September 2019 Newsletter
|
|
Hooray - It's Finally Here!
By Bruce Ross, Executive Director
|
I hope by the time you read this that you’ve enjoyed your first waterfowling of the season. With Teal and Early Goose season having opened on the 1
st, our season is finally upon us.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve fielded several calls from WIWaterfowlers raising concerns about the “structure” of this year’s season.
- I spoke to a Northern duck hunter who couldn’t understand why the DNR would start the Northern zone season on the same (late) date as the Southern zone - “don’t they understand that freeze-up is stealing almost three weeks from us!?”
- Another Northern Waterfowler expressed appreciation that with the same opening dates, the Northern zone won’t suffer “zone-hoppers” from the south, crowding out their opening day.
- Conversely, I got a comment from a Southern zoner who was frustrated that his season was effectively shorter because of the same opener in North and South zones! Read on...
|
|
|
|
11th Anniversary Limited Edition, featuring 365 fabulous prizes, including:
- 33 Shotguns
- 51 Handguns
- 36 Rifles
- Vortex Optics...
|
|
|
|
WWA Bronze Sponsor SportDOG
|
One of our favorite sponsors, SportDOG, just came out with a new video that helped us get charged up for this season - take a look!
|
|
|
|
Kirby, center, shown with wife Kathy and daughter Brooke accepting the award from DNR.
|
|
Former WWA ED Kirby Receives Waterfowl Heritage Award
|
WWA's longtime former Executive Director, Don Kirby, received honors Thursday for working to make the association a statewide and regional leader on all waterfowl-related topics from hunting to habitat protections, while strengthening our relationship with the DNR.
Read on...
|
|
|
|
The youth winners from WWA's 2019 Duck & Goose Calling Contest
|
|
Education Should Be a Priority
By Bruce Urben, President
|
I remember my mother getting in heated discussions with our neighbor lady when she was complaining about her high taxes, especially that high School tax! My mother always responded that our schools and education are the best investment we could make for our future.
Read on...
|
|
|
|
Participants from the chapter's 2018 Learn to Hunt
|
|
Green Bay Learn to Hunt Mentors Needed
|
WWA's Green Bay Chapter will host their 11th Annual Learn to Hunt October 18th & 19th at the
Pittsfield Trap Club. Classroom instruction Friday 5-9pm, concluding with shooting at the Trap range, followed by a mentored hunt on Saturday.While we currently have a waiting list for attendees, we are in need of mentors. Please contact Bruce Urben if you are interested and available to mentor at 920-660-2773.
Find out more more about our Learn to Hunt program here.
|
|
|
|
Habitat Program Updates
By Peter Ziegler, Project Director
|
Hunting seasons are upon us. I hope everyone has a great beginning to the season. One thing I have found is that wildlife love new areas, and as with many bird species, waterfowl are quick to exploit newly flooded or disturbed areas.
Read on..
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Valley Chapter Adopts Town of Neenah Park
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adopt A Wildlife Area Updates
By Mike Alaimo, Lead AWA Volunteer
|
Seems like a tough thing... passing up the opportunity to hunt waterfowl, but that is what I did this year.
Read on...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wendlandt Wins 2019 State Duck Calling Contest
|
Austin Wendlandt
is the WWA Wisconsin State Duck Calling Champion! Austin took home a $500 Midwestern Shooters Supply gift card and a Benelli Nova shotgun. He will go on to represent Wisconsin at the Worlds Competition in Arkansas Thanksgiving weekend.
Read on...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Education Is A Lot of Things
By Ian Bartelmez, Committee Chair
|
Outdoor education, waterfowl identification, how to read the wind direction, concealment practices, knot tying... wow, it can just go on and on.
Read on...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sponsor Spotlight: Statewide UTV Raffle Sponsors
|
We've announced the winners in this single biggest raffle of the year for WWA (see below). Congratulations Jeff, Mindi & Pam! I must admit I had a couple daydreams about how great I’d look behind the wheel of that Can-Am Defender UTV.... all of us who played in the raffle probably had some similar thoughts. Those daydreams and the joy for the actual winners would not have been possible without the support of our raffle sponsors, so a big shoutout is in order to Track Side Inc., Link's Wild Safaris and Russell Moccasin Co. for supplying the “dreams” behind the raffle.
Learn more...
|
|
|
|
It is that time of year when we start to replenish our shell boxes and replace the worn out hunting gear. When you do your shopping, please remember
our sponsors
who have supported WWA's events all year long. You have seen the Tactacam cameras at many of our events already this year and they will be at our fall events also.
