MWA Dispanding after 52 years

Duckslayer100

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I realize this is a North Dakota site, but we have enough border hoppers (and MN transplants) where I thought this was relevent.

I'll be honest: I can't remember the last time I heard of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association. When I was younger they seemed more visible, but in the past 10-plus years I hadn't heard a peep.

Truthfully I don't know how much effort they've put into staying afloat (at least as far as utilizing changing communication platforms to hit the younger demographic). But I feel their struggle.

https://www.mnwaterfowl.com/news_ar...qzfMDbQ7si76hW1Ul8o_3CKIWpeClDrAlJr7S4bOyvCdY
 


Meelosh

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This is what happens when we don’t recruit new hunters.
 

Wags2.0

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Minnesota waterfowl associative mission Statement - “uh go to North Dakota or South Dakota”
 

Duckslayer100

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This is what happens when we don’t recruit new hunters.

This is also what happens when you have a sharply decreasing rural population and a burgeoning urban population. And you reduce habitat and access. And you're fighting against bigger, national nonprofits that have a way of drawing more attention.
 

SDMF

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This is what happens when we don’t recruit new hunters.

This is what happens when everyone from Canada to IA "Busts the roost" daily. Couple that with decades of ditching/draining/tiling and VIOLA!! No ducks, no duck hunters.
 


Fritz the Cat

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No ducks, no duck hunters.

There are plenty of ducks. What is missing is todays youth who desire to lay in the mud. While non-profit Minnesota Waterfowl Association is disbanding another non-profit or Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is starting up recruiting those younger hikers, fern feelers and berry pickers.
 

SDMF

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There are plenty of ducks. What is missing is todays youth who desire to lay in the mud. While non-profit Minnesota Waterfowl Association is disbanding another non-profit or Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is starting up recruiting those younger hikers, fern feelers and berry pickers.

MN doesn't have jack-diddly shit for ducks. The Western edge of "Lakes Country" where the prairie meets the forest should be infested with ducks, but, it's not.
 

KDM

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I hate hearing of outdoor groups throwing in the towel, but with draining, ditching, tiling, haying or farming everything possible, a general lack of birds due to the preceding, regulations up the azz, little to no private land access, and urban stupidity running the whole show, I can't say I blame them. I have family that live in S. MN and if they shoot 4 ducks (of any species) and a goose during a hunt, they can't hardly stand themselves. Late season divers is about the ONLY bright spot in MN waterfowl, but lasts about a week. Now deer hunting on the other hand, I think MN has an above average program going on.
 

Meelosh

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MN doesn't have jack-diddly shit for ducks. The Western edge of "Lakes Country" where the prairie meets the forest should be infested with ducks, but, it's not.
Quiet now. Fritz and the pig racer know more about wildlife and conservation than anyone. They are not to be questioned.
 

riverview

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when the average age of bird hunters is over 50 years old and not many youth getting into bird hunting it is bound to happen. I am afraid it isn't going to be around much longer.
 


Bed Wetter

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I stopped giving money to “conservation groups” after seeing what DU did with my money. Now being burned by the NRA, I’m more than a little gun shy about non-profit orgs, and that’s sad because my dad ran one for decades.
 

Fritz the Cat

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when the average age of bird hunters is over 50 years old and not many youth getting into bird hunting it is bound to happen. I am afraid it isn't going to be around much longer.

Exactly. A good indicator would be bird dog sales. No one in North Dakota raises English Setter Pointers. The last guy was Havelock Setters New England. Sales lagged and he retired. Guys under 50 years old are not buying.

I don't follow duck dog sales but it would be interesting to know how many younger guys are making purchases. Of course you don't need a duck dog to hunt ducks. But the trends and parallels are right in front of us.

Duck hunting is an art. Knowing what the ducks are going to do before they do it is a study. Well trained dogs are a big responsibility on and off the field. Duck hunting is dedication. I'm not meeting a lot of younger people with the same enthusiasm to get muddy, cold and sometimes skunked.


I'm getting a visual that the Minnesota Waterfowl Association was a couple old guys sitting around talking about the good old days with absolutely no idea how to recruit the younger guys. I understand their problem. Over the years I had to tell my son over and over get to bed so he could get up in the morning. Don't sit up playing video games. Take along enough clothes. Buy his license and make sure he has it in his pocket. Make sure he has ammo and his gun. And then sit there in the blind and watch him be distracted by his phone.

