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MARYLAND DUCKS UNLIMITED NEWSLETTER
NEWS & INFORMATION FOR DUCKS UNLIMITED MEMBERS
Fall 2005
The Waterfowl Festival If You Build It...
and Ducks Unlimited Will They Come??
The Waterfowl Festival is proud of its steadfast
commitment to conservation. Not only is the
event a world-class festival of the arts, but its
proceeds are awarded each year to projects
advancing environmental education, conservation
and research. In the continuing partnership
between Ducks Unlimited and the Waterfowl
Festival, DU was recognized with the other
Waterfowl Festival 2005 Conservation Grants at a
luncheon on August 3rd.
Ducks Unlimited received a Conservation
Grant for our Habitat Stewardship Program on
Delmarva Peninsula in the amount of $21,500.00.
Ducks Unlimited has been a partner with the
Festival since the event's beginning. Ongoing
support for DU's Habitat Stewardship Program
promotes the restoration of Delmarva's wetlands
and upland buffers, helping to improve the quality
of the water entering the Chesapeake Bay and
providing improved habitat for waterfowl and
wildlife. Ducks Unlimited biologists work with
landowners on a continuing basis, helping to
identify, restore and manage habitat restoration
projects thus fostering a land ethic that not only
yields an abundance of waterfowl, but a healthier
environment for other wildlife and for people as
well. Grants totalled $100,000 from proceeds
derived from last year's Waterfowl Festival and
are awarded to organizations committed to
advancing environmental education, conservation
and research. This year's Waterfowl Festival is
November 11-13. For more information, contact
the Festival at 410-822-4567.
Jonas Davis
Maryland has lost about 73% of its wetlands,
devastating to waterfowl and other wetland
dependent wildlife. Since the early 1980s, DU
has been at the forefront of wetland conservation
in the state but lacked specific quantitative
information about wildlife usage of restored sites.
This has left many to wonder: Are waterfowl
routinely using these sites to meet critical
requirements? What happens to restored wetlands
over time? To answer these questions, DU
initiated a wetland-monitoring study to evaluate
the response of waterfowl and other wildlife to
restored wetlands.
In 2001, 10 recently restored wetlands, each
less than 10 acres, were selected for a monitoring
program. Four sites were selected from the
Eastern Shore of MD, four sites in southern MD,
and two sites in western MD. The objective of this
study was to determine plant and wildlife
community responses in
newly restored wetlands
over time to determine if
conservation goals are
being met. Methods used
included bird surveys,
vegetative
plot
measurements,
core
sampling for aquatic
and
invertebrates,
collecting water quality
variables. Each site was
visited twice each season
to be able to compare
between years and seasons. Waterfowl use of
these sites varied depending upon the season,
with most use occurring during spring and fall
migration. Waterfowl food resources and cover
species such as seed producing plants, aquatic
invertebrates, bulrush, and cattail were found on
most sites. Water levels at some sites were
reduced to mudflat conditions to enhance the
production of moist-soil plants. At other sites,
water was retained throughout so that aquatic
vegetation and invertebrates became abundant.
Wow, That’s a Busy
Committee
The Waterfowl Festival honored its 2005 grant recipients with a luncheon at the Tidewater Inn recently. Shown in the front
row, left to right, are Albert Pritchett, Waterfowl Festival Board president, Larry Albright from Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage,
Judy Price, Waterfowl Festival Executive Director, Al Gipe, member of the Festival's Appropriations Committee, and Vance
Strausburg, chairman of the Appropriations Committee. In the second row are Ellie Altman and Amy Steward, both from the
Adkins Arboretum, Chip Heaps of Ducks Unlimited, and Mark Scallion from Pickering Creek. In the back row, left to right, are
Lora Bottinelli of the Ward Foundation, Jennifer Pollack from the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, Mario Gangemi
representing Fair Hill Environmental Foundation, and Sharyn Harlow from Wildfowl Trust of North America. Other recipient
not pictured is Talbot County Public Schools. Other members of the Festival's appropriations committee not pictured are
Schuyler Benson, Mac Brittingham, Doug Collison, and Bill Platt.
INSIDE
2
State Chairman Notes
4
Turkey Harvest
5
Reconnect & recommit
Major Donor Event
6
2005 - 2006 Waterfowl
Seasons
The Harford County Chapter of Ducks
Unlimited seeks volunteers to help us put on
our fund raising events. This group holds six
separate events each year, keeping them very
busy. Volunteers can work on all events, or
pick one(s) that appeal to you. The chapter
starts the year with Woodduck Box installation
and maintenance in February, followed by a
Sporting Clays shoot in April, then hosts a
Spring Ladies Event in May, and a Kid’s
Outdoor Day in June. If that’s not enough, a
July Golf outing is organized, followed by the
September Sponsor Dove Hunt and the main
Chip Heaps
136 Goucher Way
Churchville, MD 21028
14 New Goose Hunting
Zones
15 State Raffle Winner
Postmaster: If undeliverable, do not return
www.ducks.org
event, the October Bull and Oyster Roast. The
Harford events are geared to attract members
of all interests. Obviously, this group needs
volunteers of all flavors, and welcomes any
one interested in giving a hand. These folks
say they “work hard for the ducks”, but I know
them to play pretty hard too, often golfing,
shooting, hunting and fishing together. If you
would like to give us a hand, and have a bunch
of fun du-ing it, please contact John
Silbernagel,
chapter
chairman,
at
[email protected] or (410)
877-3572.
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Ducks Unlimited Inc.
State Chairman’s Notes
Ed Henry
White Hall Game Farm
Guided Hunts • Unguided
Hunts • Sporting Clays
I would just like to throw out a few paragraphs
of a couple of the local goings on in Maryland
over the past few months and spread out some
thanks to the people that make these events
happen. As your State Chairman, I am truly
blessed by being able to meet and greet so many
terrific Ducks Unlimited members and attend
your terrific events.
On July 9th, 2005 Mark and Terry
Robbins hosted a Committee Recognition Crab
Feast. The Robbins Crab Feast was held at their
beautiful new home in Cambridge, MD
overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. Over 80
Maryland Committee members attended the
event. Mark and Terry had a feast of not only
crabs, but a regular Eastern Shore cookout on
hand with hot dogs, hamburgers and the works.
On August 6th, 2005 the 2nd
Committee Recognition Event was held. This
event was a Sporting Clay Shoot and Luncheon
hosted and prepared by J&P Sporting Clays in
Sudlersville, Maryland. J&P Sporting Clays is a
frequent supporter of the Maryland Ducks
Unlimited. Over 35 Maryland Committee
members enjoyed this event.
I want to thank all the Maryland
Chapters that have resurrected themselves in their
areas, as well as all the new Chapters that are
opening or preparing to open up. As I write this,
hunting season has started and we have to
remember that if it were not for the conservation
efforts of organizations such as Ducks Unlimited,
we would not be able to take our family, children
and friends out for an enjoyable day of
camaraderie, hunting and togetherness. Our
continued conservation efforts make these
moments with our loved ones possible.
Being your State Chairman means a
great deal. I will attempt to attend as many of the
events throughout the State as possible. As you
know, my presence at every event is not possible,
but I hope to see each of you at no less than one
of your events during my term as State Chairman.
In return, please try and attend other Chapter’s
dinners to try and show your support. This makes
for a great evening for you and your friends. You
don’t have to work through the dinner and event,
as it is not your Chapter hosting the dinner and
you are making new friends and possibly lifelong
hunting partners.
In conclusion, try and recruit new
members, new committee members and endeavor
to have a second event in your Chapter. As you
read this, I am packing my bags to fly off to
Alberta, yes Canada. I am traveling with Sean
Mann and other DU members who I hunt with
frequently. These are my friends; the lifelong
hunting partners. I guess the question would
be…Do You DU?