Read on...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jeff Erickson Won the UTV!
|
At 7:00 pm on Monday, August 26, 2019 at the Beaver Dam Conservation Club, WWA drew our UTV raffle and we’re excited to announce the lucky winners:
1st Prize: Can Am HD 8 XT Camo UTV and Karavan Trailer:
Jeff Erickson, ticket #01436;
2nd Prize: Links Whitetail Safaris 3-Day Archery Hunt
: Mindi Zahringer, ticket #04602; 3
rd Prize: $500 Russell Moccasin Gift Certificate:
Pam Resnick, ticket #00841
Congratulations to Jeff, Mindi and Pam and THANK YOU to everyone who purchased tickets for this raffle, all proceeds go to support our mission of Habitat, Education and Legislation in Wisconsin!
|
|
|
|
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!
|
|
|
|
Class A "Need Not be Present to Win" Raffles
|
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.
Check them all out here
!
|
|
This month's featured Class A is for our
West Allis Chapter
which will be drawn at their September 19th banquet. Tickets are $10 each or 3 for $20, only 500 will be sold & you could win a
W
eatherby SA-08 Camo 12ga Auto Shotgun
, a
Remington 783 Flat Green .223 Bolt Rifle
or a
Smith & Wesson M&P Mod 2 40 S&W Pistol
.
Get your tickets here.
|
|
Have an idea you want the wardens to answer in the new year?
Let us know!
|
Summer's End Means Early Season Hunting Soon
By WDNR Lt. Tyler Strelow and Migratory Game Bird Ecologist Taylor Finger
|
Summer’s shortening days signal to waterfowl hunters that the time is ripe to prepare for the fast-approaching seasons and to get current on season dates and bag limit changes. As always, it is important that you get out and scout before and during the season.
Read on...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Memories of my First
By Dr. K.C. Brooks, an avid waterfowler, dog lover and practicing veterinarian at
Lodi Veterinary Care
|
Some people remember their first car, their first boyfriend/ girlfriend, or even their first kiss. I remember Laddie. I must confess that Laddie was not even my dog.
Read on...
|
|
|
|
Photo courtesy WI Sporting Collectibles
|
|
The Decoy Corner: Joe Gigl, Another WI Original
By Bruce Urben, President
|
Joe Gigl was born in 1882 and his family relocated to Fremont, Wisconsin when Joe was in his teens. Joe lived in Fremont for the rest of his life. He was a bachelor his whole life, living in his “bachelors nest” as he called it
.
Learn more...
|
|
Mark your calendars for the next WWA event near you and visit our
Events Calendar for everything happening in 2019:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drones and the Future of Waterfowl Research
By Dr. Drew Fowler, Waterfowl and Migratory Game Bird Research Scientist, WDNR
|
Was it just me or did summer fly by faster than normal? It’s a busy time of the year: kids are back in school, football is in season, and ducks and geese are back in the air. I’m in the air as I write this, via airplane, though. I’m returning from the 8th North American Duck Symposium, this time hosted in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Read on...
|
|
|
|
Of Waterfowl and Parasites
By Sarah A. Orlofske, PhD, Assistant Professor & Curator of Animal Parasites; Associate Editor Ecology, Epidemiology, Survey and Behavior, "Journal of Parasitology"; University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
|
Greetings Fellow WWA members!
I appreciate the opportunity to introduce myself through this newsletter and share some background about the research my students and collaborators are pursuing related to waterfowl biology, parasite and disease ecology, and habitat restoration and management.
I am a Wisconsin native and grew up thinking all families went on vacation to Horicon Marsh for spring and fall migrations.
Learn more...
|
|
|
|
AIS Spotlight: Starry Stonewart
By:
Christopher Acy, Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator,
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
|
Every month, we will put a spotlight on an aquatic invasive species (AIS). This month, we highlight a
n emerging threat to Wisconsin lakes: Starry Stonewort, a submerged macro alga that has recently invaded several inland lakes in southeast Wisconsin as well as coastal areas of Green Bay and Lake Michigan within the Door County Peninsula
.
Learn more...
|
|
|
|
Thank You to Our 2019 Sponsors & Donors
|
|
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. Lawrence "Butch" Spaight - Donors: Jim Holwerda, Jeffrey & Katherine Nelson, Conservation Wardens of the Northern Region
- 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
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
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
