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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Retired Educator" data-source="post: 147258" data-attributes="member: 3373">I understand why many landowners as well as sportsman have developed some mistrust in some of the conservation organizations. Perhaps they have gotten to big for their own good. DU is one that immediately comes to mind. When DU started it was a member driven organization that was solely in the business of promoting habitat for duck nesting. No argument with that goal, in fact recently they had programs available to help farmers with some expenses in the preservation of nesting habitat. The only time I've ever heard of farmers not supporting ducks is when the harvest is late and huge flocks of ducks begin feeding in unharvested crops. Don't blame a farmer for being frustrated with that problem. Ducks feeding in crops is a separate issue in my mind and one of the hazards of a late harvest. Certainly not created by either sportsmen or farmers. Most farmers are concerned with good habitat as good habitat generally means healthy land. On the downside is more ducks means more depredation and truthfully that is generally only an issue when we have a late harvest.So DU didn't start out, years ago, as the bad guy. However, when DU felt the need to try and steer some of the state tax money (oil tax in this case) into their coffers, lots of people took offense. What happened to the member-driven theory? For many years I was a member of DU as I felt my member fees were being used to improve habitat for ducks. That also meant better habitat for all other types of game. My membership quit when someone decided that the tax money of this state was better than member donations. At one time I know several farmers that also were members or participated in fundraising through the many DU banquets. It's too bad that what started as a good idea organization got so side-tracked. And in the end pissed off so many people that today it basically has no support in this state and has created a divide between sportsman and landowners.It's a shame we have this divide as based on the vote, there were very few sportsman who supported the DU money grab any more than landowners. How did we end up with an argument between two groups that neither group supported?Others are correct in that there are outdoor organizations that do a lot of good. Perhaps most of them are the local groups. Let's not blame everyone for the actions of a few.</blockquote>

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