Arkansas DU News. State Chairman s Corner Arkansas DU Leadership Conference

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1 Arkansas DU News A R K A N S A S D U V O L U N T E E R N E W S L E T T E R S U M M E R I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Chairman s 1 Corner Arkansas Leadership 1 Conference Scenes from the National Convention - St. Louis, Missouri AR DU 365 Day Gun 4 Giveaway Presidential 5-6 Citation Awards Firearm Incentive 7 Program DU / Midway USA 8 Adopt-A-Team Raffle Economic Value of 9 Rice Lands NEW Discover 10 Chapter Program Upcoming Events 11 Tag Your Ride 12 WANTED: 13 DU Chapters in Your Town State Chairman s Corner Wow, it s hard to believe 2014 is meeting. During the meeting we more than halfway over. It seems shared valuable information to help like only yesterday that we were all District and Zone Chairmen hosting the State Convention at the prepare for their district meetings. Double Tree hotel in Little Rock. We unveiled the all-new 2015 Since February, we ve had several Arkansas DU 365-Day Gun great events across the state, and I Giveaway Calendars that are on sale am proud to say that we are off to a now. We also shared the following very strong year of fundraising for 3 steps are the key to making us #1: the ducks. In May, Brandy and I had the honor of attending the 77th DU National Convention in St. Louis with over 50 members of our Arkansas DU family. It was an amazing convention jam packed with activities, meetings and lots of family time, allowing us all a chance to get to know each other better. In June we held one of our largest Leadership Conferences in many years at Wildlife Farms with 48 people attending Saturday s business The 2014 Arkansas Ducks Unlimited Leadership Conference was held June 6-8 at Wildlife Farms near Casscoe. DU leaders from across the state convened to discuss important topics, while sharing new ideas for fundraising events. Thank you to all that were able to attend this year s meeting! #1. Always do your best to keep expenses under control. #2. Always meet the 10/30 event requirements! Tickets and 51% of the revenue must be in Memphis within 10 calendar days of your event. Final check and financial report is due in 30 calendar days. #3. Ask your RD to help you with your financial report before sending it to National. As we prepare for the busy fall banquet season I want to thank each and every one of you for all your hard work - past, present and future. I know together as a team we can achieve the goals we have set for this year. I am looking forward to a successful fall banquet season. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to call or me, and I will do my best to see that your needs are met Arkansas DU Leadership Conference Attendees of the 2014 Arkansas DU Leadership Conference at Wildlife Farms.

2 2014 National Convention Sights from the 77th annual Ducks Unlimited National Convention held in St. Louis, Missouri. P A G E 2

3 A R K A N S A S D U V O L U N T E E R N E W S L E T T E R S U M M E R PAGE 3

4 A R K A N S A S D U V O L U N T E E R N E W S L E T T E R S U M M E R PAGE Arkansas DU 365 Day Gun Giveaway The 2nd annual Arkansas DU 365 Day Gun Giveaway calendars are available and are on sale now! Like last year, calendars are $50 each and only 10,000 will be sold. This year, we are awarding prizes to both the top chapter and top individual that sell the most calendars between now and Oct. 1st, The top chapter in calendar sales will receive their entire DU merchandise package for their membership banquet for FREE, while the top individual will receive a free DPMS Oracle AR-15! Want to help your local committee & get in on the chance to win an AR-15? Click this link to become a become a DU Volunteer. Winners from the 2014 calendar sales are still being posted daily on both the Arkansas DU webpage ( and the Arkansas DU 365 Gun Giveaway Facebook page. Below: The cover for the 2015 Arkansas DU 365 Day Gun Giveaway calendar. Support your local DU chapter and purchase one today! Above: July 2015 will be the popular AR-15 month! THANK YOU to Fort Thompson Sporting Goods in Sherwood for distributing firearms for the gun giveaway! 4

5 P A G E 5 DU Recognizes Local Chapters With Presidential Citation Awards Ducks Unlimited recently announced its Presidential Citation Award winners. Awards are based on 2013 calendar year fundraising. Arkansas was well represented with 4 chapters qualifying for the Bronze citation level and 3 chapters qualifying for Silver. See the following page for award criteria and information on how to qualify your chapter. Congratulations to all on your extraordinary efforts! DU Varsity Program High school students across the country are becoming increasingly involved in DU s conservation efforts by starting DU Varsity chapters in their schools. In 2013, 22 DU Varsity chapters in 11 states raised over $165,000 for the ducks! Arkansas DU is looking for dedicated students along with a faculty advisor who are interested in starting a DU Varsity chapter at their school. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact Mark Horobetz, DU Youth and Education Program Coordinator at (901) or mhorobetz@ducks.org. Will your alma mater be the first DU Varsity chapter in Arkansas? 2013 BRONZE Black River Crawford County Grant County Arkansas State University 2013 SILVER Lee County Marion Springdale

6 Presidential Citation Award Qualifications P A G E 6

7 P A G E 7 Want to help your chapter earn a Presidential Citation Award for 2014? The incentive firearm program is a great place to start. Chapters, be sure to check with your District Chairman or Regional Director to ensure you are hitting all the marks to maximize incentives at your events.

