Wolves & Teal, MWA & HFW, DNR Hypocrisy & Legal Consequences

[Big Doe Hunter]

I truly thought the state would offer a teal season after the positive results from the other 3 states. Clearly there are motivations and agendas they aren't sharing with us.

Me too! I would have bet on it!

[Fish Felon]

Serious question - is this just a fun fantasy you're playing out, or are you taking action in the real world? If the latter, is your strategy to influence HFW to file a lawsuit, and then let it go from there?

I've already taken action in the real world. It'll take a little time to see how it plays out, give it a month. If it doesn't get the desired results I have a back up plan I'll pursue.

[Fish Felon]

I truly thought the state would offer a teal season after the positive results from the other 3 states. Clearly there are motivations and agendas they aren't sharing with us.

Me too! I would have bet on it!

I thought the same thing....probably because that's what they told us they'd do.

We gave them the benefit of the doubt and they burned us. I didn't agree at all with the decision in 2014 to not have a teal season but I did see some validity to concerns over guys shooting non-teal so I didn't raise a stink then.

It's clear they never anticipated the numbers would be so exceptional from the other states and that modern hunters are much more adept at identifying ducks (which is what I thought and hoped was the case). It's clear they were banking on those numbers being bad enough to justify never opening a season. Once their plan backfired they went to plan B; quietly working behind closed doors trying to use total bullshyte as a reason and hope no one would notice.

The agendas of Tom Landwehr, Brad Nylin, and the dozen or so influential members of MWA and the Concerned Duck Hunters were to never let us have a teal season despite all the science based research justifying one. All the stuff presented publicly like having a "mistake duck" was just a ploy to think it was actually being considered.

[gimpfinger]

[quote="Nershi"]
I truly thought the state would offer a teal season after the positive results from the other 3 states. Clearly there are motivations and agendas they aren't sharing with us.

Me too! I would have bet on it![/quote]
I really believed we were not going to get one after they sabotaged it the first year with the mistake duck. I still have the feeling that ywd is a big unspoken factor for us not having the teal season. The dnr can chew the bark off my log.

Team Power Dump

[Bailey]

[quote="Nershi"]
I truly thought the state would offer a teal season after the positive results from the other 3 states. Clearly there are motivations and agendas they aren't sharing with us.

Me too! I would have bet on it![/quote]
Tom landwehr is the man and supreme leader!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[h2ofwlr]

in red

I thought the same thing....probably because that's what they told us they'd do. Yup

We gave them the benefit of the doubt and they burned us. Yup I didn't agree at all with the decision in 2014 to not have a teal season but I did see some validity to concerns over guys shooting non-teal so I didn't raise a stink then. Uh huh...

It's clear they never anticipated the numbers would be so exceptional from the other states and that modern hunters are much more adept at identifying ducks (which is what I thought and hoped was the case). It's clear they were banking on those numbers being bad enough to justify never opening a season. Spot on Once their plan backfired they went to plan B; quietly working behind closed doors trying to use total bullshyte as a reason and hope no one would notice. Apparently so.

The agendas of Tom Landwehr, Brad Nylin, and the dozen or so influential members of MWA and the Concerned Duck Hunters were to never let us have a teal season despite all the science based research justifying one. I disgree about the MWA. They never talked to Steve or Tom. I'll make it crystal clear - this was ALL Tom and a few upper brasses decision. I have no idea about Zinter from Duluth and the CDH

All the stuff presented publicly like having a "mistake duck" was just a ploy to think it was actually being considered. I don't think so, I believe that was Steve's best shot as he know the brass would use the mistake ducks while teal hunting an issue, So he gave it a shot with the USFWS so us hunters had a teal season that maybe Tom would allow, Remember he lobbied for us hunters at the USFWS meeting for several years to get a teal season for the duck producing states. So he is not our enemy, far from it. The enemy is/was personal views effecting policy (and that originated at the top.) VS a policy based upon taking a neutral view point and use science as the basis for a teal season or not. .

[Fish Felon]

You're right about Cordts, I agree with you there now. Definitely had nothing to do with it.


As far as the MWA I still disagree. Concerned Duck hunters, wood duck society, all have a presence at the symposium and under MWA's umbrella. It's the people at the symposium influencing the mentality that limiting opportunities is conservation.


Sept 2014 Doug Smith article, this nicely sums up the mentality going into and at the 2015 symposium.

Ten years ago, a small group of mostly Minnesota duck hunters formed to voice concern over what they called an erosion of duck hunting’s conservation ethic caused by an increasingly liberal approach to regulations.I couldn't disagree more with this sentiment. Supporting liberal regulations (or not being opposed to them) when populations are high enough to justify them doesn't mean you're anti-conservation. Just like wanting continental duck populations managed conservatively in your state because of what you think is happening in your backyard doesn't make you a conservationist.

