can you help us out -Delta waterfowl banquet

[tom heuer]

You must love to duck and goose hunt or you would'nt be in this forum.

Delta Waterfowl is starting a new chapter in the west metro,and we have a banquet comming up on aug. 17th in waconia. Tickets are still available thru this weekend.Help us raise more ducks, so we can all be happy for 2 months in the fall. [email protected] Thanks!!

[mwktrapper]

Tom,

I think I can help you out. Shoot me an email at mikekeller at minnesota waterfowler dot com

[FOOT]

Tom, what does Delta WAterfowl do that is not already done by Minnesota Waterfowl Assoc. & Ducks Unlimited.

Not a critizism, I'm just asking. The more ducks we can raise the better.

[full force five]

The reason why I'm a member is they specifically support duck hunting and helping conserve waterfowl habitat. Delta has programs that make sense: predator management, voluntary restraint, adopt a pothole etc. Not to make this a Delta v DU thing but DU is just a habitat organization.

This will be a great banquet!!!!!!!!!!!

Most of the guys on the committee are old DU or MWA committee members.

[FOOT]

Wasn't trying to start soemthing here, I am not aware of what Delta does and was curious.

DU does promote voluntary restraint but I agree they do not do any predator management or adopting a pothole.

Can you tell me more about adopting a pothole. What exactly does it mean, what do you have to do ?

As far as predator management I have mixed feeling. My heart says this is the thing to do but my head says, predators are mobile so they will fill an area that has been trapped/hunted to remove predators. Unless the area is fenced I'm not sure how you'd keep them out. BUT I'm willing to listen.

I know in the past there was a conserted effort to control all predators with poison but that never really worked.

I know MWA works with a lot of private landowners to improve wetlands where DU is more involved with public. MWA's new policy of letting the individual chapters keep the money they raise and then using it to improve local habitat (much like Pheasants Forever) can certainly work in some areas. However, here in Olmsted County there isn't much that can be done to improve wetlands due to the lack of wetlands and/or lakes.

Like I said I'm for anything that will produce more wild waterfowl.

Good luck on your banquet guys.

[full force five]

Not trying to start anything, any conservation org. is good, we need more of them.

You can find out more information at www.deltawaterfowl.org

It's a decent HSOforum with an explanation for each of their programs.

[FOOT]

Thanks for the URL. I'll give it a shot. I tried googling Delta before but came up with nothing and tehn found out we are having problems with the internet.

Thanks again and good luck on your event.

[full force five]

FYI on Adopt a Pothole from Delta's webpage:

Delta's Adopt A Pothole Program was established in 1991, to link interested waterfowl enthusiasts with prairie grain farmers, the landowners who are ultimately responsible for managing more than 90% of all breeding waterfowl habitat.

Landowners involved with Adopt A Pothole accept a 10-year lease agreement not to clear, cultivate, drain, burn, spray, graze, or hay the uplands and wetlands within the contract area. Areas surrounding wetlands are often sown to Dense Nesting Cover (DNC). DNC provides nesting cover for upland nesting ducks including mallards, teal, pintail, gadwall, scaup and shovelers. DNC is typically planted in areas that are marginally productive or in odd areas that are difficult to work. By reducing cropland acres in these areas, Delta helps increase the overall viability of the farm.

Beginning in 1999, Delta began signing conservation agreements in Manitoba that secure wetlands forever through easements. Your contribution allows you to know that you've protected a prairie wetland forever.

Delta also helps to restore previously drained wetlands. We target former wetlands that currently provide only poor to marginal cropland. Often a small incentive is enough to convince a farmer to convert these areas back to wetland habitat. Illinois Duck Stamp funds have been used to restore wetlands in Manitoba since 1996.

We develop Adopt A Pothole contracts with landowners in Manitoba, North Dakota, and Minnesota. The program suits most farm operations, because fields with potholes usually have some portion of marginally productive land. By putting marginal lands into permanent cover, the land is more suitably used, thereby reducing problems with soil salinity and erosion.

[FOOT]

Full Force, thanks agian for the URL. I went there last night and love the adopt a pothole idea. In fact liked it so much I sent an e-mail to my brother (up by Battle Lake). He has 80 acres with 3 potholes that he has been wondering how to improve. Since he's retired he has limited funds available. Maybe he can get something going with Delta.

One is about 10 acres and is full of wild rice, another is about 5 acres and is deeper with clumps of cattail (still plenty of open water) and the third, about 2 acres, is filled with cattail, this one he needs to have a drag line remove a bunch of them.

I also plan on sending in a contribution to Delta within the next couple of days.

Keep em Flyin !!

[full force five]

Not a problem and thanks for the support . . . directions to your brother’s place would be appreciated along with hunting permission. [email protected]