Owned and operated by:
Randy Nelson
1920 White Hall Road
White Hall, MD 21161
410-343-3172
www.whitehallgamefarm.com
BARTS SPORTS WORLD
6814 Ritchie Hwy. Glen Burnie, MD 21061
410-761-8686
800-835-1301
HIGH GRADE SHOTGUNS
SIDE BY SIDES * OVER AND UNDERS
Caesar Guerini * Krieghoff * Kolar
Beretta * Browning new & used
STOCK FITTING
Maryland Duck Dates
Date - County - Event - Location - Contact
9/11/04 - Harford County - Sponsor Dove Shoot
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
- TBA - John Silbernagel, Millington, MD 410679-2257
9/17/05 - Frederick Co. - Crab Feast - Elks Lodge
- Louis Kaufman, Frederick, MD 301-424-9173
9/10/05 - Bay Hundred, Sponsor Dove
Hunt/Dinner - John & Diana Mautz Farm, Eddie
Bridges, St. Michaels, MD 410-745-6423
9/10/05 - Central Maryland - Sponsor Shoot Randy Nelson’s Farm - Jane Zimmer, White Hall,
2
MD 410-866-6200
9/25/05 - Meade, Sporting Clay Shoot - P.G.
Shooting Center - Maurice Kline, Glen Dale, MD
410-468-4387
9/30/05 - Central Maryland, Dinner - Rosedale
Fire Hall - Steve Huettner, Rosedale, MD 410302-2103
10/1/05 - Pocomoke River - Greenwing- Dick
Hazel’s Farm - Dean Ennis, Salisbury, MD 410-
957-1272
10/1/05 (Tent.) - Sassafras River - Dinner- The
Granary - N/A, Galena, MD, N/A
10/3/05 - Queen Anne’s Co. - Sponsor Cocktail TBA, Dave Gough, Queenstown, MD 410-7588722
10/4/05 (Tent.) - Charles County - Crab Feast Marsh Hall, Traci Norris, Bryans Road, MD 301continued on page 5
Spring 2005
Editor’s Notes
Andy Aughenbaugh
For most people spring signals new beginnings,
but for hunters like us, fall marks new beginnings.
New hunting territories to be explored, new
hunting friendships to be formed, the new shotgun
or boat purchased over the summer sitting quietly
waiting to be taken afield, all these things and
more mark fall as the season of new beginnings
for the hunter.
Maryland Ducks Unlimited has its own new
beginning this fall. Beginning with this issue of
the sinkbox, we have hired a new printer and
designer. This change is driven by our intentions
to produce a quality newsletter that is full of
information covering recent Maryland DU events
and highlighting upcoming events. Along with
covering the events, we plan to include stories of
interest like an once-in-a-lifetime hunting trip
taken by DU members, legislative updates, and
informative stories to improve our hunting skills.
Be sure not to over look the advertisers the hard
working local chapters have assembled. With
advertisers continued and growing support, we
strive to grow this publication to something
Maryland DU can be proud of producing. As the
advertisers have shown their support for MD DU,
we should support them.
One such advertiser worth trying is Corrosion
X. Chip and I have been using this product for
over a year now and I know Chip has commented
on how well it has performed on his Super Black
Eagle. Ask Billy Price about who to waterfowl
hunt with and he will surely tell you Chesapeake
Guide Service is top notch. Just check out their
photo on the trophy page. And don’t forget about
contacting Scott Barmby of Black Duck Outfitters
for a bang up Resident Goose hunt.
Fall is here and with it a new hunting season.
Enjoy the time in the field. And don’t to forget to
support your local chapter of MD DU by
attending an event this fall.
Restoring Wetlands
Impacted by Mosquito
Control Techniques
Spencer Waller
Mosquito control grid-ditching techniques used
since the 1930s have degraded salt marsh
hydrology and habitat. DU and the MD DNR
Wildlife and Heritage Division began work this
fall on a project to restore 400 acres of state-owned
salt marsh habitat by stabilizing water levels and
restoring hydrology to conditions found prior to
the implementation of these techniques. In
addition to restoring hydrology and habitat, the
project will develop a monitoring program, which
will include using satellite imagery to evaluate the
success of the restoration activities.
DU's Geographic Information System (GIS)
staff visited the restoration area to refine the
preliminary project design and document the
current marsh conditions. In August of 2004, DU's
GIS team obtained the satellite imagery that will
be used as the project's baseline. These "before"
photographs will be used to evaluate the success of
the project upon the completion of all restoration
activity.
DU and DNR in-kind contributions will be
combined with $100,000 in grant funds from the
National
Oceanic
and
Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) and the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The
actual restoration work started in the spring of
2005 with a projected completion date of January
2006.
RD Notes
CRAB FEAST
Hosted by
DUCKS UNLIMITED
Frederick County Chapter
WHEN: Saturday September 17, 2005
Chip Heaps – RD’s Notes
DOORS OPEN: 6:00pm – Dinner starts at 6:30pm
Live Auction begins at 8:00pm
WHERE: Frederick Elks Lodge – 289 Willowdale Drive,
Frederick, MD
TICKET PRICES: $50 per person; $95 per Couple; $30
Greenwing; $300 Sponsor; $335 Sponsor Couple; $500 for
an 8 person Corporate Table; and $600 for a 10 person
Corporate Table
For most of us the 3 R’s represent the basics of
our elementary school education. That is the
foundations of reading, writing and arithmetic.
Ducks Unlimited has taken advantage of our
artistic license and assigned new meaning to the old
adage. The 3 R’s now represent the Recruitment,
Retention and Recognition of the most important
component of Ducks Unlimited – our Volunteers!
The 3 R’s are the #1 priority of Ducks Unlimited
this year and will be the focus of our organization
for the next several years.
It goes without saying that DU Volunteers are the
lifeblood of our great Conservation organization
and without the countless hours they spend
organizing our fundraising events and dollars they
contribute we would not be able to accomplish the
much needed habitat work we carry out. Their
efforts allow us to spend 86 cents of every dollar we
raise back into the resource. We have always
known the important role that volunteers played in
DU’s effectiveness but have now made it an
organizational priority to grow our Volunteer
numbers by 20% and retain and recognize this
irreplaceable resource through the first of several
new programs. For starters we are going to honor
our Volunteers with a Habitat Project in the US or
Canada, recognize them in the DU magazine and
invite them to the project dedication. We are also
going to recognize Committee Volunteers for the
acres that they conserve based on the net/net dollars
that their Chapter’s raise.
We can never thank our Volunteers enough for
everything that they do but we are gong to do our
best to acknowledge their remarkable
accomplishments for “The Ducks”. Come join us
this fall at one of our Maryland DU events and
better yet contact Susan Wallace, our new
Maryland State Volunteer Recruitment Chairman
at 410-820-854, 443-521-0808 or E-mail [email protected] to join the Team.
DINNER INCLUDES: All-you-can-eat crabs, fried chicken,
crab soup, wedge fries, fried clams, corn-on-the-cob,
macaroni salad, cole slaw, and green beans. Draft beer and
soda included.
CONTACT (PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER 6):
Louis Kaufman – Phone: 240-276-0151; e-mail: [email protected]
Leif Olsen – Phone: 301-898-0000; e-mail: [email protected]
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
3
Spring 2005
Outstanding Breeding Conditions Result in Maryland
Record Turkey Harvest
Brent Smith
OK, I’ll admit that I thought my hunting partner
was being a bit greedy when he passed up a jake
I had coaxed into 35 yards on the 3rd day of the
season. Not only had he never taken a spring
turkey, but this was his first season of spring
turkey hunting. It’s not like we were hunting a
booming turkey state like Alabama or Georgia.
This was Maryland. We didn’t have many days to
hunt, and here stood his bird, cautiously
displaying for that hen that sounded so enticing.
The jake stood looking for a couple minutes until
“The Boss” gobbled just down the valley. As fast
as he appeared, his head turned from glowing blue
and white, to red, and away he slipped, never to be
heard from again. Unfortunately, the boss gobbler
was never to be heard from again either, but that’s
turkey hunting: changing by the minute, and never
what you expected. We left the woods that
morning knowing we could have taken the year
old bird (and with me thinking my partner should
have).
The following day started out as a big
disappointment with a strong front pushing in a
storm, and no gobbling in the area where the birds
were thick the day before. It was starting to look
like the birds would get the better of us again,
when a gobble rang out. We managed to set the
decoys in an opening just before another gobble
sounded. This one was too close for comfort, and
sent us scrambling for a hide. My partner was set
up perfect where the birds couldn’t see him until
it was too late, but I was forced to lay down
behind a blow down as my only chance to hide.
