The Volunteer Publication of Ducks Unlimited Florida. Message from the Chairman

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1 DUCKNET The Volunteer Publication of Ducks Unlimited Florida June - August 2011 Message from the Chairman Thanks for all that you did for Florida Ducks Unlimited. Our fiscal year is about to end on June 30 and so it will be very important to close each chapter s books by then. All DU members can be very proud to be involved with DU; this is the premiere conservation organization in the country. DU s seven year wrap-up of the WETLANDS FOR TOMORROW fundraising campaign. Our goal was to raise $1.7 billion...we raised $1.8 billion...that is with a "B"...this organization has real financial and political clout. We are still very concerned that Congress will be reducing its commitment to NAWCA due to the fiscal crisis in Washington...this will impact us for sure...many wetland acquisition projects need NAWCA funding. We need each of us to keep reminding our senators/congressmen that wetland preservation is a continuing need. Region 7, which consists of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia (and now Tennessee), was leading the nation as the Number 1 region due to the strong numbers this fiscal year. Volunteers make all of this happen and each of your efforts are important and deserve the recognition. Ducks Unlimited s mission to preserve and conserve our nation s wetlands cannot be accomplished without the dollars raised by you at each and every event throughout the year. I hope you agree that the volunteering that you do is worthwhile. Our next challenge is do even better in fiscal We need to continue to make our events efficient by not ordering too many meals, ask for donations and underwriting where possible, and sell tickets. Special attention should be paid to our bronze sponsor, life sponsor and major donor programs as we benefit (our wetlands) the most by their generous gifts. Thank you again for all that for do. Don Bork Florida State Chairman FLORIDA STATE OFFICERS State Chairman Don Bork State Council Chairman Ralph Putnam State Chairman Elect Peggy Higgins State Sponsor Chairman Steve Hendrix State Treasurer Felicity Hendrix State Greenwing / Collegiate Chairman Bobby Dolan M.A.R.S.H. Conservation Chairman Capt. Jeff Kraynik State Webmaster / Recruitment Chairman Kevin Bork Major Donor Chairman North Bob Freeland Major Donor Chairman South Kurt Boski Major Donor Chairman East - VACANT Major Donor Chairman West VACANT Ladies Membership Chairman VACANT State Shoot Chairman VACANT State Duck Calling Chairman VACANT

2 Congress Restores Partial Funding to NAWCA for FY 2011 Waterfowl needs your help to secure government funds for FY 2012 After facing elimination of funding in the House-passed version of the current year's legislation to pay for the federal government, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act received $37.5 million in funding for the remainder of the current fiscal year. For more than 20 years, NAWCA has served as a bipartisan, cost-effective way to conserve vital wetlands across the nation. For every dollar invested in the program, an average of 3.2 additional dollars is raised to match the federal share by non-federal entities. ACTION ALERT: Contact your members of Congress to voice your support for funding NAWCA in the FY 2012 budget. "Many Ducks Unlimited supporters are pitching in to convey to Congress NAWCA's positive impact on both conservation efforts and our nation's economy," DU CEO Dale Hall said. "I'm glad to see NAWCA received funding for the rest of this fiscal year and that DU's efforts were somewhat successful. We must continue to educate Congress in order to obtain funds for the fiscal year that starts October 1. Partners in bird conservation are playing a role in outreach efforts by expressing their support for this valuable program," Hall said. "Together we are demonstrating that if enough supporters of wildlife conservation speak up, Congress will listen. "Ducks Unlimited members understand that tough budget decisions need to be made in order to reduce the deficit, but it is equally important that programs that truly pay for themselves, such as conservation programs, are properly funded. While I am disappointed that NAWCA received less funding than it did last year, I commend Congress for understanding the importance of this program and the economic benefits it provides." Scott Sutherland, director of DU's Governmental Affairs Office, was pleased about the NAWCA funding, "especially after Congress initially threatened to eliminate all congressional funding." Sutherland acknowledged DU should be proud of the work done to help restore NAWCA funding, but he also warned, "We shouldn't celebrate this development for too long. The need to offset massive habitat loss far outstrips the ability of NAWCA to keep up. We have to remember that due to the match, for every dollar cut in this program, it means that the ducks lose nearly four dollars worth of habitat conservation." In order to ensure NAWCA's funding is not eliminated in FY 2012, Ducks Unlimited is conducting a campaign to highlight the importance of NAWCA's conservation efforts and its economic benefits. DU encourages its members to ask their senators and representatives to support funding for NAWCA in FY2012. For more information on NAWCA and other Ducks Unlimited public policy efforts, visit HOW CAN YOU HELP??? Contact your Members of Congress:

