Spring 2015 Official Newsletter of Minnesota Ducks ...Cattails Official Newsletter of Minnesota Ducks Unlimited Spring 2015 Page 3 The Alexandria Sponsor Banquet has always been a

Cattails Official Newsletter of Minnesota Ducks Unlimited

HURRICANE LAKE

HALLELUJAH Special points of interest:

Dennis Anderson’s

Message

Junior Duck Stamp Story

Minnesotans at the

National Convention

Sherburn Sponsor Success

Inside this issue:

Chair’s Chatter 2

Vikingland

Sponsor Banquet

3

Hurricane Lake

Project

4

Sherburn Success

Story

6

Minnesota Artist’s

Corner

7

Project Hall of

Fame 8

Minnesota News

and Volunteer

Spotlight

10

Federal Junior

Duck Stamp Story

11

National Conven-

tion Highlights

12

Minnesotans at the

Nat. Convention

13

Official Newsletter of Minnesota Ducks Unlimited Spring 2015

Above: Hurricane Lake was

in tough shape with very

turbid waters and limited

emergent and submergent

vegetation resulting in low

waterfowl use.

Right: A 2012 aerial shows

extensive emergent vegeta-

tion covering the entire

basin following drawdown

to enhance the lake.

More about the Hurricane Lake Project on page 4


Hi all, I am Brian Ross, the new State Chair for Minnesota Ducks Unlimited. I started in the position on

February 15th, although I have been in training for 25 years as a DU volunteer. I am honored to be

the representing all the members of MN DU in this position.

I am a “service brat” and was born in Albuquerque, NM. My father was in the Air Force for 23

years, so we lived in several states, including California, Colorado, and Ohio, before settling in Min-

nesota when I was in junior high school. We lived in Morris, MN for a year before moving to St.

Cloud, where I went to high school and college.

My first exposure to ducks and then duck hunting was on the prairies and lakes of the western

part of the state. Our first year back, we went to visit my uncle who lived on Dead Lake in Otter

Tail County one weekend in early October; it turned out to be opening weekend of the waterfowl

hunting season. After briefly visiting with my aunt, we drove out to his duck camp on one of islands

on Dead Lake. As we got out of the car on the access trail, three ducks flew by the island and the

shooting started. One of the ducks dropped and

one of the hunters sent their dog for the re-

trieve on a small teal. This was my introduction

to duck hunting and I was very intrigued.

The next spring,1969, was one of the wet-

test on record after the epic winter of 1968-69.

All the wetlands and potholes around Morris

were full of water, with the ducks responding to

the conditions with a fabulous breeding effort.

My forays into the prairie and farm country

found nesting mallards and teal. On a canoe ride

with my dad on nearby Crystal Lake, we had a

very unusual duck appear out of the reeds – it

had a dark red head and a mainly white body.

My fascination with watching and identifying

ducks was ignited and I went to the library to

find out more about this duck. My research

showed that I saw my first canvasback.

My introduction to DU was in 1975, when

my Dad attended a DU banquet in St. Cloud – I

still have the program from that banquet (see

copies to right). I also relished reading the DU

magazines he received with his membership.

One of the reasons I have become so involved

in DU is that I could see the draining and filling

of wetlands going on in and around Stearns

County. Because my dad was stationed in Ohio

and we would visit my parent’s families in Minne-

sota, I could compare and contrast the country

side between the two states. I am sure Ohio has

some nice areas, but nothing like the lakes, marsh-

es, prairies, and forests of Minnesota. The Ohio

countryside was just fields with no lakes or

marshes. I don’t want Minnesota to look like Ohio

and want to help restore and protect the wet-

lands, lakes, and prairies.

Thanks for reading my chatter; I hope to meet

you in my travels to DU events around the great

state of Minnesota.

State Chair’s Chatter

Your Minnesota DU

State Committee

State Chair Brian Ross

Baxter, MN 218-825-0996 [email protected]

State Council Chair

Tim Roble Frazee, MN 218-334-4701

[email protected]

State Chair Elect

Ruth Hoefs LeCenter, MN 612-756-1500

[email protected]

State Treasurer Dan Scheffler Dundas, MN

507-291-0311

[email protected]

State Volunteer Recruitment Coord.

