[Trippin' Dipsies]

Considering that most of us on this site are avid waterfowlers, just thought I'd pass along the need for everyone to join organizations like Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, and Michigan United Conservation Club.

These are organizations are crucial to the future of habitat and the protection of our sport. The cost is nominal and you can learn a lot from their magazines. And if you are already a member, spread the word to others... be it may your hunting buddies or even clients. Every dollar counts and if you can afford to hunt and to pay for the internet to read this, then you can afford $25-75/year for a membership.

Thanks...I just find this to be very important these days.

Ducks Unlimited
http://www.ducks.org/

Delta Waterfowl
http://www.deltawaterfowl.org/

MUCC
http://www.mucc.org/

 

[just ducky]

Trippin',
Be careful which organizations you suggest people join, because you've forgotten some major players here, and you may upset those who are left out. Also, I've been a member of each of the ones you suggest here, but I've dropped out of some for personal reasons. I've found that belonging to an organization like these is a very personal thing because they are typically very political with individual agendas. If their agendas do not line up with your own, you probably shouldn't be a member. Good case in point is the NRA, which is quite controversial in recent times.

Yes I agree that supporting "conservation organizations" is crucial for us to do. If sportsman don't fight for our rights, no one will. I encourage us all to support them, but just know that most of these organizations are very political with sometimes hidden agendas. So do your homework and ask questions before you simply send in your membership money. You may be sorry you supported them when you find these things out.

 

[EdB]

I think the groups Trippin Dipsies listed are very important for sportsman to support and do a great deal for our rights and resources. The NRA has done a lot for hunters and gun owners and protected our rights on many fronts. The NRA does not get any fair and balanced reporting from mainstream media and their positions are distorted and their record smeared. There are many on the left who would like to see gun ownership banned. It happened in England, you can't own a gun there mainly because gun owners did not have a group like the NRA to defend their rights. Crimes rates in England have gone up because of it. What specific things about the NRA bother you?

 

[Beech54]

As all of these organizations play an important roll lets not forget the local clubs like Michigan Duck Hunters Association. It is clubs like this that put moneys back into our local hunting grounds and have an impotant roll in what happens around here in saving our sport.

 

[just ducky]

Not going there about the NRA, or the MUCC. Just my opinion, which I will keep to myself. Suffice to say I have "problems" with some of their policies. Enough so that I no longer belong. Again, to each his own. Just be bold enough to ask questions of their leadership before you keep sending in your hard earned bucks. The MDHA is one of the groups that was left out in the original post, and one that I personally do support. I'm sure there are many more.

 

[Jethro]

Lets put it this way:
If you don't have the arms required to harvest waterfowl, the objective of waterfowl and waterfowl habitat organizations would be mute. Unless you're strictly a "bird watcher"

These groups exist because we the sportsman want to continue hunting and pass on the heritage for future generations.

To look @ the BIG picture, gun ownership is @ the top of the pyrimid and everything else trickles down. IMO

So, however you feel about the NRA. They are working, everyday, in Washington to keep our right to own guns and subsequently enjoy hunting.

 

[Ken Martin]

It is great that MDHA is mentioned. It is one of the least credited and has a membership of less than one percent of the total waterfowlers in Michigan. A sad fact. Now we don't have a glossy magazine, banquets of corporate sponsors, a television show and payed staff. What we do have is hard WORKING, committed members that care about the sport. They really don't care that other clubs raise the big bucks because they know who is out there in the goose crap banding, pounding nails in the frigid cold building wood duck boxes or the scorching heat building a handicap access.

Now don't get me wrong, I am a memeber of the afore mentioned clubs but this how I look at it:

I belong to DU, Delta, Waterfowl Usa so there are ducks to hunt.......I belong to Michigan Duck Hunters so I can hunt ducks.

Ken Martin
Michigan Duck Hunters Association-Bluewater-President

 

[Bow Hunter Brandon]

Ken do you have an web address for the group?

