Page 16 - Waterfowl

Preface
Waterfowl conservation in Missouri represents unique relationships among the birds, their habitats, and people. The people side of this relationship is founded upon strong citizen support for natural resource conservation and a willingness to provide the funding necessary to carry out this mandate. This commitment has paved the way for Missouri’s professional wildlife managers to play leadership roles in developing and implementing the building blocks of waterfowl science and wetland conservation in Missouri and, indeed, across North America.
Missouri citizens and professional managers place high value on waterfowl. Both groups are driven by unparalleled passion and mutual respect for the role each person plays in ensuring sustainability of waterfowl and their habitats. If any part of this formula is lacking, the strong public-private partnerships would deteriorate and wetlands and waterfowl in Missouri would suffer.
Much of the history of wetlands and waterfowl management in Missouri has been recorded in popular articles and scientific papers. Even more of this story is in obscure onionskin memos, unpublished reports, meeting minutes, and personal hunting records. Much of the historic record, although somewhat less reliable and open to embellishment, rests with an aging cohort of waterfowl hunters and wetland managers who knew and worked with Missouri’s pioneers who set the stage for the progressive programs in place today. The authors of this book, all avid waterfowl hunters, represent professional waterfowl managers and citizen conservation leaders.
Waterfowl managers across North America are familiar with the evolution of waterfowl and wetland conservation in the state, and they have tagged it with the moniker, the Missouri Model. The story of the Missouri Model is captured in this book. It serves as a tribute to the foresight and commitment of those who, nearly seven decades ago, envisioned a future condition for waterfowl much improved over what existed at that time or that appeared on the horizon. While waterfowl hunting, harvest, decoys, boats, art, dogs, and duck calls are featured, the real substance of this book involves the people who shaped waterfowl conservation heritage in Missouri. Landowners, wetland managers on public
and private lands, waterfowl researchers, decision makers who made or influenced policies affecting wetlands, and citizen conservationists are acknowledged. Many are mentioned individually, and their specific contributions are indicated. It is important to note, however, that others who significantly influenced Missouri’s waterfowling heritage are missing
from this narrative. They are the readers of this book, pausing to remember the dedicated waterfowl conservationists, whether captured in these chapters or in their memories, who truly complete the record of the Missouri Model.
The annual life cycle of waterfowl varies in each of the four seasons, but that may not be true for waterfowl hunters. In his book Duck Fever author Jeff Churan noted, “There are only two seasons – duck season and getting ready for duck season. One is too short and the other is too long.”1 Each fall, Missouri waterfowl hunters are reminded how weather affects habitat conditions, patterns of migration, and hunting success. They keep close tabs on cold fronts, reports from states to the north, and nowadays, social media buzz that might provide intel about tomorrow or next week. In the same vein, this book looks to the formative events that shaped the Missouri Model, the conditions that waterfowl enthusiasts enjoy today, and future challenges.
You should’ve been here yesterday. Most waterfowl hunters have, at one time or another, heard this refrain. Living vicariously through experiences of other hunters is a joy only waterfowlers fully understand, but it will never equal being there. Today’s waterfowl hunters have a responsibility to put themselves in the shoes of those who doggedly pushed for early
14 Waterfowl Hunting and Wetland Conservation in Missouri