Scott Christensen Litchfield, MN 320-593-8806

[email protected]

State Convention Chairs

Kyle and Donna Thaemlitz Lakefield, MN 507-662-5359

[email protected]

State Major Gift Chair Jim Demgen East Gull Lake, MN

218-829-7438

[email protected]

Page 2 Spring 2015

Brian Ross, State Chair

Above and at

left: The pro-

gram from

the 1975

Central MN

DU Banquet,

featuring cov-

er art by

famed water-

fowl artist Les

Kouba.


Page 3 Spring 2015

The Alexandria Sponsor Banquet has always been a well-attended and special event, but this

year it was even more so because of the guest speaker the committee invited. Dennis Ander-

son, renowned outdoor writer with the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the inspiration for Pheas-

ants Forever was the guest speaker. With the enticement of Dennis as the invited speaker, the

event was even better attended.

The Alexandria Sponsor Banquet or Vikingland Spon-

sor Banquet, as it is better known by, was held this year on April 29th at the Arrowwood

Resort, north of Alexandria. The committee, lead by Event Chair Richard Hardine, did a

great job with lots of appetizers and a great meal. They even had a DU ice carving (see

photograph above). The event has an amazing number of major donors in attendance,

with all listed on the poster presented to the left. There was even MN DU former State

Chairman, Warren Stefanski, in attendance (see photograph below). Several major donor

awards were given out that evening as well, but the highlight was the speaker, Dennis

Anderson.

Dennis lived up to his billing as he captivated the audience with his stories and message.

Dennis related to all the ducks lovers in the room as he described growing up in North

Dakota and hunting with his father. He told of being in the blind at a young age as mal-

lards poured over and into the decoys; his passion for the ducks and the outdoors gushed

out as the audience realized he is a duck hunter at heart. Dennis shared stories of being

with U.S. Fish and Wildlife enforcement agents in Louisiana and watching them work bust-

ing poachers. He also talked about the loss of wildlife habitat and hunting spots around

his home near Willmar. Then he discussed the losses the outdoor community is experi-

encing in the legislature and with habitat preservation issues. He message is all hunting

and environmental groups had better get together and form a united lobbying group or

we are going to continue to lose

ground and the wild places we are so

passionate about.

Alexandria Sponsor Event

Dennis and Sue Zahrbock

pledged to become life spon-

sors that evening.

Tom and Linda Akenson stepped

up to a new Sponsor in Perpetui-

ty pledge at the event.

Guest Speaker, Dennis Anderson,

captivates the attendees.

The old, former State Chair Warren Stefanski

(right), and the not so new, current State Chair

Brian Ross, shared some chatter and a photo op.


The Hurricane Lake project is worth a “hallelujah” be-

cause of its important location in Minnesota. The 206-acre

lake is located in Cottonwood County, in an area with very

limited waterfowl habitat, especially shallow lakes. It, there-

fore, provides one of the crucial “stepping stones” needed

by migrating waterfowl in southern Minnesota. This is the

main focus of DU’s Living Lake Initiative, to provide these

stepping stone shallow lakes so ducks have a place to rest

and feed as they migrate through the area in spring and fall.

The project was one of the first DU Living Lakes projects

because it is surrounded by MnDNR land of the Hurricane

Lake Wildlife Management Area. This fact allows the DNR

to manipulate water levels without needing agreements from

adjacent land owners. The project still had its hurdles be-

cause an improved outlet needed to be constructed to allow

the lake to be drawn down. Years of high water had resulted

in turbid water, many invasive fish, and limited emergent and

submergent vegetation. A vegetation survey by MnDNR in

2006 showed submergent and emergent vegetation at only

18% of the locations in the lake (see aerial photo with sam-

pling locations to left). Waterfowl use was also very limited

with a few geese and teal. An easement agreement with a

local landowner was needed for the project to move for-

ward and, after that was in place, the project could proceed.

The project consisted of installing over two thousand

feet of drain pipe as well as a water control structure to

allow the control of the water levels. The drain line extends

from the northwestern portion of the lake to the northwest

to an agricultural ditch that flows to the Dutch Charley

Creek. The drain pipe was installed and the water allowed

to drain out of the lake. Then the water control structure

was built; a common construction sequence used in these

lake enhancement projects. The view of the full

drawdown in 2010 can be seen in the photo on the next page. The dendritic lines on the lake

bottom represent small channels where the

water flowed to the outlet.