The Concerned Duck Hunters Panel — which included some of the state’s top wildlife biologists — said duck hunting shouldn’t be allowed before sunrise, opposed starting the season in September and urged more restrictive bag limits. They also wanted spinning-winged decoys outlawed.

[Later in the same article]

Landwehr said he welcomes discussing the issues raised by the Concerned Duck Hunters and has suggested the topics be brought to the annual Waterfowl Symposium, sponsored by the Minnesota Waterfowl Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and DNR. The event, open to the public, is Feb. 7 in Bloomington.

Brad Nylin, executive director of the Waterfowl Association, said that while the agenda hasn’t been set, he expects the liberalized hunting regulations will be a symposium topic. His group is not in favor of an early teal season, for the same reasons voiced by the Concerned Duck Hunters.

[Later in the same article]

Landwehr said the liberalized regulations have given hunters more opportunities.

“You can hunt ducks 71 days in Minnesota, and can harvest six birds [in the daily bag],’’ he said. “It’s an extraordinary season.

“The question I’d like to throw out there is how much is enough? What is an ethical, moral, sportsmanlike season and bag limit?’’

That’s a question Zentner, Strand, Knudson and other Concerned Duck Hunters would like answered, too.

Hmmm, I wonder how they answered Landwehr's question? Wait, we already know. It's pretty obvious they influenced him on the teal season.


Feb 2014 Doug Smith article recapping the 2014 symposium.

An early September teal season could be coming next fall for Minnesota duck hunters, but some hunters aren’t thrilled at the prospect of hunting ducks Labor Day weekend.

“I wish they wouldn’t do it,’’ said Roger Strand, 77, of New London, a well-known conservationist, waterfowler and longtime member of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association and Wood Duck Society.

Strand and others fear that hunters won’t be able to identify teal among the other ducks flying in September.

“There will be a lot of wood ducks shot in an early teal season, so I’m concerned,’’ Strand said.

Teal and a potential teal season were among topics Saturday at the Minnesota Waterfowl Association’s 17th annual Waterfowl Symposium in Bloomington, attended by about 100 people, including Strand.

[Later in the same article]

Jim Cox, 60, of Cologne, a longtime waterfowler and activist with the Minnesota Waterfowl Association, isn’t excited about an early teal season for that reason.

“I think it’s the stupidest idea,’’ he said. “We have a six-duck bag limit and 60-day season, and that’s not enough? And if you have a ‘mistake duck,’ now you can shoot at anything that comes over.’’

[Bullet21XD]

Another steamer laid on foulers forehead!

Keep up the great work. I'm a big fan!!

[Trigger]

I like how Jim Cox is an activist with the MWA. Activist Is a great way to describe anti-hunters.

[h2ofwlr]

Trigger, your stupidity just amazes me at times. So he is personally against the Teal season and you label him as an anti hunter? And you wonder why people of your type have zero credibility and are not listened to by the decision makers?

As for Jim, that's his personal view point regarding the early teal season. That being said, I understand and see his view as to why not to have it, but I still disagree with him.

Now as for Jim Cox the person - well he is indeed a roll up your sleeves and lets get things done type of guy. I served under him when he was chapter Pres. 15+ years ago. Saw how he clamped down and got the MWA back on the straight and narrow as Pres of the Org 6-12 years ago. He served on the Mn Valley River Trust for years, Then most recently was one of the charter citizens on the LOHC who screen the submittals for $ to make sure we get the most bang for the $ of the approx $90M a yr. and that it is is being spent as intended. He just rotated off last year. ALL of these positions you volunteer your time. Literally he has gifted 1,000s of hrs to us citizens in MN over the years. Frankly I wish we had 20 more people like him.

Now as for Tom, well no he does not take to heart people that are arm chair quarterbacks at best, and blowhards all too often. Frankly no public officials do, nor do private enterprises or citizens But he does listen to the guys out on the field getting things done. Be if that someone is from the NC, TU, DU, WDS,, MDHA, PF, DWF, RGS, local sportsmans club, etc, etc Basically it is this - are you contributing for the betterment of MN outdoors? That's who he listens to. Frankly I do not blame him one bit and think that is a wise approach. So how many 25 YO are rolling up their sleeves to help compared to 60 YOs? And some here wonder why he listens more to 'blue hairs"? It's awfully simple IMHO as to why. As there is plain just a lot more of them helping out than the under 40 crowd.