Insights

By Don Young, Executive Vice President
DU and Hunting, a Natural Relationship


Since its beginnings more than six decades ago, Ducks Unlimited has carried out a narrowly defined mission of conservation-restoring and protecting wetland and upland habitats. And by keeping our eyes focused on this mission, we have been able to make a real difference for waterfowl and hundreds of other wildlife species.

So how does hunting fit in? Even the most casual observer will see that a special connection exists between DU's conservation work and the consumptive use of our natural resources. One need only thumb through the pages of this magazine; tune in to our TV show on OLN; dial up our nationwide radio show; visit our Web site; or talk with any of our almost one million supporters or 55,000 volunteers to see that hunting and Ducks Unlimited are inseparable institutions.

In fact, DU and hunters enjoy one of the most mutually beneficial relationships anywhere. Of course, hunters and others who enjoy the outdoors have raised more money for real, on-the-ground conservation projects than any other group. Through taxes on sporting equipment, duck stamps, contributions to private groups like DU, and more, North America's hunters and anglers have raised billions of dollars to fund conservation work from coast to coast.

In turn, DU has provided this continent's hunters with a most important product: increasingly healthy populations of ducks, geese, and other wildlife. DU's founders were all concerned sportsmen who realized the value of conservation work to the future of hunting-one of our most cherished traditions. And more hunters and other sportsmen sign on as DU members every day. Not only because support for DU ultimately means more ducks over the decoys, but because today's sportsmen are also citizens who realize that DU's work contributes to a healthy environment for all of us.

Wetlands and associated habitats are a magic ingredient in the recipe for waterfowl production. But wetlands also mean cleaner water, reduced flooding, and more places to enjoy the natural world. Grasslands, forests, and other habitats can also be great places to find game, and they are key to a number of environmental benefits, including reducing greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere. What it comes down to is this: DU and hunters are partners in a natural, inseparable relationship. And the glue that holds that relationship together is passion.

For 64 years, the members of DU have been passionate about their conservation mission. Many of those people are hunters; some are not. But, more often than not, hunters and conservationists are one and the same. True hunters have a passion for wildlife. A passion for seeing wings cupped over a marsh. And a passion for protecting both the future of our natural resources and the future of our outdoor traditions.

It's a time-tested relationship. But today there are still hundreds of thousands of waterfowl hunters who are not DU members. As a DU supporter, I urge you to share your passion for hunting and for conservation by enlisting your fellow hunters in this unique partnership. It's the natural thing to do.