Michael “Mike” Devenport was born in October 1943. A proud veteran of the United States Navy, he served aboard the USS King. Following his military service, he returned home to work as a machinist. Mike was married to the love of his life for over 20 years until February 2020, when his wife passed away from leukemia.
Mike’s love of the outdoors began when he was a child and grew into a passion for outdoor pursuits and a lifelong enthusiasm for waterfowl hunting. He eventually discovered California’s Kern National Wildlife Refuge, which became his favorite hunting location. The wetlands at Kern were often densely covered in fog, but Mike would navigate using just a compass and flashlight.
In the mid-1990s, Mike became acquainted with a coworker named Dino Ferri. A lifelong friendship formed through trout tips and hunting trips. After just one hunt, Dino was hooked, and for the next 20 years, they hunted together. Mike’s willingness to share a blind, his equipment, and his knowledge had a ripple effect. Dino was able to pass on waterfowling traditions to his sons, son-in-law, and nephew. Mike treated all of them as his own family and took great pride, even during his final months, in their hunting successes.
In his later years, Mike became concerned about the water conditions at Tule Lake and hoped to make a difference by supporting wetland restoration efforts. Upon his passing, Mike left a significant gift to Ducks Unlimited through his estate. His conservation legacy will live on long into the future thanks to his generosity, and for that, DU is profoundly grateful.