8 P A G E 8 Support a Local Shooting Sports Team with a Midway USA Raffle

9 Economic Value of Rice Lands P A G E 9 Rice lands worth quacking about A recently published report puts an impressive dollar figure on the habitat value of rice lands. Authored by Ducks Unlimited scientists for The Rice Foundation, the study found the cost of attempting to replace rice lands with natural wetland habitat would exceed $3.5 billion. That doesn t include the nearly $70 million it would cost for annual upkeep. According to the study, over 40 percent of the food resources available to wintering dabbling ducks along both the California Central Valley and Gulf Coast comes from winter flooded rice fields. Obviously, winter-flooded rice fields are continentally significant for waterfowl. Current rice food values for wintering dabbling ducks in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley are 11 percent of available food. That difference is due largely to the relatively earlier timing of rice harvest and being located a little too far north for a second or ratoon crop of rice, which matures just before waterfowl arrive in the fall. Research and extension programs that increase the feasibility of ratooned rice are needed to increase the amount of food provided by rice fields in this region. Study results suggest ratooning and flooding just 20 percent of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley rice base would largely eliminate any food shortfalls in the region, and these ratooned habitats alone could meet dabbling duck food energy needs from early fall through late February. Unfortunately for waterfowl and rice farmers alike, significant challenges to keeping rice on the land exist in each of the three major rice growing regions. Because of the significant contribution of rice lands to supporting wintering waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited has strong working relationships with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and rice growers to improve on-farm profitability and maximize benefits of rice fields to waterfowl and with the USA Rice Foundation to promote sound policies for these working wetlands. Photo courtesy of Mike Checkett Shallowly flooded rice fields provide significant habitat for waterfowl that winter in both Arkansas and other rice producing states. The cost of attempting to replace rice lands with natural wetlands would exceed $3.5 billion.

10 A R K A N S A S D U V O L U N T E E R N E W S L E T T E R S U M M E R Presidential Citation Qualifications PAGE 10

11 P A G E 1 0 Summer Events in Arkansas Chapter Name: Chapter City: Type of Event: Date of Event: Contact Person: Contact Phone: Location of Event: District 8 Hope District 8 Meeting 7/8/2014 James Morphew Hope Country Club District 12 El Dorado District 12 Meeting 7/10/2014 John Mooney Main Street Pizza District 3 & 4 Paragould District 3 & 4 Meeting 7/10/2014 Tom Smalling Grecian Steakhouse Fort Smith Fort Smith Sportsman's Night Out 7/15/2014 David Martin Fort Smith Hooters District 7 Widener District 7 Meeting 7/17/2014 Alan Reynolds Lakeside Farms Benton County Bella Vista Golf Tournament 7/19/2014 Scott Groves Scotsdale Golf Course - Bella Vista District 2 Batesville District 2 Meeting 7/24/2014 Jim Butler U.S. Pizza District 1 Cave Springs District 1 Meeting 8/4/2014 Todd Etzel The Creeks Golf Course District 11 Humphrey District 11 Meeting 8/7/2014 Stanley Powell Five Oaks Duck Lodge District 9 Arkadelphia District 9 Meeting 8/9/2014 Kyle Peters "The Lodge" Springdale Springdale Sponsor Banquet 8/9/2014 Mark Bowen Spring Street Grill Independence County Batesville Golf Tournament 8/16/2014 Jim Butler Batesville Municipal Golf Course Jacksonville Jacksonville Membership Banquet 8/21/2014 Rick Killebrew Sherwood Forest Toad Suck Conway Membership Banquet 9/12/2014 Richard Moore Knights of Columbus North Little Rock NLR Membership Banquet 9/18/2014 Pat Mahan Sherwood Forest Stuttgart Stuttgart DU Regional Duck Calling Contest 9/27/2014 Jim Ronquest Main Street Stage Be sure to attend one of these great events near you! Bring a friend and introduce someone new to DU and wetland conservation!

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13 P A G E 13 WANTED: Ducks Unlimited Chapters in These Towns! Just as ducks need habitat, Arkansas DU needs chapters. Do you have friends and fellow duck hunters in these towns that would be good candidates to organize or help out at a Ducks Unlimited event there? If so, contact your Regional Director or District Chairman and let them know. Ashdown Augusta Carroll County Corning Crossett Danville Des Arc Dumas Eudora Eureka Springs Felsenthal Harrison Helena/West Helena Huntsville Lewisville/Stamps Mena Morrilton Perryville Warren Weiner Wynne Ducks Unlimited - Preserving Arkansas Waterfowl Hunting Heritage Our Mission: Ducks Unlimited ARKANSAS DU NEWS Newsletter for Volunteers Matt Robinson, State Chairman (501) or mattrobinson@centurylink.net For questions, comments or to post an article or photograph in the Arkansas DU News, tanderson@ducks.org. For complaints, Bob Butler at bbutler@ducks.org. conserves, restores and manages wetlands 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. Please forward this newsletter to anyone who would like to become a DU Volunteer. Thanks for your continued support of Arkansas Ducks Unlimited!