No DU chapter for Gueydan

[Top Dawg]

From another site:


Gueydan tells DU No Chapter Here
'Bout 3 weeks ago. some individuals gathered in Gueydan, Louisiana to revive a DU chapter. From what I'm told, the meeting was positive. Second meeting, however, ran into SERIOUS DRAMA. Farmers showed up with unpaid bills when NRCS/DU took on a program after the BP disaster happened. I had been informed prior to these meetings some were owed as much as $60,000, but for the farmers who attended, the sum was lower. Still, to not be paid as long as it has been, is not good for NRCS or DU.

For those who haven't passed thru the town of Gueydan, there is a sign which proclaims "Duck Capital of America". Whatever the future holds for DU to have a chapter in Gueydan remains uncertain, but if a town lies in the middle of SW La duck country., it is NOT GOOD for DU to not be a part of their legacy.

[DA COVE]

The ducks have been going there alot longer than DU has. I see DU as a very political type organization.(who you know / who you b--w bunch) Most monies are never seen in South La. anyway. I've forgotten more about duck hunting than most of those guys know. Same goes with resource management. No duck head for me!

[Top Dawg]

Originally Posted by DA COVE

The ducks have been going there alot longer than DU has. I see DU as a very political type organization.(who you know / who you b--w bunch) Most monies are never seen in South La. anyway. I've forgotten more about duck hunting than most of those guys know. Same goes with resource management. No duck head for me!

I'm with you man. I feel the exact same way. I have a feeling that's a reason they got shot down in gueydan. Lotta old timers round those parts that don't buy into all that political PR bs.

[Smalls]

Not saying I'm against the farmers here, but chances are the reason they didn't get money in the program is because they didn't follow the guidelines for the program. NRCS doesn't just not pay someone, has to be a reason. Either way, this is a real shame.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I847 using Tapatalk 2

[DA COVE]

It's BP's money anyway. The farmers voluntered to help prep. fields hoping to steer the migration away from the areas affected by the spill. Now they have to deal with getting reimbursed by obama's bunch.

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by DA COVE

It's BP's money anyway. The farmers voluntered to help prep. fields hoping to steer the migration away from the areas affected by the spill. Now they have to deal with getting reimbursed by obama's bunch.

Thats the problem right there

As much as people gripe about our federal gov't, they are first in line when it comes to handouts from them. Most of the farmers were going to flood their fields anyways and didn't sign up for the aid before they flooded. They wanted 'backpay' once they flooded their fields which they were going to do anyways. This plan was in the works prior to the BP oil spill, it took the spill to get it in action, the plan was not so much for ducks but for shorebirds

DU didn't come up with this idea, DU simply has the capacity to get things accomplished and being a non-profit, non-government agency - they have a LOT less red tape to cut through than our state and federal agencies. They helped get this done in a very fast manner, they are not to blame, they were essentially the 'messenger that got shot'


:disclaimer I am not a member of said organization, nor the other organization, just want to get some facts out there

[cmcnabb]

I do agree with what was said on the refuge, we have two NWR in our area that need attention. Sabine is wasting away and looks like a desert(at least it did last year) and there is not much feed to hold ducks. Lacassine could use some serious management to control the grass. It's sad to see how much marsh was open water and available to hunt in the streeters area, and now it looks like a pasture. I have no schooling in how to manage a marsh other than what I've picked up from listening to people who used to run duck camps and contorlled their marshes, but it seems like it is very possible to keep the grass under control in Lacassine. I feel this should be taken care of before sending money to Canada.

Not trying to argue with anyone or talk bad about DU, just stating what I think should be taken care of first.

Edit: I know it was LDWF that sent the money, just saying it should have been spent here and I think DU and Delta could do a little something at either of the refuges

[SULPHITE]

don't look for any money to go to reserves, correct me if i'm wrong Butter but has funding for these areas been cut substantially??

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by cmcnabb

I do agree with what was said on the refuge, we have two NWR in our area that need attention. Sabine is wasting away and looks like a desert(at least it did last year) and there is not much feed to hold ducks. Lacassine could use some serious management to control the grass. It's sad to see how much marsh was open water and available to hunt in the streeters area, and now it looks like a pasture. I have no schooling in how to manage a marsh other than what I've picked up from listening to people who used to run duck camps and contorlled their marshes, but it seems like it is very possible to keep the grass under control in Lacassine. I feel this should be taken care of before sending money to Canada.

Not trying to argue with anyone of talk bad about DU, just stating what I think should be taken care of first.

Its understandable, these are federal refuges and the state manages over 1,000,000 acres. I think there would be a much bigger issue if the state duck stamp money went towards a federal refuge. The money that DU receives is matched by two different funds, so it is essentially tripled, whereas here it would not be. The NWRs are seriously underfunded and need attention for sure but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. Saltwater intrusion is going to be a huge issue from here on

But as someone on the refuge said, there is a DU banquet in Gueydan. Fortunately we have a waterfowl study leader who is very in tune to what the people of this state want and he listens and does eveything he can to help, he is on almost every site and will answer any questions over public forums. He speaks his mind also, he is never one to back down from an argument when he knows he is right, even when arguing with his superiors

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by SULPHITE

don't look for any money to go to reserves, correct me if i'm wrong Butter but has funding for these areas been cut substantially??

Increases in some, but cuts in others here is the budget:
http://www.fws.gov/cno/press/release.cfm?rid=358


Right now the refuges are just running 'normal' operations, in order to take on a new project the refuges would have to apply for additional money. I am not sure there is a plan in place to work on the refuges? Maybe in the Coastal Master Plan that Louisiana released, Sabine or Lac may be in there.

Coastal Impact Assistance Program
The Service will continue to manage the Coastal Impact Assistance Program, which was transferred in FY 2012 from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (formerly the Minerals Management Service). The FY 2013 request proposes cancelling $200 million in current balances within the Coastal Impact Assistance Program, funding that has not been awarded to the States.

^^this would be where extra money for Sabine and Lac would be awarded, but looks like that was cut


I myself think we need cuts across the board for our federal gov't, but when it comes down to it, NWRs are part of the cuts also The refuges are underfunded to be managed properly. It takes a lot more money to manage wetlands than it does land due to the access issues (airboats, surface drives, helicopters)

[Spunt Drag]

I agree with what mcnabb said and I hate to blast this on the Internet but the budget problem has got so bad they can't even afford law enforcement anymore. DU does too much horse trading with private landowners and private clubs for my taste. No duckhead for me either.