3 2011 Merchandise Beretta AL3901 (Gun of the Year) - 12 gauge gas-operated semi auto - 3 chamber, 28 chrome lined, blue, vent rib barrel - Custom silver polished receiver with floral embellishments and waterfowl - Gold inlaid DU Logo and Ducks Unlimited on receiver - Grade II walnut stock and foreend in satin finish - Special DU serial numbering - Blue hard case featuring DU logo - Five interchangeable choke tubes (s, IC, M, IM, F) UPCOMING EVENTS FOR FLORIDA 06/04/2011 South Brevard Fishing Tournament 06/04/2011 South Lake / West Orange Annual Banquet Winter Garden 06/18/2011 North Brevard Annual Banquet - Titusville 06/25/2011 Clay County Annual Banquet Green Cove Springs 08/06/2011 Osceola County Annual Banquet - Kissimmee 08/13/2011 Volusia County Annual Banquet - Deland 08/26/2011 FLORIDA STATE CONVENTION - Ocala

4 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NATION S TOP 100 CHAPTERS IN FLORIDA #66 - Ft. Lauderdale #80 Tallahassee CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PRESIDENT S ELITE CHAPTER IN FLORIDA #3 - Vero Beach 2011 FLORIDA DUCKS UNLIMITED STATE CONVENTION August 26 28, 2011 Ocala Hilton - Ocala, Florida All DU members are invited!!! Regular Members, Sponsors, Life Sponsors, State Council, District Chairmen, Area Chairmen, Committee Members, Greenwings, Spouses and Children are welcome! COMMITTEES with the largest registered attendance will be rewarded. For Additional information: Don Bork Florida State Chairman don_bork@hotmail.com August 26, Friday WILD GAME COOK-OFF 6:00 PM 9:00 PM Bring your wild game and best recipes for cooking at its finest and prizes, too. Bring a covered dish or salad. Hospitality suite is open. August 27, Saturday GENERAL MEETING 8:00 AM 11:30 AM Award presentations, guest speakers, news from national, and the latest from the RDs and state chairman. LUNCH 12:00 PM With your friends!! STATE COUNCIL MEETING 1:30 PM 2:30 PM ALL MEMBERS WELCOME! CASINO NIGHT :00 PM 11:00 PM It s a DU event, what did you expect? Wear your dress camouflage. Afterwards, it s back to the hospitality suite. August 28, Sunday Have a safe journey home OCALA HILTON HOTEL 3600 SW 36 th Avenue Ocala, Florida Phone: Rates for 2011 Florida State Convention: Regular Room (Single or Double) $ tax/night Executive Level $ tax/night Convention Registration: DU Member $60.00 Spouse or Child over 12 years $40.00 United Waterfowlers of Florida / Florida Wildlife Commission Waterfowl Summit will occur on Friday August 26 th