The drawdown resulted in dewatering of

the entire basin and emergent vegetation

sprouted across the entire basin. Initially, the

vegetation was so thick it was hard for water-

fowl to use the lake, but when the stop logs

were lowered into place on the structure and,

after water levels returned to an operating

level, the vegetation started to open up allowing

for nesting ducks to take advantage of the im-

proved habitat. Muskrats continue to open up

holes in the cattails with their home building

and foraging.

Hurricane Lake Hallelujah

Page 4 Spring 2015

Above: 2006 Hurricane Lake survey showing

the turbid water and limited vegetation

(source: DNR Wildlife Lake Survey Report).

Right: The contractor working at construct-

ing the outlet and allowing the water to flow.


The Cattails’ editor visited the lake in late March and

found the lake in great shape. A thick band of bul-

rushes paralleled the shore by the access and thick

growth of cattails was present as far as the eye could

see. It was hard to see much open water, but there

must have been a lot of open pockets because ring-

necked ducks kept popping up to fly around the lake.

Flocks of mallards also boiled up from a few places

before settling back down. Several pairs of Canada

geese had already staked out their nesting territories

across the lake, even though spring had just started.

There was a well-used channel from the public ac-

cess out into the lake, indicating the lake had a lot of

use by hunters last fall. I am sure local hunters are

also saying hallelujah for Hurricane Lake.

Hurricane Lake Hallelujah (Continued)

Page 5 Spring 2015

Above: The water control structure being

constructed in 2010 is nearing completion.

Left: The lake in late March 2015 showing

the emergent vegetation and hemi-marsh

condition as a result of the drawdown.

Below: The public access looked well used

last fall as evidenced by the nice channel out

to the more open portions of the lake.

Below: Hurricane Lake in drawdown.


Page 6 Spring 2015

The Capital City Banquet Brings Multiple Benefits

The Capital Banquet provides multiple benefits

to MN DU because of its timing and high profile

attendees. The event was held on April 8, 2015,

at the Best Western Plus Capital Ridge

(formerly the Kelly Inn), near the State Capital.

This year the event was particularly challenging

because the capital building is under construc-

tion as part of a huge restoration project (see

photograph to the left.). Consequently, the

legislators are officed in other buildings and this made for an even

more difficult in

organizing the event.

The master of ceremonies was none other than

Ron Schara of the Star Tribune and Minnesota

Bound fame. Ron has done so many DU banquets

he said he has lost track of the number, but he did

describe being the MC at the first Ducks Unlim-

ited banquet in Minnesota. It was held at the old

Thunderbird Motel in Bloomington in the early

1970s, and Ron said they raised a lot of money for DU that evening.

(Ron was also the speaker at the Central Minnesota DU Banquet in

1975—See Chair’s Chatter on Page 2).

The Capital City banquet had nearly 100 folks in attendance, including

many senators and representatives, some of who serve on the banquet

committee. Attendees included the Speaker of the House, Kurt Daudt,

who even won a raffle gun. Some of our funding partners were also in

attendance, includ-

ing representatives

from Flint Hills

Resources and

Unimin Corpora-

tion, giving us the

opportunity to

recognize them for

the support of the

Ducks Unlimited

Living Lakes Initia-tive. Unimin pro-

vided another ben-

efit for the event

by giving DU a check for $50,000 to continue

the partnership into the coming years (see the

check below).

DU Director of Development Adam Dehaan (right) presents a 2015 Minnesota Sponsors print to Matt

Lemke of Flint Hills Resources as a recognition of their over 30-year partnership with Minnesota DU.

Attendees

included the

Speaker of the

House, who

even won a

couple of raffle

prizes.

This photograph of the Minnesota Capital

building was taken April 8, 2015, the day of

the Capital Banquet. The building was sheaved

in scaffolding and plastic as the exterior work

got underway. Note the Red-tailed Hawk

soaring around the Capital Dome.

Unimin presented a $50,000 check to Ducks Unlimited at the event.

This is a photo of the actual check.

Schara provided

a story about

being the

Master of

Ceremonies at

DU’s first

banquet in

Minnesota.


Page 7 Spring 2015

Minnesota Artists’ Corner—Jim Rataczak

The woods behind his boyhood home in Minnesota provided the surroundings in which

Jim Rataczak (pronounced "RAT-a-check") began his life as a naturalist and artist. As a young-

ster, Jim learned of the work of several Minnesota wildlife painters, especially that of Ron Van

Gilder, Gary Moss and David A. Maass, and marveled at the incredible animal diorama back-

grounds Francis L. Jaques had painted at the Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis.