Seconds later some hens appeared in the open
area with gobblers in tow. They had no intentions
of coming our way. I gave them some mouthy
cutting which drew the boss hen into the decoys
and only a few feet away from me. She was mad
and looking for a fight! That was more than the
gobblers could stand, because the two strutting
toms followed suit. I whispered for my partner to
take one when he had a shot, because I was still
lying down and had almost no chance. He had the
best opportunity, and I didn’t want him to let it
pass waiting on me. I sat up at the sound of his
blast, and managed to send the second tom
tumbling with a load of #5s. We were still hooting
and hollering as the last of the 13 or so remaining
birds (mostly jakes) scrambled for the trees. The
hunt ended with matching long beards sporting
almost 11” beards and 1 3/8” spurs, but the real
story was the promise of a great season next year.
Every turkey taken is a trophy, but longbeards,
or adult gobblers, are the true prize. They’re
larger, generally more wary, and much wiser than
the year old gobblers known as jakes. Longbeards
do the majority of the gobbling and breeding, and
will fight keep that right, which is why jakes often
don’t gobble or respond well to calls. Jakes can
be the dominant gobbler in an area, but if there are
a few longbeards around, the jakes are generally
put in their place.
Throughout the season, stories of success
varied, but one thing remained the same.
Everyone was seeing jakes. Not just one or two,
but sometimes dozens of them. Harvest data told
the same tale. 30% of the spring turkey harvests
were 1-year-old gobblers. An abundance of jakes
this year means there will be plenty of 2-year-old
adult gobblers around next year. More longbeards
means more competition for breeding, and more
competition for breeding means the gobblers will
respond much better to the call.
The 2004 turkey breeding survey reported
above average nesting productivity, with the
largest increases in the West and Coastal plains
regions. Brood sizes were up, hens seen with
poults were up, and overall sightings were up as
much as 150% over previous years.
Waterfowlers are well aware that 1 good
nesting year can have dramatic effects on the
overall population, and on their hunting. But this
year’s turkey harvest shows that the same is true
for turkeys.
2002 and 2003 were two of the worst nesting
years on record for Maryland turkeys. Cold or
overly wet springs spell disaster for nests and
newly hatched broods, as young turkeys often
succumb to hypothermia in these conditions. A
banner year in 2004 gave the population just what
it needed, and a single year drove the state’s
turkey population to record highs.
The state’s turkey population is probably one of
the greatest success stories to come out of the
Maryland DNR. Not long ago, turkey sightings
were scarce, and harvesting a bird outside of the
far western reaches of the state was unheard of.
Turkeys were originally thought to require large
expanses of forestland to survive, but research by
organizations like the National Wild Turkey
Federation dispelled this rumor with hugely
successful restocking operations. Maryland
began restocking their own flock mostly with
birds from the western part of the state, and
turkeys are now found within every county in the
state. Add to this the recent increase in public
hunting land, and Maryland is quickly producing
more turkey hunting opportunities for its
sportsmen.
As this article is written, the Maryland DNR is
conducting its annual breeding surveys for spring
2005. These surveys are provided to Wildlife and
Heritage Service field staff, Parks Service
Personnel, Natural Resource Police as well as
landowners, hunters and citizens. If this spring’s
weather is any indication of the success of
Maryland’s turkey population, we should see
another productive year, and another great turkey
season ahead.
Oddly enough, my season ended the same way
it started. I managed to score another double with
a different friend and hunting partner. Again, as
we ran to collect our prizes, jakes scattered in all
directions with the promise of another great year
for 2006.
Maryland DU Website
The Maryland Ducks Unlimited web site is
hosted in the community “In Your State” section
of the DU-National site (www.ducks.org). You
can go directly to the Maryland DU site at
http://md.ducks.org . The site has all the updated
information on events, raffles, and even
merchandise available only via Maryland DU.
Mark this site to your “favorites” as it’s updated
often with the latest information, news, tide
charts, sunrise-sunset tables, hunting season dates,
photo gallery, links to local chapters, and more.
Any comments on how we can improve the site
can be directed to [email protected].
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
4
Spring 2005
Baltimore Reconnect &
Recommit Major Donor
Event
On May 11, 2005, more than 220 Ducks
Unlimited volunteers and supporters gathered at
the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront to learn more
about DU’s Chesapeake Bay CARE
[Conservation
Agriculture
Resources
Environment] Initiative. The evening’s program
included presentations by president John Tomke,
senior group manager of conservation programs
Dr. Alan Wentz and regional biologist Spencer
Waller. The enthusiasm generated that evening
resulted in 16 new Life Sponsors, 3 Diamond Life
Sponsors and 2 Sponsors in Perpetuity.
The goal of the Chesapeake Bay CARE
Initiative is to enhance, restore and protect
habitats critical to Chesapeake Bay waterfowl,
other wetlands dependent species and people.
Major Sponsor commitments toward Chesapeake
Bay CARE will benefit habitat programs in both
the Chesapeake and the Prairie Pothole Region.
The Chesapeake Bay is the nation’s largest
estuary, draining 64,000 square miles. The Bay’s
wetlands represent important wintering and
migration grounds for more than 35% of the
waterfowl in the Atlantic Flyway such as black
ducks, mallards, canvasbacks, and Canada geese.
One of the most important areas for migratory
Chesapeake Bay waterfowl is the Prairie Pothole
Region. Recognized as the most significant
breeding waterfowl habitat in the world, this
region produces the majority of the waterfowl that
winter in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Both
of these regions are critical to the survival of
waterfowl that inhabit the Chesapeake Bay
throughout the year.
Ducks Unlimited would like to thank event cochairmen Richard C. Riggs and Henry G. Hagan
and all the Major Sponsors involved for their
generous commitments to this critical Initiative.
Our newest Major Sponsors are: Henry G. Hagan
and Robert Lepczyk pledged Sponsor in
Perpetuity; Edwin Hale, Bill Meredith and Rick
White pledged Diamond Life Sponsor; and the
following individuals pledged to Life Sponsor:
Greg Barnhill, Mike Batza, William Boyd, C.
Edmund Connelly, Edward (Ned) Grassi, Wayne
Johnson, James King, Roland Mackenzie, John
McDonald, P. Anthony Meredith, William R.
Miles, Terry Randall, Mike Reid, George Rich,
Peter Van Dyke, and Howard Wolfe.
If you would like more information about the
Chesapeake Bay CARE Initiative, please contact
Phil Poux, DU Director of Development, at 410224-6620 or [email protected].
Major Sponsors recognized at the event included: (back row, left to right) C. Edmund Connelly, Robert Lepczyk, Richard C.
Riggs, Dave Butler, Edward (Ned) Grassi, Edward Zimmer, William R. Miles, Andrew M. Obrecht, Howard Wolfe, Henry G.
Hagan; (front row, left to right) Wayne C. Johnson, Roland Mackenzie, John McDonald and president John Tomke.
Banquet on Capital Hill
The Federal City Chapter of Ducks Unlimited recently hosted the 24th Annual Capitol Hill Banquet
in Washington, D.C. DU's Chairman of the Board, John Tomke, joined together with the Federal City
committee to welcome numerous Members of Congress at the event. "I really have to congratulate the
Federal City chapter. The overwhelming success of this year's dinner is directly attributable to the
committee's hard working volunteers.", said Tomke. The Federal City Committee was also honored to
have Congressman Gil Gutknecht of Minnesota serve as an auctioneer. The sold-out event enabled DU
to reach legislators and Administration officials with the conservation message.
Landowner Advocates
for the
2007 Farm Bill
$$$
REWARD $$$
WATERFOWL HABITAT FUNDING
WE NEED FARMERS INVOLVED IN CONSERVATION TO HELP TELL THEIR STORIES
Ducks Unlimited is looking for farm voices for the Farm Bill.
Funding for conservation in the Farm Bill will be reviewed in early 2006.
We would like some folks to come to Washington, DC and share with
Congressmen your personal story of how Farm Bill programs like WRP and CRP
have enhanced your family, farm, and community.
Tell Washington how important these conservation programs are to you,
the land you live on, and the wildlife it supports.
If this sounds like you or even someone you know,
fill out the contact information below, and leave it at your seat to be collected.
Can You Help Us Find Landowner Advocates for the 2007 Farm Bill? If So, Please Fill Out The Information Below:
Name:
Last
First
Address:
Back Row, L to R--- Dwight Hughes, Joe Rowan, Carling Dinkler, Bradford Swann, Neil Shader, Zack Donohew, Mike Veasey,
Bob George, Rick White, Howard Perkins, Matt Schertz, Maryland State Chairman Ed Henry, Bart James, Brett Flowers, Mike
Berkholtz, Andy York, Josh Voelker, Mark Walpole, Kellis Moss, Bill Imbergamo, Vaughn Collins. Front row, L to R--- Jim
Walpole, Scott Sutherland, Danielle James, Lindsay Jones, DU Chairman of the Board John Tomke, Ashlie Houston, Dan &
Clayton Wrinn, Chip Heaps.
