Sportsman's Classic

[cusportsman]

what are the donation levels for the FF? i would like to become a donor, but don't have a lot of $$

[justpracticin]

To communicate directly with a Board Member, please send your e-mails to flywayfoundation@sc.rr.com. As 2th stated, we all have jobs, families, businesses and other commitments.

Thank you.

[Dook]

Thanks JP! I will do everything I can to help the organization.

[cusportsman]

nvm, saw it on the website, what all do you do as a member?

[2thDoc]

SW-only the mallards were banded and the ducklings were web-tagged. with such small numbers, i would be surprised to get a call about a harvest, but the numbers will grow each year.

in the last week, we received a sizable donation from Delta that will go solely towards funding the ontario project and the research grad assistant in the scientific study that we are conducting. we are learning more and more each year.

[2thDoc]

i guess any press is good press, right.

cusportsman--right now, we stand behind our mission statement. we want to help migratory ducks by using scientific study. Right now, our project is the hen house. We have over 500 of them in place, and expect that number to double by the time the ducks return to the breeding grounds, specifically the breeding grounds for ducks that migrate to SC. Sportin Woodies is right in that we certainly expect to have some return visitors to these houses. We have banded every hen we could get our hands on and every duckling has a web tag. To date, we have not lost a single duckling to a predator. That is what this is all about. We want to provide an alternative nest to a duck that might normally nest in tall grasses beside a wetland and risk predation. Someone else mentioned in an earlier thread about the houses looking unnatural, I think it was dookie, again. Well, we had over 25% of our houses with nests in the FIRST YEAR. I think that stat is remarkable, but i agree that a nest in the grass is different than a nest of hay wrapped in wire and stuck on a pole...but ITS WORKING>

If you want to help out, send us an email. We spend every dollar we get on this project and related expenses. We dont get paid. we dont pay a secretary. We dont pay help to build the houses. We do it ourselves, with the help of people that give a shit. We will have a workday in early summer and will take all the help we can get to make another 500 houses. join us....

[dcmbsc]

good post 2nd ,at the classic i will be sure to sign up!

[cusportsman]

alright, i will def. try and stop by the booth at the classic and check it out, thanks 2th

[BigBrother]

Hmm...I just realized that my "membership dues" have probably lapsed. Time to pony up again. Toof, you throwing shoes anytime soon? I will cut a check for FF.

[Dook]

Originally posted by 2thDoc:
To date, we have not lost a single duckling to a predator.

A statistic we are all happy to learn.

[Sportin' Woodies]

are the bands any dif than traditional usfws bands?

is there a way to distiguish between FF focus area mallards and FF henhouse mallards?

[Catdaddy]

Originally posted by Sportin' Woodies:
are the bands any dif than traditional usfws bands?

is there a way to distiguish between FF focus area mallards and FF henhouse mallards?

SW,
Nope, there are all usfws bands, but we can get the data(numbers) with an email. You just need to keep shooting them and calling them in.

Keep in mind, as 2th Doc alluded to, there are studies within the main study. How many hens return to the same henhouse year after year. How many(if any) hatched hens return to the same area and nest in henhouses. There are studies between different types of support poles(tripods vs single poles). The best height above the water for utilization. Henhouse spacing per wetland. What types of wetland vegetation they do best in.
We now have some side studies on new henhouse materials(away from the main study) on different low maintance materials.

We need to be patient. The folks up there are excited, fully agree, and are committed to what SC thinks is the focus area. This thing is big and getting bigger.

I'm sorry we don't have a better way to keep everyone informed.

Just keep asking questions here or emailing folks.

We still need everyone's help on this end.

Thanks

[Sportin' Woodies]

good work CD

[DUCKMAN]

A great org. that is working to restore migratory waterfowl to SC to improve your waterfowl hunting.....Get on board!

[Dakota's Day]

Is there a way to track and see if the same hen is using the same house as the previous year? This may be impossible to study but I think it would be interesting to know. I have always wondered if the same wooducks use the same boxes as the year before, assuming they survived the season.

[HuntinCosta]

The satellite tracking systems would be able to give you that information im sure.

[Catdaddy]

Originally posted by Dakota's Day:
Is there a way to track and see if the same hen is using the same house as the previous year? This may be impossible to study but I think it would be interesting to know. I have always wondered if the same wooducks use the same boxes as the year before, assuming they survived the season.

Yes DD, they capture all hens using henhouses. They check for bands and band them if they don't already have one.

[DUCKMAN]

HC - The sat systems would be fantastic.....one problem - $$$$$$ - they are extremely expensive about $10,000 a bird for one year! The highest cost is the sat. tracking time.....you literally have to help pay for the rocket!

[HuntinCosta]

[img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I cant being to imagine the money that would be involved in that. But that sure would be awesome!