Louisiana DU News. State Chairman s Corner. LADU Leadership Meeting Feb 11, 2012 ASK SAVE THE DATE: Where: Homewood Suites Lafayette, LA

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1 Louisiana DU News PLAN FOR SUCCESS INCREASE attendance by pre-selling tickets! Make a plan for success and set goals for each event RECRUIT NEW VOLUNTEERS HAVE FUN! Bartel s Dedication LA DU Projects in 2011 News for 2012 Events A word from Chad Manlove L O U I S I A N A D U N E W S State Chairman s Corner It is certainly a privilege and an honor to serve as Louisiana s State Chairman for DU s 75th Anniversary. Sometimes you just get lucky in life. The reason for my photo with my grandson, Robert IV, is our mantra for our 75th year: Conservation for Generations. In1937 Joseph Knapp and his friends were worried about our generations, having the resources and opportunity to hunt: thus the start of Ducks Unlimited. It is our goal to keep this message and mission alive. Our State Motto for the 75th Anniversary is: ASK ASK a friend to become a committee member. ASK a friend to attend an event with you ASK for a contribution for an event, be it cash, services, etc.. Louisiana s DU has been a leader in our national organization for as many years as most of us can remember. We intend to continue that legacy. I enjoy the luxury of building our state organization on the foundation of the great leaders who have been state chairman before me. We hope to provide you, our volunteers with a great package for the 75th Anniversary year to be used in raising money and having fun at your events. F E B R U A R Y We work hard today for future generations. We have a great state convention planned for New Orleans in July There will be much more information coming, we hope that you can attend. Without question Louisiana State Convention is one of the largest of all state conventions in the country, and without a doubt the most fun. I AM ASKING! Now Attend Spring Event List LADU Fact Sheet Wanted Chapters in LA LADU Leadership Meeting Feb 11, 2012 SAVE THE DATE: Where: Homewood Suites Lafayette, LA Friday Night: Cajun Dinner and Social Saturday: Meetings 9am 2pm (Lunch Included) For more information: FREE TO ATTEND Contact Your Local RD

2 LOUISIANA DU NEWS FEBRUARY 2012 PAGE 2 Bartels Marsh Dedicated & Celebration Louisiana Conservationist Migrate South to Celebrate Ducks Unlimited. Ron has been an active DU volunteer for many years and currently serves as the Advisory Senior Vice President for Membership. The Grand Bayou project restored hydrology on approximately 3,255 acres of coastal marsh habitat through the installation of water control structures and levee work. In addition to enhancing public hunting opportunities on one of the most popular areas in the state, the work enables LDWF managers to restore and maintain coastal marsh vegetation and salinity levels that support migratory waterfowl, shorebird and neo-tropical songbird Dan Thiel celebrating the unveiling of the new Grand Bayou Unit sign at Point Aux-Chenes WMA Nov. 1, 2011 Representatives of Ducks Unlimited and several partner organizations gathered today at Pointeaux-Chenes Wildlife Management Area to celebrate the completion of a $1.2 million coastal restoration project in southeast Louisiana and to dedicate it to Ron and Jackie Bartels of Schriever. More than 100 people attended the dedication event. Ducks Unlimited is pleased to recognize the Bartels unyielding commitment to conservation by dedicating the Grand Bayou Unit project to them, said DU Executive Secretary Dan Thiel. Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA is one of the most popular public lands for waterfowl hunting in the state, and it is only fitting that Ron s and Jackie s conservation legacy be tied to it. The Bartels are well-known in the conservation arena for their pursuit of an impressive list of international game species as well as for their dedication to conservation organizations such as the Safari Club International and New water control structure built to control salinity levels within the impoundment to improve desired vegetation populations, resident mottled ducks and myriad other marsh-dwelling species. The project, led by Ducks Unlimited, is a cooperative effort among 17 partners, including the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, the LDWF, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, Abita Brewing Company, Irene W. & C.B. Pennington Foundation, TransCanada Corporation, ExxonMobil Foundation, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation, Go- Devil Manufacturers of Louisiana Warren Coco, Safari Club International Louisiana Chapter, Trapp Cadillac- Chevrolet, Inc. Heinke Trapp, Songy s Sporting Goods Barry Songy, Matthew Hagen, Dr. Ted Price, Pierre Olivier, and Bobby and Linda Burguieres.