870-3700
10/6/05 (Tent.) - National Capital - Sponsor
Cocktail Party - Columbia Country Club, Kirk
Jeffery, Chevy Chase, MD 301-841-1305
10/6/05 (Tent.) - Herring Bay - Sponsor Cocktail
- Chesapeake Yacht Club, Mimi Moore, Shady
Side, MD 443-871-4941
10/9/05 - Harford County - Dinner - Richlin
Ballroom, John Silbernagel, Edgewood, MD
410-679-2257
10/15/05 - Bay Hundred - Dinner - Miles River
Yacht Club, Eddie Bridges, St. Michaels, MD
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
410-745-6423
10/15/05 - Carroll County - Bull & Shrimp Roast
- Pleasant Valley Fire Hall, Bruce Kerr, Pleasant
Valley, MD 410-259-1475
10/15/05 - St. Mary’s County - Dinner Hollywood Fire Hall, Tommy Deagle, Lexington
Park, MD 301-994-1621
10/27/05 - Annapolis
Sponsor - Phillip
Merrill Center, Kerwin Stokes, Annapolis, MD
410-268-6518
10/29/05 - Dorchester County - Dinner Minette Dick Hall, Terry Robbins, Cambridge,
MD 410-228-8372
11/4/05 - Patapsco Valley - Dinner - Ten Oaks
Ballroom, Lynne Beacham, Clarksville, MD 410313-9450
5
Street Address
Phone: (
City
)
Do you know a Member of Congress:
State
Zip Code
Email:
qYes
qNo
Please return today or mail to:
Ducks Unlimited Governmental Affairs Office
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue Suite 402 Washington, DC 20004 or fax to 202-347-1533
11/5/05 - Calvert County, Dinner - Calvert
County Fair Grounds, Charlie Reese, Prince
Frederick, MD 301-855-1165
11/5/05 - Caroline County -D
DinnerFederalsburg Fire Hall, Scott Christopher,
Federalsburg, MD 410-754-7370
11/6/04 - Meade - Dinner/Bull Roast - Elks
Lodge, Phillip Thompson, Severn, MD 410-9872044
11/19/05 - Talbot County - Dinner - Elks Lodge,
Coard Benson, Easton, MD 410-763-8420
11/19/05 - Wicomico County - Dinner - Hebron
Fire Hall, Wade Alexander, Hebron, MD 410726-3020
11/19/05 - Kent County - Dinner - Betterton Fire
Hall, Tom Crowe, Betterton, MD 410-348-2551
11/29/05 - National Capital - Dinner - Columbia
Country Club, Kirk Jeffery, Chevy Chase, MD
301-571-1473
11/05 - Worcester County - Dinner - TBA, Del
Baker, Ocean City, MD 302-537-2171
12/1/05 - Greater Baltimore - Dinner - The
Grand Lodge, F.J. Stetson, Hunt Valley, MD 410905-8890
12/3/05 - Somerset County - Dinner - Elks
Lodge, Artie Tawes, Crisfield, MD 410-968-1398
12/10/05 - Cecil County - Christmas Dinner Singerly Fire Hall, Ted Maske, Elkton, MD 302836-9602
12/10/05 (Tent.) - Herring Bay - Dinner- Deale
Elks, Mimi Moore, Deale, MD 443-871-4941
continued on page 15
Spring 2005
2005-2006 Proposed
Waterfowl Seasons
and Bag Limits
Join the - “Greater Baltimore Committee”
We need your help for our annual dinner
Thursday December 1st 2005
Contact F.J. Stetson to find out how “Committee Members”
can win a free shotgun!
DUCKS, COOTS, and MERGANSERS
Season Dates:
Oct. 8 - Oct. 15
Nov. 12 - Nov. 25
Dec. 13 - Jan. 28
Black Duck
Nov. 12 - Nov. 25
Dec. 13 - Jan. 28
Canvasback
Dec. 26 - Jan. 28
[email protected]
Duck Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 6 ducks per day which may include no more than: 5 longtailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 1 pintail,
1 hooded merganser, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, 1 black duck (during black duck season), and
1 canvasback (during canvasback season). No open season on harlequin ducks. The possession limit is
twice the daily bag limit. In addition to the duck bag limit hunters may take 15 coots.
SEA DUCKS (Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, and Eiders)
Season Dates and
Daily Bag Limit in
Sea Duck Zone
Oct. 1 - Jan. 28
5 (no more than 4 scoters)
ATLANTIC POPULATION (AP) CANADA GOOSE
Season Dates and
Daily Bag Limit
Nov. 17 - Nov. 25
Dec. 17 - Jan. 28
2 per day
AP Hunt Zone: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Annes, Somerset, St.
Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties; that portion of Baltimore County north of Route
138, Route 137, and Mount Carmel Road; that portion of Carroll County north of Route 88, east of
Route 30 from the intersection of Route 30 and Route 88 to the intersection of Route 30 and Route 482,
north of Route 482, north of Route 27 from the intersection of Route 27 and Route 482 to the
intersection of Route 27 and Route 97, and east of Route 97 from the Intersection of Route 27 and Route
97 to the Pennsylvania line; that portion of Anne Arundel County east of Interstate 895, Interstate 97,
and Route 3; that portion of Prince Georges County east of Routes 3 and 301, and that portion of Charles
County east of Route 301 to the VA state line.
http://md.ducks.org . The site has all the updated
information on events, raffles, and even
merchandise available only via Maryland DU.
RESIDENT POPULATION (RP) CANADA GOOSE
Season Dates and
Daily Bag Limit
Nov. 15 - Nov. 25
Dec. 8 - Feb. 15
5 per day
RP Hunt Zone: Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, Howard, and Montgomery; that portion of
Baltimore County south of Route 138, Route 137, and Mount Carmel Road; that portion of Anne
Arundel County west of Interstate 895, Interstate 97 and Route 3; that portion of Prince George’s
County west of Route 3 and Route 301, that portion of Charles County west of Route 301 to the Virginia
State line; and that portion of Carroll County south of Route 88, west of Route 30 from the intersection
of Route 30 and Route 88 to the intersection of Route 30 and Route 482, south of Route 482, south of
Route 27 from the intersection of Route 27 and Route 482 to the intersection of Route 27 and Route
97, and west of Route 97 from the Intersection of Route 27 and Route 97 to the Pennsylvania line.
ATLANTIC BRANT
Season Dates and
Daily Bag Limit
Dec. 26 - Jan. 28
2 per day
GREATER SNOW GEESE
Season Dates and
Daily Bag Limit
Oct. 15 - Nov. 25
Nov. 28 - Jan. 31
Feb. 1 – Feb. 27*
15 per day
Note*: Season only open on Mon., Wed., Fri., and Sat. during Feb. 1- Feb. 27.
Posted August 2005
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
6
Spring 2005
Grace Bottitta Promoted
Annapolis, MD—June 28, 2005 — Grace
E. Bottitta has been promoted to oversee
wetland and habitat conservation efforts in
the Mid Atlantic states. Housed out of their
newly opened Mid Atlantic Field Office
(MAFO), Bottitta was promoted to Manager
of Conservation Programs for the MidAtlantic portion of the Ducks Unlimited’s
(DU) Great Lakes/Atlantic Region. In 1990,
she received her Bachelor’s degree from
State University of NY at Oswego (biology
major with a minor in marine science). In
1998, she began her master’s program in
Watershed Ecosystems at Trent University in
Ontario, Canada where her research project
for the Canadian Wildlife Service, was
located in the Canadian arctic.
Bottitta has eleven years of experience as
a wildlife and wetlands biologist; four of
which have been with Ducks Unlimited.
Prior to her former position as a Ducks
Unlimited Regional Biologist for New
England, she worked in Conservation
Programs at National Headquarters in
Memphis, TN.
In her new role as Manager of
Conservation Programs, she provides
oversight on the implementation of DU’s
habitat restoration, enhancement and
protection programs within the Chesapeake
and Delaware Bay watersheds. She will also
work to promote DU’s Lands Protection
Program for the Atlantic Rivers and
Estuaries Land Protection Focus Area within
the states of Maryland, Virginia, West
Virginia, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Her
communication and networking skills will
prove useful in expanding DU’s
conservation programs through the
development of new partnerships, granting
opportunities and government programs as
well as assisting with stewarding new and
existing major donors.