5 South Florida - Summer Workshops Scheduled Make plans to attend We have moved the dates for the workshops this year. By making the workshops earlier in June will allow us to plan and execute a GREAT fall event. I am looking forward to the fall as we prepare to turn the corner on our grassroots fundraising in Florida. I hope you and all of your committee volunteers can attend this meeting. You will receive all the information needed for your fundraising efforts. Please mark your calendar to attend this IMPORTANT MEETING. Century 21 Rose Realty West 9970 Griffin Road, Cooper City June 6 th (Monday) 6:30 P.M. District Chairman North Florida South Florida District Chapters Chairman District Chapters Chairman 1 Pensacola, S. Okaloosa County, Mike Boles 1 Orlando, Daytona, Winter Garden, VACANT Milton, Crestview Golden Triangle, Osceola County, Volusia County 2 Panama City, Jackson County, Gulf Ed Chadwell 2 Vero Beach, South Brevard, North VACANT Coast, Chipley, Walton County Brevard 3 Perry, Havana, Big Bend, FSU VACANT 3 Palm Beach, Stuart Brian Konrath 4 Tallahassee, Governor s Club, Wakulla County, Moccasin Gap Peggy Higgins 4 Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Okeechobee, Everglades, Lakeport Frank Gundlach 5 Gainesville, U of Florida Jim Carnes 5 Naples, Ft. Myers, Sarasota VACANT 6 Amelia Island, Ponte Vedre, Duval Beaches VACANT 6 Winter Haven, Lakeland, Highlands County, Lake Wales, East Frank Schiele 7 Jacksonville, Riverside, Flagler County, Clay County Bartow Ford 2800 US Hwy 98 N - Bartow June 7 th (Tuesday) 6:30 P.M. Office Building in Ybor City 1320 E. 9 th Ave, 2 nd Floor, Tampa, FL June 8 th (Wednesday) 6:00 P.M. Hillsborough, Bartow / Mulberry VACANT 7 Tampa, St. Petersburg, Manatee County, Citrus County, Clearwater, Tampa Bay 100, Pasco County, Nature Coast Bass Pro Shops - Orlando Upstairs in the mezzanine June 9 th (Thursday) 6:30 P.M. PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF THE ABOVE DATE AND ASK FOR THEM TO ATTEND THIS MEETING. North Florida Workshops Schedules are being created for July and invites will be sent out soon. Mike Mezrah 8 Steinhatchee Vacant 8 St. Augustine, Ocala, Putnam VACANT County, Harris Chain 9 Lake City, MacClenny, Starke, Live Jimmy 9 Key West, Key Largo VACANT Oak, Tri-County Sparks 10 Monticello, Madison, Apalachicola, Lake Iamonia Ted Nixon HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE DUCKS??? Call your members of Congress to support NAWCA funding. Become a DU Leader by volunteering at your local, district or state. Create a Facebook account and click like for DU s Facebook. Spread the word. Discuss the importance of DU s mission with everyone. Stay informed by reading DU s website. Attend local events in your area.

6 Becoming a DU Sponsor in easy with Monthly Giving The Ducks Unlimited recurring sponsor program is a convenient way to make a monthly gift and make a difference towards conserving North America's most threatened wetlands. Every 10 minutes, one acre of wetlands is lost in the United States. Each year, the United States alone loses more than 80,000 acres of wetlands. Fortunately, Ducks Unlimited is committed to stopping this loss. By becoming a Sponsor, you will save one acre of vital wetland habitat. Our vision is skies full of waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. It's an awe inspiring goal, but we can't do it without your support! How it Works: You choose a yearly sponsorship level below. Click the name to view benefits for each level. Bronze: $250 ($20.84 per month) Silver: $500 ($41.67 per month) Gold: $1,000 ($83.34 per month) Choose whether you would like to use a credit card or have your pledge automatically drafted from a bank account. DU will charge the pledge to your credit card or bank account each month (all charges are made on the 16th of each month). Each year, we will send you an annual giving statement which can be used for tax purposes. You may choose to automatically renew your sponsorship each year, ensuring that you will never miss an issue of Ducks Unlimited Magazine. Sign up today using our safe and secure online form to become a recurring sponsor of Ducks Unlimited! Sponsor Levels & Benefits DU membership card The exclusive DU Sponsor Wind Jacket Two unique DU decals (one duck head and one DU shield) Six bimonthly issues of Ducks Unlimited Magazine, a publication for the waterfowl lover, the sportsman and the conservationist Tax receipt for your donation Opportunities to receive updates and to participate in special product offers from DU and its partners Immediate access to the Members Only section of the Ducks Unlimited Web site Bronze Monthly Sponsor - $20.84 per month: As a Bronze Sponsor, you will receive: Bronze Sponsor decal and lapel pin Silver Monthly Sponsor - $41.67 per month: As a Silver Sponsor, you will receive: Silver Sponsor decal and lapel pin Gold Monthly Sponsor - $83.34 per month: As a Gold Sponsor, you will receive: Gold Sponsor decal and lapel pin "SAVE AN ACRE BECOME A SPONSOR!"