 

[just ducky]

Jethro,
I agree with you about the overall picture, I just have a different view of what it takes to get it done. I'm not slamming anyone, or any organization here, but I've been down this road with some friends who are very pro NRA.....to the point where in my opinion they are ignoring the "overall picture". Being a staunch supporter of a particular cause or organization is fantastic, but being a fanatic to the point of not seeing things rationally is a problem for me. All I'm saying is be certain that you know what an organization stands for before you support it.

Let me give an example which is kind of off the subject, but gets my point across. When my wife and I first got married some 19 years ago, she was a strong supporter of the Humane Society because she's always had dogs and cats, and felt it was "the right thing to do". Around 1990, we were watching some national news show and for whatever reason they were interviewing the head of the Humane Society....the national head. He was going on and on about animal rights, and then point blank admitted that they don't support hunting. Later in the program, he was asked if they were "anti-hunting", to which he danced all around the subject, but by his answers to pointed questions, it was clear they were. At least from his point of view. My wife, being a pretty intelligent consumer, started researching the organization and their roots, and she determined that they didn't support hunting or hunter rights in any national votes or campaigns. Even their literature dances around the subject of hunting. Since then, we no longer support that organization on a national or state level. We do support our local animal shelter and some rescue groups. But would I chastise someone for supporting the humane society? NO WAY. To each his own. My point in this long-winded story is that sometimes what you see on the surface isn't what you are really getting, and you need to do research before you just send in your dues.

 

[Jethro]

Right on Ducky, point taken.
Any group that remotely veers toward anti hunting/shooting needs to be avoided.

But with groups directly involved in hunting as in the one mentioned above, I had to ask myself:
Does the end justify the means?

Yes, I've disagreed with many aspects and practices of this group but their intentions and goals are justified. IMO

An Intelligent consumer weighes the pros and cons and if you can feel good after making any discision than I guess you've made the right one.

 

[Ken Martin]

For those that are interested, the web address is www.midha.org We had a state board meeting yesterday and discussed the direction of Michigan Duck Hunters Association. We have a definate image problem and need to seperate ourselves name-wise from DU. Too many people think we are one and the same. DU/Delta do a much better job of getting the name in the forefront. Of the millions of acres they have "saved", MANY smaller organizations have had countless volunteers on the ground and hard earned blue collar money invested in the same exact projects. You do have respect thier mission statements and do not expect them to help in Lansing and Washington where Michigan Duck Hunters Association along with help from Michigan United Conservartion Clubs WILL. On that note, I will leave you with this personal philosiphy:

Belong to DU/Delta so you have ducks to hunt.

Belong to Michigan Duck Hunters Association so you can HUNT ducks.

Ken Martin
Michigan Duck Hunters Association-Bluewater-President

PS- Watch Michigan Out of Doors Television on January 22nd to see what MDHA is about.

 

[Bailey]

Belong to Michigan Duck Hunters Association so you can HUNT dicks.


I hope this is a typo?

 

[Ken Martin]

Whew! That is not what I meant.

Ken

 

[lwingwatcher]

I believe part of the problem with the MDHA is the lack of coverage by chapters.
I tried to find a local chapter (I live in BFE farm country, central Michigan) and there was nothing close.

DU around me seems to be a Yuppie Club (they once held the banquet on opening day of ducks season--some duck hunters eh?) and there are not many Delta Chapters around period.

Although I live in central Michigan, I belong to the Gilbraltar Duck Hunters Association--they are trying to do something locally (downriver) and although I cannot make the meetings, I know many of the members.

 

[Ken Martin]

Gibralter Duck Hunters from what I've been told is the old Wayne Waterfowlers which was a chapter of MDHA. Bluewater's Vice-President is a former member of Wayne and is very active with Bluewater now. I hear it is a good club and would look forward to working with them on any projects we can. If you like you can be a MDHA member-at-large and recieve the Waterfowler quaterly and ask to get newsletters from any of the chapters. All of the MDHA chapters put tens of thousands of dollars into local projects annually. I know Bluewater spends roughly about 20,000 plus on projects throughout SE Michigan.

Were you satisfied with the 72's? Thanks again.

Ken Martin
Michigan Duck Hunter Association-Bluewater-President