!
s
n
o
i
t
a
l
u
t
a
r
g
n
Co
Compliments of Ferris, Baker Watts, Inc.
Team Funk
Edwin L. Funk III
John Todd Pauliny
~ We Strive For Excellence~
443-402-2212
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
7
Spring 2005
What Does Conservation mean to me?
Greenwing’s essays
This was a question posed to boys and girls
who attended the Greenwing Youth Fun Day held
at the Baltimore County Fish and Game
Association this past June. The children were
asked to write a 100 word or less essay (without
the help of parents) about what conservation
means to them. The winners of the contest
received a guided waterfowl hunt with world
renown World Champion of Champions Caller
Sean Mann during the upcoming waterfowl
season. Below are the winning essays:
Eric Milkosovich
Age 13
What conservation means to Maryland.
Conservation means assisting the environment by
planting trees and bay grass. Right now I am
planting bay grass today.
Without the
environment there are a lot of things, like us, that
couldn’t survive if there wasn’t enough trees. If
we didn’t have hunters like me there would be
over population of animals, like deer. Also, if
there weren’t things like Ducks Unlimited there
wouldn’t be events like we are having today
(Gereenwing Fun day) then ducks and marsh
grass could die off and ducks could be going
extinct or endangered. Conservation also means
teaching children and adults about Maryland
wetlands and wildlife. Finally if people know
about Maryland wildlife there would be more
protection and people would be more aware.
Shelby Zimmer Age 11
To me conservation means as I grow I will still
love the outdoors and hunting with my dad. My
dad loves to take me hunting and I love to spend
Ian Hafner Age 11
What conservation of Maryland means to me is
to leave no trace wherever you go. Don’t litter! If
you don’t litter in the water it helps keep the lake
clean, which also helps keep the ocean clean,
which then helps the ducks stay alive. The ducks
can eat the alien plants which can destroy the
ecosystem. Or you could destroy the alien plants
and dangerous alien animals saving the
ecosystem.
Kyle Rush
Age 13
So, to me conservation means many things. It
means conserving the wondrous aspects of the
world. So that all may enjoy it in later years. It
means saving what ought to be saved, mammals,
plant and the great outdoors, in and of itself.
Some people may try to destroy what the outdoors
holds sacred, the wondrous sound of rustling
leaves, and rushing rivers, the smell of falling
leaves in an old growth forest, and the sight of
cattails blowing in the wind. I strongly and firmly
believe that all of humanity should act as
caretakers of the earth and not rulers of it. It is our
duty to conserve the great outdoors.
Good Luck on those Hunts!
Mute Swan Decision Brings
A Healthier Chesapeake
Bay
Get the Maryland DU
License Plate for your
vehicle
You have seen them, and know that the owner
is a DU supporter. Show your colors by getting
them too. It’s easy, simply ask for an application
by (e)mailing your name and address to Ross
Selby - License Plate Chairman, Maryland Ducks
Unlimited, 1679 Carlyle Dr., Crofton, MD
21114 [email protected] , or by calling 410-7214953. Here’s the program:
You pay a one time fee of $60 which covers the
fee to MVA and also a small fee to Maryland DU.
Once you get your tags, you renew your
registration as you normally would, with no
additional fees. If you are purchasing a new
vehicle, just let your dealership complete your
time with him. We are a great team when it comes
to hunting. I love goose hunting, deer hunting,
and being in the outdoors. I have one goose call
of my own that I practice every night so that I
might be a girl Sean Mann. I think that would be
awesome, but what I think conservation means is
spending time with my dad in the outdoors.
application as they normally would ... your DU
tags will carry the same expiration date as your
regular tags.
Your support of our logo plate program means
“More Bucks for the Ducks”.
The Harford County chapter of Ducks Unlimited invites you to our
Fall Bull and Oyster Roast
at the Richlin Ballroom
Annapolis, MD—June 24, 2005 — The recent
court decision to allow the State of Maryland to
control mute swans is a major victory towards
improving the Chesapeake Bay. Invasive species
like the mute swan have long been a problem in
this country. Mute swans, which were introduced
to the Chesapeake Bay region for their ornamental
value, have had an increasingly disruptive effect
on the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay. They are
difficult to manage, damage their surrounding
environment and often compete with native
species for food and territory. Ducks Unlimited
(DU) has been working with federal and state
agencies in support of efforts to protect habitat in
the Bay. DU was active in Congress’ efforts to
amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) to
clarify that it was not intended to protect nonnative species, such as mute swans. Animal rights
groups subsequently filed a court challenge to
prevent the law from being implemented. Ducks
Unlimited joined together with Safari Club
International and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service in support of the law. The court has just
ruled against the anti-hunting interests allowing
the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to
move forward with their plans to protect the Bay
habitat in the Chesapeake.
“We understand the concerns that some people
have about reducing the mute swan population,
but the long term effects to Bay life are too
damaging. For instance, there’s competition for
food and habitat between mute swans and our
native tundra swan, which winter in the
Chesapeake Bay,” states Grace Bottitta, Manager
of Conservation Programs in Ducks Unlimited’s
Mid Atlantic Field Office in Annapolis, MD.
Bottitta goes on to say that mute swans have been
observed exhibiting aggression toward native
nesting waterfowl, driving them from protected
coves and feeding areas. Mute swans are
estimated to eat over 9,000,000 pounds of
submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) each year.
The loss of SAV, plus the physical damage to the
beds is limiting the recovery of SAV, which
provides food and habitat for a multitude of Bay
organisms.
Enjoy an evening of Fantastic Food, Raffles, and Live and Silent
Auctions at the Richlin Ballroom,
1700 Vanbibber Road, Abingdon MD
Menu: Freshly shucked Oysters and Clams, Chef Carved Colorado
Style Top Round Beef, Chef Carved Oven Glazed Ham, Potato Salad,
Cole Slaw, Chips, Pretzels, Oyster Stew, Herb Baked Chicken, Baked
Potato Bar with assorted toppings, Jumbo Hot Dogs with sauerkraut,
Italian Sausage and peppers, Country Style Greenbeans, Tossed Garden
Salad, Vegetable display, Sheet Cakes and Ice Cream Sundae bar.
Beer, wine sodas all evening. Cash bar for mixed drinks.
Date: Sunday, October 9, 2005,
Location: Richlin Ballroom, Abingdon MD
Cost: $50.00 per person
For Tickets buy on-line at http://md.ducks.org (events section) or
call John Silbernagel at (410) 877-3572 or [email protected] or
Scott Jasion at 410-229-1370 [email protected]
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
8
Spring 2005
1987 Sponsor Event
These are current members – do you recognize them?