7 DU Social Media Networks Stay connected with Ducks Unlimited online! Get connected with Ducks Unlimited today and get exclusive updates, tips & tricks and other insider info online now. You can find DU on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Myspace and more. You can also share content from the DU website on the social web! At the top & bottom of each page, you'll see a handy toolbar that makes it quick and easy to "Like" that page on Facebook and share it with your friends across a variety of social networks. Facebook Check out DU's official Facebook page for the latest updates on conservation, hunting and more. "Like" Ducks Unlimited today and you can join the conversation on our Facebook wall, upload fan photos and more! While you're there, show your support by joining DU's official Cause. More than 100,000 fans and growing! Twitter If you're looking for quick tips on the go, follow DU on Twitter! You'll get updates from DU's national headquarters and across the country about the latest DU news, conservation projects, hunting and migration information and more. You can even subscribe to receive DU tweets on your mobile phone. YouTube Ducks Unlimited's official YouTube channel has a great collection of videos to help improve your shot, set up your decoys, clean your gear, train your dog and much more. Check out all these videos and subscribe to DU on YouTube today! HOW CAN YOU HELP??? Would you like to get updates from DU and be notified of Facebook contests??? Click Like

8 Thank You from Ducks Unlimited!!!! Thank you. You answered the call and stood up for waterfowl, for our waterfowling tradition, for our legacy to future generations. During the seven-year Wetlands for Tomorrow campaign, we raised an amazing $1.88 billion, all for the world of waterfowl and wetlands conservation. With this support from people like you, 2 million acres have been conserved, more than 4,865 projects have been completed and our scientists have led well over 100 different research studies to understand the challenges that lay ahead. Watch our conservation highlights video above to see the range and scope of the work that your support makes possible. Join us to hear Jim Kennedy, former president of Wetlands America Trust and lifelong champion for Ducks Unlimited, as he kicked off the largest and now most successful campaign in conservation history. Your investment has helped expand Ducks Unlimited s conservation efforts in some of the following areas: Protection of the Duck Factory Thousands of acres of seasonal wetlands and native grasslands have been protected, ensuring the future of North America's most important waterfowl breeding area. Restoration of the Gulf of Mexico With your help we worked to restore and protect the marshes and bays of the Gulf of Mexico. Positive public policies to benefit waterfowl prevailed Philanthropists like you made the call to Washington to support smart legislation for wetlands. From the grasslands and oceans to the rivers and lakes, you made the difference. Thank you for answering the call. Thank you for taking a stand to protect our irreplaceable natural treasures. You are one of a million supporters, a strong force for nature. Today our wetlands face new pressures looming federal budget cuts that would adversely affect all of us who care about, and have funded, wetlands and waterfowl conservation. As conservationists we will continue to answer every call to do the critical work that will protect our vanishing wetlands. With your steadfast support, I have every confidence we will continue to succeed. Thank you for making Wetlands for Tomorrow a triumph for Ducks Unlimited! Jim West Chief Fundraising Officer SAVE THE DATE: May 30 June 3, th Anniversary - Ducks Unlimited National Convention Gaylord Opryland Resort Nashville Tennessee

