WAC meeting

[Nab]

First, thanks to Rubberhead for making the trip down!
Looks like the same season and limits as last yr if the Board apporves it as is.
Also, it looks as if other states and the FWS are looking as what SC is doing - at least one other state above is taking a 50 day season and some are lowering the limits; the FWS is looking at tweeking AHM in the very near future - they are looking at 50/5 as the liberal package, 40/4 as the moderate and 30/3 as the restrcitive - some of this re-thinking was brought about by what we've been doing here in SC - so being proactive might end up being a good thing.
Had a big discussion about the youth days - DNR is recommending having them on Dec 9 & 10 - bewteen the splits - they feel this will give the youngsters a better chance at a quality hunt with the "opening day" feel to it. Most other states have their youth days before the season opener or during the splits.
There was/is alot of opposition to this change from the impoundments owners - they say most won't take any youth hunting on those days if they are before or during the split - won't let it interfere with the owner/members hunting - I can see that, but at the same time I and some others felt that the youngsters would have the best chance at a quality if moved from after the season when most ducks and areas have been hunted and the ducks are scarce and/or smartened up. That and probably the majority of the youth that take part will not be hunting an impoundment anyway.
We'll see how it goes over with the Board, but I personally hope it's during the split.
Brought up the issue about the small amount of mallards in state and why the limit isn't being reduced like the pintail was last yr - that went over again like a ton of bricks - the tamies are still safe until we stop just bitching about them and show up and show the same support at these meetings than many show on here - so if ya'll doing the bitching want something done it's in your court - I'm tired of fighting a one man battle on this one - so don't bitch about it one here or to me anymore.
Rubberhead - thanks again and feel free to add anything I missed and correct anything I might have gotten wrong.

[JABIII]

Thanks for the report.

So what, if anything, new was done to help migratory mallards in this state?

[Nab]

Nothing - and it won't be until the 2 groups learn to work together - oh yeah, they did put a creek into a wma.
Oh yeah - one thing that will help - they are trying to get the print sales up so more money can be sent to the Great Lakes area - that is a step in the right direction.
And we're gonna get together this fall to work on the swamp WMA.

[Turd Ferguson]

migratory mallard?
bwhahahahahahah

I think they put them on the endangered species list.

[JABIII]

"Nothing"

A vote for Mark Sanford is a vote for 4 more years of this folks.

I don't know how much more neglect the resource will bear...

[Stripa Swipa]

If you were gov, what would you do?

[JABIII]

In this case I would appoint a STRONG DNR board like we had when Carrol Campbell was in office. His appointments went to sportsmen and conservationists not well heeled tamie shooting rubberheads...

[Stripa Swipa]

and in this case, even that probably wouldn't accomplish much.

[Stripa Swipa]

and in this case, even that probably wouldn't accomplish much.

[Rubberhead*]

That's how I heard things too, Nab. I does seem that managing migratory mallards in SC is both a politically and biologically tough problem.

Based on the harvest numbers, though, it looks like we are killing as many mallards as we ever have. Unless that changes, don't expect a lot to change when it comes to mallard regulations.

I'm starting to believe that the best thing for the ducks would be a decade of poor breeding and restrictive seasons.

[Nab]

JABIII - I am interested in what you would do - something that could actually be done - sad part is that what needs to be done and what can be done is usually 2 different things.
Rubberhead - I agree that we need restrictive seasons - the only problem there is the way things are set up a duck would have to be almost extinct for that to happen! I would like to hear more about the "mistake" on the graph they had concerning the packages!
Anybody got any feedback on the season/ limits and the youth days?

[DUCK MASTER]

i always liked the youth days at the end cause there were more birds.

30, 40, 50 or 60 days it doesn't really matter to me. i just wish it was some way to keep all them freakin idiots(late shooters, harrassers, etc.) off the lake.

[Boom Boom]

So for the third year in a row, the Waterfowl Advisory Committee has failed to address the one constant in South Carolina's waterfowling plight-The decline of the migrating mallard. What a bunch of chicken shits. They are going to claim that mallard kill numbers are unchanged because they are knowingly factoring in tame mallards. Yellow cowards and black traitors have no place on any Natural Resources Board. Tame ducks are not a Natural Resource and the fact that you are ignoring the migratory ducks in favor of the tame ducks makes the Waterfowl Advisory Committee about the lowest scum in the bucket. There will certainly be a special place in hell reserved for people like you.

And allow me to add this- NAB you may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer and we do not agree on a who lot but, Buddy, you have the rest of those turncoat son of a bitches beaten by a mile. Stick to your guns for what little good it will do. At least you can walk away and say you tried to do what was best for waterfowl. That is more than the rest of that bunch will ever be able to say.

[Catdaddy]

Originally posted by Nab:

Anybody got any feedback on the season/ limits and the youth days?

<font size="-1" face="verdana,arial,helv">Nab, I only know about 4 impoundments around here. They either don't have children or they are grown, but they open up their impoundments to groups for youth days. In most cases they are friends or acquaintanences of the owners, but some have 20-30 kids hunting.

I have always let my friends with small children hunt my place on youth days as well. Usually no more than 5 kids with an adult/adults supervising.

I wouldn't do that on a split.


Just a thought.

[JABIII]

"So for the third year in a row, the Waterfowl Advisory Committee has failed to address the one constant in South Carolina's waterfowling plight-The decline of the migrating mallard. What a bunch of chicken shits. They are going to claim that mallard kill numbers are unchanged because they are knowingly factoring in tame mallards. Yellow cowards and black traitors have no place on any Natural Resources Board. Tame ducks are not a Natural Resource and the fact that you are ignoring the migratory ducks in favor of the tame ducks makes the Waterfowl Advisory Committee about the lowest scum in the bucket. There will certainly be a special place in hell reserved for people like you."


[img]graemlins/patriot.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/SC.gif[/img]

[Nab]

Bamm Bamm - for once we do agree on something - they are factoring in the tamie kill and know it, but will not do anything about it - the only way we have any chance of anything changed on this issue is for people to start showing up at meetings and voicing their opinions and make them accountable for their actions - or in this case inaction - it's getting hard but I will continue to voice mine and others opinions on the plight of the migratory mallard in SC and what many feel needs to be done to help it out.
CD - opinion noted. I wish that was not the case because for many youth having the youth days during the split might be the best chance of them having a quality hunt - the ones that do hunt public waters which many feel make up the majority of the ones taking advantage of the youth days - the ones that do have to hunt public waters end up having to hunt the ducks that have chased and shot at for a whole season, disturbing the ducks that have/are pairing up and interferes with the banding efforts - and the fact that most states have theirs before the season or during a split.

[Stripa Swipa]

The tamie issue seems to be looked at by most as a "you are for or against" issue. Since most hunters surveyed are "for" MRP and it would take a legislative act to change it in SC (a theoretical will of the people) though that's laughable in this state, the premise on which it is evaluated needs to change. Building a credible case that can be delivered by credible organizations that trumps the "will of the people" is the only way. Calling the current political hacks a bunch of dirty names are words for the wind boys.