Maryland Ducks Unlimited Contact List
Ed Henry
State Chairman
410-745-9500
[email protected]
Terry Lemper
District Chairman - Eastern
302-292-1847
[email protected]
Scott Jasion
District Chairman - Western
410-229-1370
[email protected]
Ed Zimmer
State Treasurer
410-866-6200
[email protected]
Jane Zimmer
State Secretary
410-866-6200
[email protected]
Vacant
State Major Gifts Chairman
Mark & Terry Robbins
State Sponsor Chairmen
[email protected]
410-228-8372
Ron
State Membership Committee Chairman
410-893-1395
Jasion
[email protected]
“George Nitzell, III”
State Greenwing Chairman
[email protected]
410-335-0200
Vacant
State Webmaster
Ross Selby
State License Plate Chairman
[email protected]
410-721-4953
Andy Augenbaugh
Newsletter Chairman
[email protected]
410-876-8772
Rick Dixon
Newsletter Advertising Chairman
[email protected]
410-745-0405
Hugh Adkins
State Shoot Chairman
[email protected]
410-226-5945
F.J. Stetson
Zone 1 Chairman
[email protected]
410-252-1355 x 274
Vacant
Greater Baltimore
Bobby Watson
Mike Reesey
410-252-2229
[email protected]
Frank Edwards
Chesapeake Chapter
410-557-9141
[email protected]
Tommy Marvel
Zone 2 Chairman
410-648-5229
[email protected]
Tom Crow
Kent County
[email protected]
410-348-2551
Dave Gough
Queen Anne’s County
[email protected]
410-758-8722
Sassafras River
Cecil County
302-521-2615
Zone 3 Chairman
410-745-9279
Caroline County
800-922-3867 X112
Dorchester County
410-228-9311
Talbot County
410-763-8420
Bay Hundred
410-745-6423
Zone 4 Chairman
410-957-1851
Pocomoke River
410-430-1420
Somerset County
410-968-1398
Somerset County
410-430-8926
Worcester County
Wicomico County
410-726-3020
Zone 5 Chairman
301-645-2415
Calvert County
410-535-6464
Charles County
301-283-0228
Charles County
410-984-7212
St. Mary’s County
301-994-1621
Piscataway
202-464-4004
Zone 6 Chairman
410-987-2044
Annapolis
410-268-6518
Vacant
Jay Bailey
[email protected]
David Handley (T-Bone)
[email protected]
Scott Christopher
[email protected]
Terry Robbins
[email protected]
Coard Benson
[email protected]
Eddie Bridges
[email protected]
Al Myers
[email protected]
David Peterson
[email protected]
Arthur Tawes
[email protected]
Douglas Reynolds
Vacant
Wade Alexander
[email protected]
Mike Myers
[email protected]
Charles M. Reese
[email protected]
Dickie Naber
[email protected]
Jimmy Smith
[email protected]
Tommy Deagle
Dan Wrinn
[email protected]
Phillip Thompson
[email protected]
Kerwin Stokes
[email protected]
Maurice Klein
Gen. Geo. Meade
410-268-4387
[email protected]
Mimi Moore
Herring Bay
443-871-4941
[email protected]
Howard Perkins
Zone 7 Chairman
301-320-0425
[email protected]
Dan Wrinn
Federal City
202-464-4004
[email protected]
Kirk Jeffery
National Capital
310-841-1305
[email protected]
Stuart Sherman
Potomac River
301-770-8664
[email protected]
John Graf
Zone 8 Chairman
[email protected]
410-893-5913
Steve Huettner
Central Maryland
[email protected]
410-302-2103
John Silbernagel
Harford County
[email protected]
410-679-2257
Merrill Dougherty
R. Madison Mitchell
[email protected]
410-939-3333
John Littleton
Gunpowder
[email protected]
410-288-4438
Jane Zimmer
Upper Bay Greenwing
[email protected]
410-866-6200
Todd Harrison
Zone 9 Chairman
[email protected]
301-790-2072
Justin Anthony
Washington County
[email protected]
301-302-9736
Sam Lane
Allegany County
[email protected]
301-722-3666
Vacant
Mountain Top
John Treadway
Zone 10 Chairman
301-271-7697
[email protected]
Bruce Kerr
Carroll County
410-259-1475
[email protected]
Louis Kaufman
Frederick County
301-424-9173
[email protected]
Lynne Beacham
Patapsco Valley
[email protected]
410-313-9450
MARYLAND SINKBOX
Ducks Unlimited is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to conserving wetlands habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. DU was
incorporated by a group of farsighted conservationists on Jan. 29, 1937.
Membership in the organization is $25 minimum, which includes a subscription to the national Ducks Unlimited magazine. As the
organization’s official publication for Maryland, Sinkbox has a circulation of 10,000. Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those
of Ducks Unlimited Inc. Similarities between the name Ducks Unlimited Inc. and those of advertisers are coincidental and do not indicate
mutual affiliation unless clearly stated.
Members who move, should send new address and current membership number to notional headquarters on POD Form 3578. Please direct
inquiries to State Chairman John Mercer
Andy Aughenbaugh Editor • (410) 876-8772 • [email protected]
Sinkbox is printed by The Daily Record, Baltimore, MD.
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
9
Advertising rates:
Full page
Half page
Quarter page
Eight page
Card size
$1000
$600
$325
$170
$50
Spring 2005
MARYLAND LOCATIONS
Glen Burnie: 410.760.3933
White Marsh: 410.933.0134
Hunt Valley: 410.584.9050
Columbia:
410.872.1100
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
MARYLAND LOCATIONS
Bel Air:
410.638.7404
Hagerstown:
240.420.0140
Waldorf:
301.885.1762
Washingtonian: 301.947.0200
10
WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA LOCATIONS
Sterling: 703.433.2190
Manassas: 703.257.4300
Fairfax: 703.803.0300
Spring 2005
Wetlands and Wildlife
Habitat: How Does Losing
Them Affect You?
by Kelli Alfano
Baltimore, MD—June 29, 2005 — Do
wetlands and wildlife habitat really make a
difference in the lives of people? Ducks Unlimited
(DU) says, “absolutely”, especially in our wallets
and quality of life. Knowing the value of these
crucial natural resources, Ducks Unlimited
continues conservation efforts by restoring and
protecting wetlands and associated wildlife
habitat. One example of DU’s conservation work
is in Cecil County. The Creedon project restored
5 acres of habitat and grasslands, providing
residents in Cecil County an enhanced quality of
life by improving water quality, reducing the
potential for flooding, providing protection for a
variety of wildlife species and increasing
opportunities for outdoor recreation. Outdoor
recreation alone is a more than $23 billion a year
economic activity.
Maryland has lost nearly 75 percent of its
historical wetlands. An estimated 1.2 million
acres have been drained and filled for agricultural
BlackDuck.BW.Ad.10x6.2
8/5/05
Want to contribute an article to the Sinkbox?
Call Andy Aughenbaugh at 443-829-6048
conversion or industrial and urban development.
Many of the state’s remaining wetlands are
seriously degraded and under continual threat.
Without the critical filtering capabilities of
wetlands, the sediments and other waterborne
toxins flow freely into rivers and lakes, degrading
the quality of our water, which is expensive to
treat. “By preserving natural resources, we’re
helping to maintain our nation’s long term
economic stability. The value of wetlands is
unquestionable. They are among the most
precious natural resources on earth, providing
social and economic value, as well as recreational
activities,” states Ducks Unlimited Regional
Biologist, Spencer Waller.
Within Baltimore, Cecil, Harford, and Howard
Counties, DU and its partners have restored,
enhanced and protected 2,985 acres of wetlands
and associated uplands. These projects are now
home to populations of birds, mammals, reptiles,
amphibians, fish and invertebrates, many of which
are threatened and endangered.
4:54 PM
Page 1
MARYLAND HUNTS
CANADA HUNTS
• Puddle Ducks
• 2 Hunts Per Day
• Diver Ducks
• Pheasant/Quail
• Canada Geese
• Sea Ducks
• Liberal Limits
• Canada Geese
• Snow Geese
• Grouse
• Ducks
• Dove Hunts
SEPT-FEB
SEPT-OCT
CALLS • DECOYS • BLINDS • GUIDE SERVICE • DUCK BOATS • MUD BUDDY
1-877-607-6014
www.blackduckoutfitters.com
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
11
Spring 2005
Hunting Partner
Brent Smith
As I sit here at my desk, staring blindly at my
computer, I can’t help but let my mind wander
back on season’s past as I admire a picture of my
Chocolate Lab, Hunter posing ever so royally
with a day’s take of wood ducks. I swear, you can
see the grin on his face, like you just told him to
say “cheese”.
I’ve never seen a dog that likes their picture
taken quite as much as him. I’ve hunted with
many dogs, and most don’t want to stand still long
enough to snap a frame, but not Hunter. I think he
knows that by having his picture taken, he’s done
a good job, almost as a reward, even more
satisfying than the corner of a sandwich.
As I look back upon the stack of pictures
centered around my brown, four-legged hunting
partner, I realize that he’s been rewarded many,
many times over his 6 year hunting career. He has
been the centerpiece of many an excursion, for
me, and is probably the biggest reason that I find
myself spending less and less time at home, or in
pursuit of big game, and more time in a duck or
goose blind every season. I often find myself in
the peak of the whitetail rut, spending prime deer
hours side by side with my favorite hunting
partner waiting for the chance at a duck or two.
Granted, I always seem to keep venison in the
freezer, but when the meat is stocked, my pursuits
change pace.
The fact is, I’d rather hunt with my dog than
just about any person, and the name of his game
is birds. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy hunting
with a human companion more than without, but
if I were forced to pick one or the other, my choice
would be canine.
This is a hard thing to explain to someone who
has never hunted with a great retriever, or even
some who have. Some people have outstanding
dogs with title after title in their name, but they
never seem to fully grasp the joy added by their
companion. I think that added something that a
dog brings to the hunt has something to do with
his reason behind hunting with you.