With a degree in biology in 1987 followed by a masters degree, Jim assumed he was on

his way to a career in biology. However, a summer fellowship at the Delta Waterfowl Re-

search Station in Manitoba, Canada, exposed Jim to Delta's rich artistic heritage and he real-

ized that he wanted to get back into painting.

Jim zealously pursued his art, taking classes at the Art Institute of Chicago, and learning

bird anatomy at the Field Museum of Natural History. This direct approach to study and

painting was further cemented as Jim began studying the work of Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Bru-

no Liljefors, and Lars Jonsson.

Jim and his wife Joan live in Minnesota, where Jim continues his studies, and exhibits his

work. Today his work can be found in galleries and private collections across North America.

Artwork provided courtesy of Jim Rataczak

and Wild Wings, LLC, Lake City, Minnesota.

800-445-4833

www.wildwings.com

Above: “Dogwood - Wood Duck”

Right: “The Rising

- Northern Hawk

Owl”

"Every so often,

moonrise and sunset occur at just about the same time, resulting in unique, dynamic

light. I witnessed such conditions once in the Northern bog country,

land of the Northern Hawk Owl." - Artist, Jim Rataczak

Left: “Winter Willow - Northern Shrike”

“Many times I’ve watched and sketched shrikes in their winter hunting territories. The bird’s plumage, crisply patterned but softly

edged, is a perfect reflection of the stark, winter landscape. The winter can be hard, but somehow the bird perseveres.” - Artist, Jim

Rataczak


Page 8 Spring 2015

Ducks Unlimited has been conserving habitat in Minnesota since 1985. There are

literally hundreds of DU projects scattered across Minnesota. In fact, many of the

water control structures on federal waterfowl production areas (WPAs) and state

wildlife management areas (WMAs) were designed and built as Ducks Unlimited

projects. This column is a regular feature devoted to describing some of these older

projects.

The Bloom WPA was constructed in 1995 and is located in Nobles County,

twelves miles northwest of Worthington. Ducks Unlimited worked with John

Braastad from the United States Fish

and Wildlife Service on the project,

and hired H. John Gustafson, owner

of Gustafson Drainage in Lake Crys-

tal, MN, for the Agri-Drain Water

Control Structure. Total construc-

tion costs included $32,665 for the

contractor and an additional $12,405

in materials supplied by DU. A small

project by DU standards, the con-

struction involved 4,503 lineal feet of

pipe for a buried pipe outlet, two

small embankments totaling 2,631

cubic yards, and the stoplog struc-

ture. The project area covers 37.7

surface acres of marsh at full service

level (FSL) and has 76.4 acre-feet

capacity at FSL.

The primary objective of the

project was to create brooding and

pairing habitat by restoring the 41-

acre semi-permanent wetland. A

variable level water control struc-

ture and tile line were installed to

provide for management of water

levels in the basin. The completed

Bloom WPA provides great nesting

habitat for waterfowl returning to

MN due to the restoration of small

prairie pothole marshes. When visit-

ed in the summer of 2014, the WPA

had great vegetation and was full of

water.

Project Hall of Fame—Bloom WPA

Above: an aerial image of the cropland in

1991, prior to the Bloom WPA restoration.

The current aerial showing the contrast to

the drained, farmed basin in the photo to left.

Below: the Bloom WPA in July

2014, showing the lush grassland

surrounding the restored wetland

basin.


Page 9 Spring 2015

Sherburn Sponsor Success Story The little southern Minnesota town of Sher-

burn, population 1,113, is the site of MN DU’s

second largest sponsor event. The event is the

committee’s regular dinner banquet, but they

make a special point of getting as many sponsors

as they can. They set the standard back in 2013,

when they garnered 116 sponsors at their March

event and each year they have increased that num-

ber. Because of their efforts, the Garrison Wild-

life Chapter took up the challenge and pushed past them in total sponsors, but Garrison has a much

larger committee and three events, whereas the

Sherburn Chapter does it with one event.

They do this by focusing on asking everyone com-

ing in the door to be a DU sponsor or to recom-

mit if they have been a sponsor. The sponsor

table and the sponsor thermometers (they have

six) are located right by the entry way to the ban-

quet room so it is impossible not to notice them.

