Seeking to Understand (Part 2
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By Bruce Ross, Executive Director
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I’m deepening my relationship with WWA…
Last month, my first report to you described my process for learning and leading the WWA organization; that is,
first I need to understand the organization
before offering approaches.
Several of you reached out to me to share your thoughts - thank you! I also reached out to our “customers” (you), volunteers (maybe you), current and former Directors, former Executive Directors, founding fathers, policy and restoration partners, our Wisconsin regulators, and even some marketplace “competitors” - over 75 engaged and knowledgeable persons in this first month.
So as I start my
second month as your Executive Director, I can report that I’m better understanding
who and what is our WWA. I have found that WWA:
Read on...
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Wisconsin’s waterfowl stamp pays for critical wetlands restoration work. But it hasn’t kept up with inflation, so it can fund
only 60%
of what it did it 1998. What’s your thinking on raising the stamp price from $7 to $11 to account for this loss of purchasing power?
Tell us by clicking here
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Winter Is Still Holding On
By Bruce Urben, President
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I am not sure, but I think the groundhog was wearing sunglasses this year, as it seems we are not much closer to spring than we were in January. This is not only the beginning of our
event season
, it is also the time for planning on a number of fronts.
We have been busy meeting with our conservation peers and WDNR discussing the 2019 Waterfowl season.
It looks like 2019 will be similar to the 2018 season with liberal Waterfowl bag limits.
Read on...
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March Project Program Update
By Peter Ziegler, Project Director
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As winter holds on, it has given us a chance to get started on another project. As you read this, we are currently working a wetland project in southeast Waushara County, just north of Berlin. For as cold as it has been, this site still has some soft spots, but with the work roads plowed off and single digit temps mother nature is giving us a hand every night and allowing work to move along pretty consistently.
Read on...
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Migratory Bird Program Update
By Taylor Finger, WDNR Migratory Game Bird Ecologist
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I wanted to take the opportunity to recognize that the Waterfowl Program has made some improvements to our
WDNR waterfowl webpage. These improvements have increased the amount of information for hunters and improved the functionality of the page. We have waterfowl reports, waterfowl surveys, rules and regulations and public input information. We also started something new this year and asked over 20 WDNR wildlife biologist to provide bi-weekly updates on waterfowl migration, habitat conditions, hunting pressure and ice conditions all in our Notes from the Field report on our WDNR webpage.
Read on...
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Continuing Waterfowl & Wetland Research in WI
By Drew Fowler, WDNR Waterfowl & Migratory Game Bird Research Scientist
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Waterfowl management should be based on the best science available. To that end, the WDNR has a PhD Waterfowl Research Biologist on staff. Dr Drew Fowler is relatively new to the DNR but has already begun mapping out the priorities for his research in this state. His presentation for the Annual WWA Meeting in January has some insights and concepts that every waterfowler should find interesting.
Read on...
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Grand Prize: Can Am HD 8XT Camo UTV with a Karavan Trailer!
Get your tickets securely online now!
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Visit WWA at the Milwaukee Sports Show March 6th -10th
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Stop in at WWA's booth #836, get your UTV raffle tickets and check out the many fine guns being raffled off (including our Waukesha chapter's Rizzini & our Twin Rivers chapter's $1 "We the People" Sig Sauer!) as well! Talk to RD Tom about our
“Adopt a Wildlife Area” program
. We are always looking for volunteers to help grow our chapters & now we also need volunteers to get mud on their boots and dirt on their hands.
See you there!
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Tom's Event Corner
By Tom Seibert, Regional Director
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I want to thank all of you who attended the Northern Wetlands banquet last weekend in the face of another winter storm. Thanks to the Chapter Committee for hosting a helluva fine event. If you would like to join this group in helping to make this event even bigger and better
please contact me
. We continue to do local
Wild Rice plantings
to reestablish native wild rice beds for wildlife food sources. If you know of any locations that could use work or wetland sites that could use some help please
contact me
. We are looking to complete some projects in your Northern Neighborhood.
Thanks also to the huge group of attendees who won a massive amount of guns and prizes last night at our Valley Chapter Banquet. You were part of great event that will help WWA restore numerous wetlands in this great state we live in so
Thank You
for your contributions.
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Consider volunteering to help one of our Chapters make a difference by improving the wetlands, waterfowl, and wildlife in Wisconsin. Thanks for all your past and future support.
I want to help!
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AWA Volunteering is a Family Affair
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By Mike Alaimo, Lead AWA Volunteer
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Winter this year has been highly unpredictable... which appears to be quite the understatement. Project work days have now been postponed two weekends in a row at
Lake Mills Wildlife Area. With fear of ice erosion preventing the clearing of some nesting islands, we are now on a weekend by weekend countdown. We will cross our fingers about scheduled work days this upcoming Saturday or Sunday. Anyone that is interested in helping with brush removal and herbicide treatment at Lake Mills should call Mike Alaimo (262.443.4674) for details.