Some people will tell you that a retriever does
so because that is what he was bred to do. “Its
instinctive.” I disagree. Some dogs perform
because they know if they don’t, there’s going to
be trouble, often in the form of a heavy hand.
These heavy-handed dog owners are usually the
same people who never fully enjoy their dogs.
They’re never satisfied. The lines are never
straight enough, or the water entry wasn’t
enthusiastic. In their pursuit for a great dog, they
fail to see that they had one in front of them, and
they never let themselves enjoy it.
Hunter’s motivation has always been driven by
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
shear desire to please. During his training
sessions, a stern “NO” affected him more
dramatically than if you hit him with a
sledgehammer. My disappointment in him was
the worse beating he could ever get. His retrieves
are done out of friendship, not intimidation.
He enjoys the same things I do, much the same
as any friend would, without the distractions that
often accompany friends of the human type. He
always gives you the first shot at incoming birds,
and never has to leave the goose field early. If you
want to leave, that’s okay with him, but he’s just
as ready to stretch a morning hunt out all day.
He does grumble every so often when I miss,
and we sometimes argue on the whereabouts of
the goose that fell in the hedgerow, but he ends up
seeing things my way, and we seldom lose birds.
He doesn’t shoot well, yet always claims the birds
as his own. He isn’t always helpful with the
decoys either. Instead of spending the early
morning hours bent in a backbreaking series of
ups and downs, he prefers to walk or swim around
the spread, critiquing the layout, or the quality of
your decoys. Don’t get me started on picking up!
He’ll stay on shore in a warm blind while you
retrieve dozens of blocks with numb fingers, and
wet clothes, but that’s the only retrieving he’ll let
you do. I’ve had him race hunting-partners across
a corn stubble field to retrieve the last goose from
a knot. Like a rookie hunter running down an
opening day banded goose.
Psychologists would deem him “ObsessiveCompulsive”. His enthusiasm for the sport is
almost chronic. If he sees me preparing for a hunt
the evening before, there will be no sleeping that
night. One look at a bag of duck decoys is enough
to cause him to stir incessantly all night long.
Every time my wife or I roll over, or snore too
loudly, he interprets that as being time to go
hunting, and proceeds to wash a face, beat a tail
on the ground, or whatever announcement that he
sees fit. I often submit, hours before the alarm
goes off, and defeatedly awaiting my departure
time with my hunting buddy.
His skills are not perfect, but, like me, he holds
his own. I’d even venture to say that he’s a better
“hunter” than most field trial dogs I’ve hunted
with. They often have all the style and grace
needed to impress judges, but lack that sixth sense
that only a true hunting retriever has. Now,
Hunter can hold his own when being judged as
well. In fact, I think he does well in field events
because he knows he has an audience, and just
like the retriever that smiles for the camera, he
gets to show off. Hunter and I have tried both
sides of the proverbial retriever fence, and chose
the hunting side. After all, that’s what its all
12
about, right? The field events, be it hunt tests or
field trials are all designed to simulate hunting
situations, so we chose to stay on one side, but not
before obtaining a title or two, just to prove he
could do it.
Looking back, there are quite a few “just to
prove he could do its” in our past. There was the
wing-tipped pheasant doing the 400 yard dash
across the corn-field that everyone said would
easily outrun a retriever with that big of a head
start. Everyone was amazed to see that brown dot
working its way back to us was in fact dog, and
bird.
Or maybe the diving bluebills on the saltwater
rice impoundments that only got to make him
look the fool once or twice before he realized that
the water was only chest deep on him, so he could
pin an escaping bluebill to the bottom before he
slipped away. This did, however result in several
canine coughing fits in the blind. Evidently,
saltwater burns inside a dog’s nose just as much as
it does a human’s.
I think some of my most memorable retrieves
would have to be from the goose field though.
Maybe it’s the size of these winged elephants, or
the amount of time I spend in their pursuit, but
Hunter has left many a hunting partner convinced
of his prowess.
One of his more physically demanding
retrieves had to be on a Giant Canada goose in
Manitoba. One particular bird from a flock sailed
behind us, what appeared to be just over a
hundred yards. Hunter had a good mark on where
it fell, so I sent him after it, not knowing the true
size of the bird, or the distance it had covered after
setting its wings. He caught up to the beast, just
shy of 300 yards across the field on the next rise.
Watching him lumber back to our setup, with all
18 pounds of goose hanging from his mouth made
him look like a Chihuahua carrying a sofa. He
had to stop and reset his grip 3 times on that bird.
One of the most memorable retrieves had to be
a late season jump-shooting trip on an ice-filled
river in Pennsylvania. We had set out in search of
ducks, but found only a few geese within our
reach, and they would be extremely difficult to get
to. I had the first attempt, which consisted of
crawling a couple hundred yards on hands and
knees, then flat on my stomach. I will spare you
the details of a failed attempt, and upon returning
to my hunting partner, who was watching the
scene, and myself unravel from down stream,
three birds landed in a much more accessible
location than the first flock. Worn out and still
breathing hard from the first try, I elected to sit in
continued on page 13
Spring 2005
Hunting Partner
continued from page 12
the stands and watch this one. The three birds
managed to make an easy stalk even easier by
swimming to a location about 50 yards from me,
that left a large mound of dirt in between my
hunting partner and the birds. By the time they
knew he was there, it was too late, giving him an
easy triple on the climbing birds. It was an easy
mark for Hunter from our vantage point, and I
watched in utter agony as he brought back not
one, but three banded geese. This is the only time
I have felt truly jealous in the woods.
There was one retrieve that I will always
remember, not for its success, but the fear that it
brought me. We were duck hunting the
Chesapeake Bay late in December from a shore
blind. The saltwater was frozen in most of the
areas, so the water was well below freezing, but
the hunting was very hot. With all the backwater
bays frozen, the ducks crowded into the open
water by the thousands. We managed to nearly fill
a five-person limit, when a bird came down
crippled, and was quickly shot at again. Thinking
the bird was dispatched, I sent the dog, only to
find out that the drake could swim just as well as
Hunter could. Instead of diving in typical escape
mode, this drake mallard led Hunter farther and
farther into the bay. After 100 yards, I was
Come join us for the
Patapsco Valley Chapter’s
Bull and Shrimp Event
04 November 2005 - 7:30 pm
at the Ten Oaks Ballroom,
Clarksville, MD
The Calvert County Chapter of
Ducks Unlimited
Presents
PATUXENT RIVER CLASSIC
CALLING CONTEST
Sunday, October 9, 2005
At the
Calvert Marine Museum
Solomons, Maryland
The following contests will be held:
Auctions • Raffles • Door Prizes
For more information, please contact
Lynne Beacham
at 410-313-9450 or [email protected]
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
annoyed that Hunter ignored my comeback
whistles, but with a duck only 4 feet from his
nose, he had other intentions on his mind. The
next hundred yards began to concern me, not
because of distance, but the temperature, and the
game showed no signs of ending soon. The next
hundred yards nearly terrified me, as both dog and
duck passed the buoy that marked the shipping
channel. As if he could suddenly hear my
whistles that had fallen on deaf ears until now, he
simply turned around and returned to the blind.
I was expecting a stiff and worn out return, but
he looked more concerned with what his
punishment might be than tired. He finished the
day without as much as a nap, and even assisted
when we walked to get the boat, and rode out to
finish the drake that nearly led him to his death.
That retrieve made me realize that, even
without his early demise, that I will almost
certainly outlive my best friend. A dog’s time on
Earth is cruelly short. Two decades of time spent
with a canine companion is unheard of, and 12
years of truly great hunting is a blessing.
Someday, I will be without the best hunting
companion I have ever, and perhaps ever will have
the pleasure of sharing the blind with.
Someday, I will miss him.
“Come on Hunter, Let’s get a bird.”
13
Patuxent River Classic Junior Duck
Patuxent River Classic Junior Goose
Patuxent River Classic Senior Duck
Patuxent River Classic Senior Goose
For more information contact Dan Baker
(home) 410-586-2378 or (cell) 410-610-3311
Spring 2005
New Hunting Zones for
Atlantic Population Geese
The Maryland Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) has modified the hunt zone
boundary that separates the regular season
Resident Population (RP) Canada Goose Hunt
Area from the Atlantic Population (AP) Canada
Goose Hunt Zone. Evaluation of recent data has
shown that portions of Northern Carroll and
Baltimore Counties as a “hot spot” for migrant AP
Canada geese. This new data mandates a change.