3 LOUISIANA DU NEWS FEBRUARY 2012 PAGE 3 Conservation Projects continued from page 2 Oyster Bayou, Cameron Parish Shoreline Protection Project A project that we are working on now is the Gulf Intracoastal Water Way (GIWW) Shoreline Protection Project at White Lake. The NAWCA Council is recommending $1 million of funding to complete nearly two miles of shoreline protection along the GIWW on the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area. The LDWF has committed $1 million of funding to help complete this project. In cooperation with the local drainage district and private landowners, DU installed a low level rock weir and canal plug which will restore hydrologic integrity on approximately 7,000 acres.. Over time Oyster Bayou eroded and the channel became deeper. A low level rock weir using 8600 tons of riprap restored the historic dimensions of the bayou. This project will enhance and restore coastal marsh vegetation and salinity levels that support myriad waterfowl, wading bird and other wildlife species. Improve water quality. Enhance storm surge protection. Critical areas along the GIWW threaten over 1,300 acres of agriculture and marsh land on the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area in Vermilion Parish. The shoreline along the GIWW has eroded over time. The project includes placing rock armor along critical sections of the GIWW to protect the integrity of the shoreline and the levees used to manage lands adjacent to the GIWW. Final approval for the NAWCA funding is expected in March, Meantime, DU is working with LDWF to complete all necessary permits and finalize engineering and design. Construction is expected to begin in summer/ fall Partners of this project: Ducks Unlimited, North American Wetlands Conservation Council, Cameron Parish Drainage District 7, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Marsh Club, Chevron- Texaco, Stream Companies, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Completed June

4 LOUISIANA DU NEWS FEBRUARY 2012 PAGE Yamaha 4 Wheeler Raffle Winner On December 20, 2010, Randy McConaughey was the lucky winner of the Louisiana Ducks Unlimited Yamaha 4-wheeler package. The Yamaha package included a camo 2010 Yamaha 450 EPS 4-wheeler, a case of Remington Hypersonic steel waterfowl loads, a Primos custom duck and goose call set, a Whitewater camo jacket and an Avery package including a Finisher ground blind, a floating blind bag and gun case, a hexabumper and Mallard ATB. The only way to get a ticket for this exclusive raffle was to purchase the Knife of the Year on live auction at a Louisiana DU event. Randy bought his ticket and knife at the West Monroe banquet. He has been a volunteer since Throughout the years I worked my way up as Area Chairman, Sponsor Chairman, Zone Chairman and District Chairman, and it is great to have won this prize after all I have put into DU. Randy said. I will continue giving and look forward to the years to come. Congratulations Randy!! NEW! 2012 LA DU Go-Devil Boat Raffle Louisiana Ducks Unlimited is introducing a new raffle at all of it s events in Warren Coco and Go Devil donated an 18ft boat with trailer and a 35hp surface drive for fundraising use. This boat was saved specifically for LA DU with matching serial numbers of 25,000. LA DU will be selling 125 raffle tickets throughout the state at our membership and sponsor dinners. The 75th Anniversary Redhead decoy will be sold on the live auction where the winner of the decoy will also receive a raffle ticket that give you a chance at winning the Go-Devil Boat. We will be drawing the winning raffle ticket on Dec 5, 2012 to ensure the lucky winner a great Christmas. Don t miss your chance to win this Go-Devil boat at your local event! A Word on our Major Donor Program by Chad Manlove For the fifth consecutive year, Louisiana led the nation in total major gift commitments (69), new life sponsors (40) and new upgrades above life sponsor (29). In addition, Louisiana was recognized for achieving all its major sponsor goals, including new feather society commitments. Congratulations to Mike Benge, Jay Owen and Barbara Walker for leading this effort in Thanks to the entire Louisiana major gifts committee for a job well done in 2011! As State Campaign Chairman for Louisiana, Jay Owen will lead the charge in Aggressive goals have been set to position Louisiana as the frontrunner for a sixth consecutive year. The 2012 major sponsor goals include: life sponsor = 36, upgrades = 24, and feather society = 6. The major gifts committee will be working hard to achieve these goals.. Are Bronze Sponsors