Each one of us has this dream when we get elderly and things get too difficult to operate the boat or put out decoys, our sons will take us. Some of us will have to "settle" for shooting ducks virtual reality on a computer screen.

Government agencies along with their surrogate conservation orgs already know all this. Their paychecks and/or livelihoods depend upon peoples interest in the outdoors. They are seeking partnerships with backpackers, birdwatchers, hikers and even the...……?


Anyway, Minnesota Waterfowl Association disbanded more than likely because they could not recognize change.
 

Traxion

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The world has changed. Getting kids interest in hunting is only going to continue to get harder. We're competing with electronic devices and out of control youth sports that take hold of them at just past infancy. There are so many other things to do after school than cruise around looking for ducks to hunt in the morning. I'm not sure if a grassroots organization or a national organization can either do anything about it. Scary and sad.
 

Uncle Jimbo

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The world has changed. Getting kids interest in hunting is only going to continue to get harder. We're competing with electronic devices and out of control youth sports that take hold of them at just past infancy. There are so many other things to do after school than cruise around looking for ducks to hunt in the morning.

All of this in addition to massive losses of wetland habitat and a continued assault on both public and private land access. KDM summed it up pretty well above. It’s not hard to see why people, young AND old, are giving up hunting.
 

Migrator Man

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I stopped giving money to “conservation groups” after seeing what DU did with my money. Now being burned by the NRA, I’m more than a little gun shy about non-profit orgs, and that’s sad because my dad ran one for decades.

We need to support the groups that are fighting to keep our traditions alive. Without habitat and public access we will see less and less support for waterfowl hunting and its conservation. This also affects all hunting from deer to pheasants. If we don’t keep th support going we will see Fritz and Mr. Lies rip it all apart and hunting will become a rich mans sport. DU and the NRA are not perfect but we can’t drop supporting them without switching our support to other groups. If Fritz and Lies don’t like the org I know that org is important to our fight.

Habitat will be tilled, potholes drained, and access cut off if we let the Farm Bureau, etc. have their way.
 


Kurtr

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You mean like du private hunt clubs. Your dollars went to another heater in the blind. Do just enough to keep people convinced the money is being used for good and not being blown by admin on “business expenses “. The non profits need the swamp drained just as bad as dc. To many tax loop holes. This goes for all of them not just outdoors related.

side note we have potholes this year my father in law has never seen in his 61 years of living here. The amount of local ducks is astounding
 

Fritz the Cat

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We need to support the groups that are fighting to keep our traditions alive. Without habitat and public access we will see less and less support for waterfowl hunting and its conservation. This also affects all hunting from deer to pheasants. If we don’t keep th support going we will see Fritz and Mr. Lies rip it all apart and hunting will become a rich mans sport. DU and the NRA are not perfect but we can’t drop supporting them without switching our support to other groups. If Fritz and Lies don’t like the org I know that org is important to our fight.

Habitat will be tilled, potholes drained, and access cut off if we let the Farm Bureau, etc. have their way.

It's a theme. Probably not what a young hunter wants to join.
 

Meelosh

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It’s always been obvious but still disturbing when they point it out themselves. Fritz and the like would prefer if you were complacent as they try to screw you. Just easier that way.
 

Kurtr

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so do tell how are you defeating the complacency that they so desire?
 

Traxion

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All of this in addition to massive losses of wetland habitat and a continued assault on both public and private land access. KDM summed it up pretty well above. It’s not hard to see why people, young AND old, are giving up hunting.

I would argue waterfowl numbers have NOTHING to do with the decline in hunting. There are plenty of birds. However, a smaller migration window compared to years of old, along with significantly more difficult access, cause hunters to lose interest. In my area alone, you have to be very hardcore and proactive to have any reasonable access for field hunting. There is an outfitter and about 3 groups who have most good fields tied down well before the season. Makes putting together a hunt much more challenging. The hardcore guys are killing it for the 3x a year average Joe in a lot of cases.

Habitat is key I agree. That and land access. Add it in to what else has been said and the path sucks.

On the conservation org debate, I started a new thread. Curious to see who is supporting what and why....
 


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