This Resident versus AP zones has been a hotly
discussed topic among water fowlers, with some
hunters claiming conspiracy theories of hunters
from the eastern shore calling in their bands and
saying they were killed on the western shore.
Before the 2002 season, DNR was mandated to
increase the harvest rates of resident geese, and
thus was created the RP geese zone with its long
season and liberal bag limits. The idea of the RP
zone and the liberal limits was to reduce nuisance
and health problems that were being caused by
these birds.
Prior to setting up the RP zone, DNR examined
band harvest data from 1950-2001. All recoveries
were plotted via latitude and longitude and
overlaid using GIS mapping.
In the proposed RP area 1,214 bands had been
recovered during that time period, which
accounted for only 2.4% of all recoveries in
Maryland after October 24. Thus, the RP zone
was created.
RP geese are not birds that spend their entire
life in Maryland, which is a common
misconception. RP geese are a genetically
different from AP geese, and related to the giant
Canadian goose of the mid-west. RP geese can
migrate from as far away as southern Canada and
Maine. Just because a bird flies down the coast to
Maryland, and has a band on it, does not mean it’s
an AP goose.
Fast forward to July of 2005. Maryland DNR,
along with other states in the Atlantic Flyway
looked at the migratory goose band recovery data
for the past 3 hunting seasons (2002-2004). This
is done regularly to examine data and look for any
new trends, especially in regards to the boundaries
between resident and Atlantic Population geese.
Once the biologists plugged in the data, they
saw a new trend emerge. According to the
information gathered, many AP geese were
spending their winters in Northern parts of
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
Baltimore and Carroll Counties. During the
2002-04 seasons, a total of 1,183 bands were
recovered from AP geese were reported in
Maryland after October of 2004. Of those 1,183
birds, 121 or 10% were taken in the resident goose
zone. This harvest number was deemed too high
by the US Fish and Wildlife Service which has
final say on waterfowl.
There are many reasons why the AP harvest in
those areas has increased. Since 1997 banding of
AP geese in Canada has increased, but more
importantly the longer season and higher bag limit
attracted many hunters who live on the western
shore, and also spawned a new group of guides
who specialized in resident birds. No longer did
hunters from Central Maryland have to cross the
bridge to hunt geese. The new norm became why
drive an hour and half to the shore for 1 or 2 birds,
when I can drive 30 minutes for 5 birds.
In order to protect the AP goose population and
prevent over harvest, those portions of Baltimore
and Carroll County will be removed from the
resident goose zone and included in the AP zone.
The new boundaries would remove in Carroll
County the area east of MD 97 and MD 140, and
in Baltimore County north of MD 137 and MD
13. By removing these areas from the resident
goose zone, it is hoped that the criteria of <10%
AP harvest rates for a RP zone are met, and
should ensure that the recovery rate of AP geese
meets the 1% direct recovery rate for adult AP
geese.
While I am sure there are many people sitting
back and saying, “I told you so”, the data did what
it was suppose to. The originals zones were set up
according to data from the last 50 years, which
was a good predictor. After 3 years of new data,
the new trend was discovered and biologists were
able to act accordingly. Some might say perhaps
is should have been changed after the first year,
but one year does not make a trend. Waterfowl are
one of the most followed and studied species in
North America, and with the advent of new
technologies, researchers are able to gather
pinpoint information to make the right decisions.
While I’m sure they are going to be some
disappointed hunters who have gotten used to
hunting in the liberal resident zone, as they say in
the research, the numbers don’t lie, and in the end
it’s about protecting the resource.
14
Visit Us Online at
www.ducks.org
Spring 2005
2004/05
Maryland DU
State Raffle
Winner
Mr. Joe Squires of Darlington, MD won
the Maryland DU State Raffle for 2004/05. Joe
won a Yamaha Grizzly 660 donated courtesy of
Yamaha Motor and picked his ATV up at Pete’s
Cycle Co. in Bel Air, MD.
The winning ticket was purchased at the
R. Madison Mitchell DU dinner on April 23,
2005. Pictured below receiving the ATV are
Merrill Dougherty, R. Madison Mitchell
Chairman, Joe Squires and Mike O’Shaughnessy
from Pete’s Cycle Co. Congratulations Joe and
don’t forget this year you too could win an Arctic
Cat ATV in the 2005/06 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker
Marine/EZ Dumper Trailer State Raffle.
Joe Squires, winner of the Maryland Ducks Unlimited state
raffle, with his new Yamaha Grizzly.
2/4/06 - Queen Anne’s Co. - Dinner- American
Legion, Dave Gough, Kent Island 410-758-8722
2/11/06 - Caroline County - Valentine’s Dinner Caroline Country Club, Scott Christopher,
Denton, MD 410-754-7370
2/11/06 - Charles County - Dinner- Jaycees Hall,
Dickie Naber, Waldorf, MD 301-283-0228
2/18/06 (Tent.) - Central Maryland - Basket
Bingo - American Legion Hall, John Graf, Perry
Hall, MD 410-893-5913
2/23/06 (Tent.) - Annapolis - Dinner - TBA,
Kerwin Stokes, Annapolis, MD 410-268-6518
2/24/06 - Potomac River - Dinner - Holiday Inn,
Stuart Sherman, Gaithersburg, MD 301-7708664
2/26/06 - Gunpowder - Dinner - Columbus
Gardens, John Littleton, Perry Hall, MD 410288-4438
3/3/06 - George Meade - Sponsor - Snyder’s
Willow Grove , Maurice Kline , Baltimore, MD
410-468-4387
3/4/06 - Pocomoke River - Dinner - Pocomoke
Elks, David Peterson, Pocomoke, MD 410-9576004
3/11/06 (Tent.) - Caroline County - Calling
Contest - Federalsburg Fire Hall, Scott
Christopher, Federalsburg, MD 410-754-7370
3/18/06 (Tent.) - Frederick County - Dinner Urbana Fire Hall, Louis Kaufman, Frederick, MD
301-424-9173
3/19/06 (Tent.) - Calvert County - Sponsor Solomons Island Yacht Club, Charlie Reese,
Solomons Island, MD
410-535-6464
4/2/06 (Tent.) - Western Shore Sporting Clays
Shoot - P. G. County Trap & Skeet, Scott Jasion,
Glenn Dale, MD 410-229-1370
4/22/06 - R. Madison Mitchell - Bull & Shrimp
Feast - The Bayou, Merrill Dougherty, Havre de
Grace, MD 410-939-1720
4/28/06 (Tent.) - Chesapeake Chapter - Dinner Hillendale Country Club, Frankie Edwards,
Phoenix, MD 410-557-9141
Please Join
“The Greater Baltimore Chapter of
Ducks Unlimited”
For Their Annual Dinner and Auction
Held at
“Bonnie Blink’s” Grand Lodge in Hunt
Valley, MD
Mark your calendars for
Thursday December 1st 2005
6pm to 11pm
To Reserve Tickets or a Corporate Table
please Contact
F.J. Stetson at [email protected]
or (410)905-8890
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
15
Spring 2005
F.J Stetson with his Zebra taken on his African Safari this past
summer.
Stuart Sherman, Potomac River Chapter Chairman and Steve
Myers, Potomac River Chapter Sponsor Chair spending the
day on the Potomac River.
Harford chapter make the most of a day Pheasant hunting in North Dakota.
MD DU Central Chapter’s John Juchs with his trophy rock fish
taken while fishing with Capt. Phil Gootee.
Capt. Dan Baker III, St. Leonard, MD, wins the 2005
World Swan Calling Contest in Washington, NC. Dan
is a committee member of the Calvert County Chapter
of Ducks Unlimited"
Brandon Lancaster, Roy Brintnall, Jay Lancaster, Scott Jasion,
Ron Jasion, Mike Shannahan in Argentina last spring.
MD DU Central Chapter’s Steve Huettner with his trophy rock
fish taken while fishing with Capt. Phil Gootee.
Billy Price and St. Mary’s Chapter showing the rewards of
hunting with Chesapeake Guide Service.
Terry Robbins with a barracuda caught in the Key’s while
filming for Doug Houston’s Outdoors.
Mark Robbins with a barracuda caught in the Key’s while
filming for Doug Houston’s Outdoors.
Mar yland Ducks Unlimited
16
Spring 2005