9 Ducks Unlimited iphone App Waterfowl ID, DU Events, Videos & More! Version 1.1 Update Now Available in itunes! New enhancement features a sunrise/sunset calculator based on your location. A great tool to use on your next hunt! It's the official iphone App of Ducks Unlimited! This App includes a waterfowl ID gallery with slideshows, detailed bird information and audio files of various waterfowl species. Additionally, more than 300 duck hunting, duck calling, retriever training and other videos are featured from the app. Looking for information about the next DU event in your hometown? View a list of more than 4,000 events across the nation along with details and contact information. Finally, stay up to date with the latest DU news from our Twitter feed all in one app! App Features RECENTLY ADDED: Sunrise / Sunset Calculator This feature allows users to calculate the exact sunrise and sunset for any location on the planet based on your location. You may also choose other dates and locations to get the sunrise and sunset times for your next hunting trip. Waterfowl ID Includes a list of the most popular North American waterfowl species, including photos, audio sounds, descriptions, breeding, migration, populations and food habits. Video Tips Over 300 videos in various categories, including duck hunting tips, dog training, conservation, wild game cooking, DU TV and much more. Ducks Unlimited Events Search by state to access a full list of all DU events year round. Each detailed event displays When, Where, Contacts and Event Descriptions. Twitter Keep up with the latest DU news and daily tips with DU's Twitter channel, which is integrated directly in the app. Join DU Join DU directly from your iphone and start taking advantage of the many benefits of membership! About DU Learn more about DU and our mission of wetlands and waterfowl conservation. The DU iphone app is 21.5 MB. To download this app, please connect your phone to Wi-Fi. You may also download the app via itunes to your computer and then sync to your iphone. Sunrise calculator functionality may not work on first generation iphones. It will work on iphone 3G, 3GS and 4. It will also work on the ipod Touch and ipad. DU is currently developing the App for you, too!!

10 Ducks Unlimited Unveils Upgraded Website Ducks Unlimited has launched an upgraded website featuring a fresh design, improved navigation and many other functional enhancements. These improvements will help make a more comprehensive and userfriendly online resource for waterfowl hunters and wetlands conservationists. The new DU website is the ultimate tool for waterfowl hunters and conservationists throughout the year, DU Web Director Anthony Jones, said. In addition to providing a wealth of waterfowl hunting resources, we re also encouraging visitors to connect, share and participate with the DU community through the site. We ve listened to our supporters over the years and incorporated many enhancements based directly on their feedback. The result is a more appealing design, easier navigation and a greatly improved experience for our supporters. Visitors to the DU website will notice more hunting content, photos and videos than ever before. They will also see more information about DU s conservation activities both continentally and in their home state. To make the user experience even more convenient and personal, visitors may customize their own My DU page to show their favorite hunting, conservation and local content each time they come back to the site. Tom Fulgham, DU's chief communications officer, said the launch of the new site exemplifies DU s efforts to further engage with its members. Our goal in upgrading and personalizing the Ducks Unlimited website was to further engage current and potential DU supporters because their support helps us achieve our conservation mission. We strive to provide value for those who support DU, and we are very excited to provide them with this helpful tool. In addition to providing value for DU members, the new website will also play an important role in grassroots support for the organization. Visitors to the site will have quick access to information about local events and volunteer opportunities in their area. They will also have more options to join and donate online directly through the site. The new site will strengthen DU s ability to generate funds that can be used to conserve more habitat and help fill the skies with waterfowl for future generations. Visit the new and improved Ducks Unlimited website at Is Ducks Unlimited in your town? Would you like it to be? Become part of the TEAM, and join TEAM DU today. North Florida: Clint Murphy Phone: cmurphy@ducks.org South Florida: Brett Bainter Phone: bbainter@ducks.org and help us get a DU event in your town. Florida Ducks Unlimited needs your help in 2011 to start the following chapters! Pensacola Beaches Jacksonville Crestview Riverside Gulf Coast Flagler County Walton County Starke Big Bend Live Oak Perry Madison Putnam County Apalachicola Amelia Island Daytona Ponte Verda Okeechobee Citrus County Lakeport St. Augustine Ocala Florida State University HOW CAN YOU HELP??? Volunteer at the local, district, or state!!! AND leave a legacy for the future!"