Matt Brown, the Sponsor Chair, greets each and every attendee and

asks them to be a sponsor. He is very persuasive!

Doug Hartke, the Sherburn Committee Chair, also assists Matt in making sure past sponsors were asked before the banquet even

starts. Doug, Master of Ceremonies Tim Eisenmenger, and the rest of the com-

mittee put on a great event and really pack them in to fill the hall (see photo-

graph). They sell out the banquet with around 240 people attending each year

and are the No. 2 Total Grass-

roots Fundraising Event in the

state.

This year, drum roll please, they

reached a new record of 146

sponsors. MN DU congratulates

the Sherburn Chapter on their

success and appreciates the funds

they provide to Ducks Unlimited

for our conservation programs.

Matt Brown makes sure everyone gets asked to be a sponsor.

They really pack them into the Community

Hall in greater, downtown Sherburn. Chair Doug Hartke, (left), RD Brad Jensen,

and Master of Ceremonies Tim Eisenmenger

work through the raffle prize give aways.

Five thermometer posters plus more track

the progress of the sponsor campaign. Matt models the committee shirt.

Harold and Emma King receive their

Life Sponsor plaque from State

Chair Brian Ross.


Page 10 Spring 2015

December strategic planning session

MN DU at the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League Championship

Volunteer Spotlight—Mark Jenzen

Mark Jenzen lives in Minnesota Lake, in southern Minnesota. He was a science teacher

in the Minnesota Lake and Maple River schools district for his entire career, starting in

1975. Shortly after finding good hunting in the area and making new hunting friends, then

RD, Bill Allen, contacted several of the group about starting a DU chapter there. “Our

first meetings were in a buddy’s basement and we held our first event in 1980, being very

happy we had 70 attendees,” Mark says. They selected Lost Marsh as the chapter name as

there was an ongoing legal battle about the draining of a marsh in the area, which has

become a MN WMA now. “To date this a bit, we actually bought and moved round bales

onto the ice of area wetlands to provide Canada geese nesting spots. Times change.”

Mark served on the committee as a chair, secretary, now co-treasurer and all the jobs

a small chapter requires, and says that he enjoys the changing challenges each year

brings. They have been sold out as an event for many of the last years, growing to 250,

and just held their 35th annual event. “I have had the great joy of helping many of the RDs

doing whatever I could. District chairs, zone help, giving young regional science fair par-

ticipants DU recognition, building hundreds of wood duck houses with area youth, teach-

ing Minnesota Firearms Safety for 20+ years, trying to pass on all the joy waterfowl and

Ducks Unlimited has given my family and myself,” Mark says. “Recently I met several

great young Gustavus Adolphus College students at the state event and was lucky to have

made new friends and helped them by mc’ing their events. It was wonderful fun.”

“The joy and wonder of waterfowl have enriched my life beyond words, but who to better care for them than Ducks Unlimited?

With my friends and now my family involved and greatly enjoying the total DU mission, I can only hope many more sportsmen and

women join the fight to save our beloved sport.”

Mark Jenzen-Minnesota Lake, Minnesota

The growth of high school trapshooting teams has been phenomenal,

with almost exponential growth since it got going less than 10 years ago.

The Minnesota State High School Clay Target League championship meet began in

Alexandria at the Alexandria Shooting Park and just four years ago they had only 200

participants. This year they had over 5,600 participants and 20,000 attendees for the

2015 Championship, billed as the World’s Largest Shooting Sports Event.

MN DU volunteers in the Alexandria area lead by Bill Januszewski, Central Region Vice

Chair, decided to have a booth at the event to tell the DU story. Reed Family Out-

door Outfitters graciously provided room in their tent to allow MN DU the opportuni-

ty to pass on the conservation message. DU

volunteers sold hundreds of DU hats and several

Greenwing memberships. The duck ID quiz was

very popular with the youth and they loved the

DU bag they won for having 15 correct identifica-

tions. The event was so big that DU National

staff, Ashley Ward, visited to see how DU can

expand our presence next year.

This Reeds’s tent was a busy place with

many trap and other shotguns on display.

The event is like a County Fair.

State Volunteer Recruitment Chair

Scott Christensen mans the booth.