Upcoming Work Day Volunteer Events:
March 9th or 10th
: Lake Mills Clearing Project, weather dependent.
March 16th
: Big Muskego Chain Saw Training and Clearing Project. Contact Ian at 414.779.1552 for details.
March 30th:
Jackson Marsh Chain Saw Training. Contact Mike Depies at 262.352.9187 for details
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Class A "Need Not be Present to Win" Raffles
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Throughout the year most of our chapters hold
Class A raffles
, many featuring multiple prizes and some extremely desirable guns (that you probably wouldn’t buy for yourself, but sure would like to own). If you can’t attend every event, and who can, you can still get in on a chance to win the chapter’s showcase prizes, most with great odds to win. One of our regular purchasers from Arizona just won a Browning Rifle so can you win.
Check them all out here
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Have an idea you want the wardens to answer in the new year?
Let us know!
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W
ood Duck Houses Put This Warden In Classrooms
6,500 houses later, the program is still in full swing in Taylor County schools!
By WDNR Conservation Warden Kurt Haas
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One of the highlights for me during my conservation warden career is the opportunity to work with area schools on the wood duck house projects. The community education part of my job is most rewarding. And, it is great fun to work with the area students who are growing up and share my passion for the outdoors – and that includes making sure our waterfowl habitat is protected and supported.
Read on...
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Spring Training for your Canine
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Jojo’s internal alarm went off this morning just a little before 6:00 am. Jojo is my 4 ½ year old Yellow Lab who has three passions in life: food, hunting, and placing her muzzle as close to me as needed to have her ears ruffled. This morning she was on a mission. As soon as I opened the bedroom door she bolted down the hallway as if there were a downed mallard at the far end
.
Read on...
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By Bruce Urben, President
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The L.L. Bean Company (Freeport, Maine) is very well known to nearly every American, especially those born before 1960, due to its catalog mail order business. Sportsmen and women could order everything from fishing lures, flies, waders and boots or decoys from the comfort of their home and receive them by mail. The L.L.Bean company has been sending out catalogs for more than a century!
The company, however, did not always sell decoys.
Read on...
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Mark your calendars for the next WWA event near you and visit our
Events Calendar for everything happening in 2019:
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2019 Wisconsin Waterfowler Hunters' Conference
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Wisconsin's waterfowl hunters are encouraged to attend the 17
th
annual Wisconsin Waterfowl Hunters’ Conference which will be held on March 9th at the Mead Hotel & Conference Center in Wisconsin Rapids. The Conference is designed, developed and managed by a committee of independent waterfowl hunters and is supported by individuals, conservation organizations, private businesses and government agencies
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Calling All WWA Youth Members That Like To Cook:
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Are you, or do you have, an 8-13 year old child that loves to cook? FOX’s hit cooking competition series,
MasterChef Junior
wants to hear from you! WWA is spreading the word in the hopes one of our youth members could be chosen to compete; if so, we will provide WWA apparel for the appearance.
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Thank You to Our 2018 Sponsors & Donors
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Thanks to all those that have cherished the memory of a loved one by donating in memoriam to the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association.
Those recently memorialized were:
- Mr. Glenn Zachow - Donors: Greg Rausch, Tony LaMacchia, Jim Freck, Mike Depies
- Mr. David E. Hughes - Donors: Mr. & Mrs. Jim Tavares, Mr. & Mrs. Fred Welch
- Mr. Joseph Porten- Donors: WWA 2018 Board of Directors and Staff
- Attorney Dan Fay - Donor: Dale W. Arenz
- Mr. Robert J. Kuehl - Donor: Ms. Penny D. Kuehl
- Mr. John Held - Donor: Ms. Kathy Shurts
- Mr. John Holmes - Donors: Dale W. Arenz, Jon Bergquist
- Mr. Jay Reed - Donor: Bob & Cookie Olson
- Mr. Norman J. Brady - Donor: Dale W. Arenz
- Mr. Robert E. Strous - Donor: Bruce Urben
If you'd like to consider a lasting and meaningful memorial fund contribution for that friend, hunting partner, co-worker or relative with WWA, please
contact us
. Each contribution will offer:
- A personalized letter to the family of the deceased,
- A letter from WWA sent to the donor confirming contribution for tax purposes (address & individual donation amount must be supplied),
- The option for the donor to designate which WWA program they wish their contributions be put towards, and a listing in this section for the duration of one year
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The Wisconsin Waterfowl Association is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission focuses on wetland and upland habitat restoration, youth and adult environmental education and environmental- and hunter-based legislation.
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