Lil touchy eh?  folks just answering your question and you get all butt hurt. 

Believe it or nor, but not everything duck related is about helping you or me or anyone else kill ducks.


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## emusmacker

rnelson5 said:


> I am not arguing I heard it first hand from land owners.



10 fo

I guess it's like everywhere, some folks like DU and some don't.  I'll hunt where my buddies go cause I'm not gonna hunt somehwere where I have to deny being a member of the organization I support. They can get on board or I'll just hunt elsewhere.


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## MudDucker

Marverylo287 said:


> Oh well excuse me for asking



You are reading something into my answer that is not there.  I just stated a fact.  The money buys prizes for a kids first duck.  Some get guns and most get decoys and other hunting items.


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## emusmacker

MudDucker said:


> You are reading something into my answer that is not there.  I just stated a fact.  The money buys prizes for a kids first duck.  Some get guns and most get decoys and other hunting items.



Some folks just mad cause they had a bad experience and want to blame everyone else.  Like I said, that's the same as saying because 1 cop is bad that all are bad.  Sounds kinda like a democrat to me.


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## emusmacker

Marverylo287 said:


> Stop crying, you have no point here. They throw keggers and lose money. I've seen it first hand.



I can name you at least 4 chapters tht make money instead of losing money. Matter of fact I don't know of any chapter that has lost money.


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## Marverylo287

emusmacker said:


> Some folks just mad cause they had a bad experience and want to blame everyone else.  Like I said, that's the same as saying because 1 cop is bad that all are bad.  Sounds kinda like a democrat to me.



Some folks just mad bc they spend their time volunteering for a predatory organization. Sounds like a sucker to me.


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## MudDucker

emusmacker said:


> Some folks just mad cause they had a bad experience and want to blame everyone else.  Like I said, that's the same as saying because 1 cop is bad that all are bad.  Sounds kinda like a democrat to me.



If you saw the face of the kids getting these prizes for joining the ranks of waterfowlers, it would melt your heart.  It is AWESOME!


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## emusmacker

MudDucker said:


> If you saw the face of the kids getting these prizes for joining the ranks of waterfowlers, it would melt your heart.  It is AWESOME!



I agree, same with DU.  The greenwings get prizes.


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## emusmacker

Marverylo287 said:


> Some folks just mad bc they spend their time volunteering for a predatory organization. Sounds like a sucker to me.



Some folks just mad cause they had a bad experience in life with one situation and then fuss and complain about the whole organization. Yet that same whiney person reaps the rewards from the organization they cry abouts efforts to maintain good breeding grounds for the ducks. 

But then butt hurt ppl can't see past their nose anyway.  Just saying.


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## Marverylo287

emusmacker said:


> Some folks just mad cause they had a bad experience in life with one situation and then fuss and complain about the whole organization. Yet that same whiney person reaps the rewards from the organization they cry abouts efforts to maintain good breeding grounds for the ducks.
> 
> But then butt hurt ppl can't see past their nose anyway.  Just saying.



When did I ever say I was mad?
Or butt hurt?
Am I not allowed to call things as I see them and have my own opinion around here?


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## emusmacker

When did I ever say I was mad or butt hurt.I just don't think it's fair to say DU is just an organization of keg parties.  That's asinine thinking.  And that's my opinion.


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## Marverylo287

emusmacker said:


> When did I ever say I was mad or butt hurt.I just don't think it's fair to say DU is just an organization of keg parties.  That's asinine thinking.  And that's my opinion.



Cool. You can have that opinion but I'll never agree with you


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