Page 11 Spring 2015

2015 Minnesota Junior Duck Stamp Award Ceremony

State Chair, Brian Ross, talked about the connection between

the Duck Stamp, hunting, conservation, and Ducks Unlimited.

Minnesota Junior Duck Stamp Program coordinator Lynda

Knutsen discusses the program before making the awards.

The Best of Show winning oil painting by Sophie Olund,

(pictured above) captures every detail of a drake Redhead.

The best entries and award winners had their artwork on dis-

play at the Fergus Falls USFWS Prairie Learning Center.

By Gabrielle Small-Bell

One of the things Ducks Unlimited does is pass on the conservation message to young

duck enthusiasts. Children learn how to support wetlands and conservation, and the

many other options to get involved.

The Federal Junior Duck Stamp contest is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program that

kids can participate in to learn about ducks. You can choose which type of duck you

like and paint that type. Kids are always participating in this event, and for many years

there’s been great talent in the contest.

This year the Minnesota Junior Duck Stamp contest had many kids draw and paint the ducks. The

award ceremony was held at the Prairie Wetland Learning Center in Fergus Falls. There was a guest

speaker, Brian Ross, who talked about the support DU gives to the Junior Duck Stamp project. He

talked about what DU does, and how DU helps ducks and their homes.

Ducks Unlimited donates to different places to help the ducks. It helps keep ducks safe and restores

ponds and lakes so the ducks can have better habitats. Also. It helps teach kids and adults about the

wonderful world of waterfowl.

The 2015 Best of Show

artist was Sophie Olund.


Page 12 Spring 2015

Outgoing DU President, George Dunklin, discusses the

success of the DU Varsity program over the last year.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DU NATIONAL CONVENTION

The DU

national

convention was

held in

Milwaukee

from May 27th

through

May 30th.

The Bill Pollack Orchestra dance band had the crowd

hopping Saturday after the Gala Banquet.

The Wisconsin Center was the venue for the convention

meetings and Gala Ball as the Milwaukee highlighted the DU

Event with banners hanging from every street light (left).

DU folks of every age and from every corner of the country

came on stage to launch the Rescue our Wetlands campaign lead

by Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar, Inc. CEO on the right.

Keynote Speaker, Chairman of Microsoft, John Thompson,

enchanted the audience with how he became a duck hunter

and what DU means to him.


Page 13 Spring 2015

The Minnesotans and friends out on “Dinner With

Friends” night at the Café Benelux.

MINNESOTANS AT THE NATIONAL CONVENTION

Nearly 50

Minnesotans

Attended the

National

Convention

Another of the Minnesota tables at the Gala, with (from right)

Ruth Hoefs, Rod and Deb Eisenmenger, Bob Sorenson, Brian

Ross, Karen Sorenson. Dave Flink, Tony Paul, Kyle Thaemlitz,

and Kris Ross in front.

Unimin was honored by DU CEO Dale Hall and President Paul Bonder-

son for their $230,000 pledge to DU’s Initiatives, including two Minne-

sotans, Reid Gronski and TK Kramasz, fourth and fifth from left

MN State Chair Elect, Ruth Hoefs, dances a little two-step

with DU National President Paul Bonderson at the Gala Ball.

One of the Minnesota tables at the Gala, with (from right) Bill

Aldinger, Bob and Rita Sundberg, Karen Killen, Glenn Bean, Jim

Killen, Bob Berg, and Scott Storm.

Carol Demgen showing off

her new tattoo at the Har-

ley Davidson Museum night.


For articles and inserts, please send to Cattails Editor:

Brian Ross

14380 Memorywood Drive Baxter, MN 56425

Phone: 218-825-0996 E-mail:

[email protected]

6101 Kaymar Drive

Edina, MN 55436

Phone: 952-820-8174

Email: [email protected]

The Minnesota contingent the night of the 2015 DU National Convention Gala. Join us in

Anchorage, Alaska next year for great tours, activities, meetings, and people.

Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to

conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Es-

tablished in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres,

thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the conti-

nent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works to-

ward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today,

tomorrow and forever.

MINNESOTA

DUCKSUNLIMITED

You are Ducks Unlimited

ducks.org

Documents

Spring 2015 Official Newsletter of Minnesota Ducks ...Cattails Official Newsletter of Minnesota Ducks Unlimited Spring 2015 Page 3 The Alexandria Sponsor Banquet has always been a