5 LOUISIANA DU NEWS FEBRUARY 2012 PAGE 5 Major Gift continued from page 4 Several special major sponsor events have already been planned in 2012: Baton Rouge Sponsor March 14th, New Orleans Major Sponsor March 15th, Ron & Jackie Bartels Tribute March 23 25th, Lake Charles Major Sponsor May 3rd, DU National Convention June 1 3, and Louisiana State Convention July Major sponsors continue to be an integral component of DU s conservation delivery programs. Whether its protecting grasslands and wetlands in the Dakotas or restoring fragile marshes along the Louisiana coast, major sponsors provide critical funds that can be matched by other partners. Thanks for your continued major sponsor support! Let s help celebrate DU s 75th Anniversary with another award winning year for Louisiana! 75th National Convention - Nashville, TN Come Join Us to Celebrate DU s 75th Anniversary When: May 30 June 3, 2012 Gaylord Opryland Resort Where: Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center Hotel Reservations Ducks Unlimited Convention Registration "We are prone to speak of the resources of this country as inexhaustible; this is not so." 2012 LA State Convention - New Orleans Theodore R. July Hilton Riverside New Orleans, LA Contact Robert Garrity for more information (504) July 19 Early Bird Registration and Hospitality July 20 Meetings and Activities Road kill Cook-off July 21 Meetings and Activities Banquet More Information to Follow la.ducks.org

6 LOUISIANA DU NEWS FEBRUARY 2012 PAGE 6 Dale Hall Visits Louisiana Volunteers Dale Hall (above, 5th from right), CEO of Ducks Unlimited, met with local DU volunteers in Lafayette, Louisiana in late October. In addition to discussing outreach strategies, Dale discussed DU s efforts in Washington, D.C., during the current budget talks and other work across the country. We are grateful to Dale for spending time in Louisiana, meeting with conservation and grassroots staff, volunteers, and major donors, Bob Dew, manager of conservation programs, said. His time spent here is just another reminder that DU considers coastal Louisiana a top priority LA DU Spring Events Chapter Name Chapter City Type of Event Date Contact Number Location Louisiana Tech Ruston D 2/2 Jarmon Hicks Ruston Civic Center Donaldsonville Donaldsonville D 2/3 Todd Boudreaux Lemann Center Vinton Vinton D 2/9 Remy Broussard Vinton Campground Zachary Zachary D 2/10 Barry Hanks St. John Baptist Catholic Church Plaquemine Plaquemine D 2/11 Bambi Charlet Hood Chateau Blanc Plaquemines Parish Buras D 2/17 Byron Prest Buras Auditorium Shreveport Shreveport WHP 3/3 Richard Candler Landers Fiat Sabine Parish Many Shoot 3/3 Bo Chevallier Byrd Bottom Hackberry Hackberry D 3/8 Kirk Stansel Hackberry Community Center Barksdale Bossier City D 3/8 Andy Thomson Barksdale Club, BAFB Covington/ Mande Mandeville S 3/9 Dr. Paul Rich, DVM Fleur de Lis Event Center Baton Rouge Baton Rouge S 3/15 Stephen Babcock Renaissance Hotel Abbeville Abbeville D 3/15 Judge Edwards Madglyne Place Duck Camp Westlake S 3/21 Wayne Gray Managan Center ULL Lafayette D 3/22 Amy Donaldson Cajun Field Lafayette Lafayette Shoot 3/30 Frank Gerami III Wilderness Shreveport Shreveport S April Archer Frierson Petroleum Club Winn Parish Winnfield S 5/11 Mike Tinnerello Pine Ridge Country Club State Convention New Orleans C 7/20 Robert Garrity Hilton Riverside M Membership Banquet S Sponsors Banquet 75th Special 75th Anniversary Banquet C State Convention WHP Waterfowl Hunters Party Shoot Sporting Clay Shoot Are Bronze Sponsors part of your goals? Every Sponsor equals one acre of habitat.

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8 WANTED: DUCKS UNLIMITED CHAPTERS Just as the ducks need us to help provide adequate habitat for their migration, LA DU needs chapters in the following areas: If you know anyone or have friends in these areas please contact the state chairman or your local Regional Director. Bastrop Columbia Denham Springs Franklin Gueydan Gonzales Kaplan Kinder Oakdale Rayville Winnsboro Jason McKey Office: (225) Cell: (225) Derrick Davis Office: (337) Cell: (337) Megan Moss Office: (318) Cell: (318) Ducks Unlimited - Preserving Louisiana s Waterfowl Hunting Heritage Our Mission: Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores and manages wetlands Robert Garrity, Jr. State Chairman 240 Garden Rd River Ridge, LA Fax: (504) Office: (504) and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people. Our Vision: Wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. Thank you for all that you do for the DUCKS!!