migratory waterfowl hunters, inc. - volume 45 … 09.15.docx · web viewthe sentry is published...

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VOLUME 45 ISSUE 8 SEPTEMBER 2015 Rosi Franke, Editor Tel: 618-396-2509 e-mail: [email protected] John Browning (1855-1926) Legends & Legacies: The 30 Greatest Outdoor Icons By David Cabela, Sporting Classics Daily, August 13, 2015 Thirty outdoor icons for the ages, who have had a profound impact on hunting, fishing, and the environment. MWHI OFFICERS 2015 President Banquet Chairman John Gineris 618-708-8117 (cell) 618-786-2596 (home) Vice-President Mike Arnold 618-786-2300 Treasurer Shane DeSherlia 618-639-0855 (home) 618-946-4520 (cell) [email protected] Membership Secretary “The time and place for a gunmaker just got together on this corner. And I happened along.” The most innovative and prolific gunmaker of all time with 128 gun patents – many still in production. Without his machine guns would the Allies have prevailed in WWII?

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Page 1: Migratory Waterfowl Hunters, Inc. - VOLUME 45 … 09.15.docx · Web viewThe Sentry is published monthly except for December and January by Migratory Waterfowl Hunters, Inc., 2404

VOLUME 45 ISSUE 8 SEPTEMBER 2015Rosi Franke, Editor Tel: 618-396-2509 e-mail: [email protected]

John Browning (1855-1926)

Legends & Legacies: The 30 Greatest Outdoor IconsBy David Cabela, Sporting Classics Daily, August 13, 2015

Thirty outdoor icons for the ages, who have had a profound impact on hunting, fishing, and the environment.

MWHI OFFICERS 2015

PresidentBanquet ChairmanJohn Gineris618-708-8117 (cell)618-786-2596 (home)

Vice-PresidentMike Arnold618-786-2300

TreasurerShane DeSherlia618-639-0855 (home)618-946-4520 (cell)[email protected]

Membership SecretaryMike Devening618-259-6181

Correspondence SecretaryRosi [email protected]

Recording SecretaryCheri Gineris618-786-2596

MWHI DIRECTORS 2015Bob JonesIFOR Board Representative

618-578-9547 (cell)

Chris Tite618-610-3513

Dave GeislerGun Raffle Chairman/Refuge Chairman

“The time and place for a gunmaker just got together on this corner. And I happened along.”

The most innovative and prolific gunmaker of all time with128 gun patents – many still in production. Without his machine guns would the Allies have prevailed in WWII?

His designs changed the firearms industry forever and very possibly the course of history.

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Visit Us at:

www.mwhi.us

618-670-1419

Eric RhuedeIFOR Board Representative618-410-9853

Justin WolfeCarlyle Lake Area Projects Chairman618-377-0397

Don TaulCOE Chairman618-978-8285

Brian Arnold618-535-9979

Ron Ragus618-977-2730

Kevin Dawdy618-444-8711

Bo AdcockArea Projects Chairman618-535-6585

Dennis Millner 618-910-1420

Pat McRae618-444-6793

John Popov (Advisor)Bob Schneider (Advisor)Scott Bryant (Advisor)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

MWHI GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

MEETING at Alton-Wood River

Sportsmen Clubin Godfrey, IL at 7:00 pm

Monday, September 14, 2015MWHI BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

at 2404 E. Broadway, Alton at 6:15 pm

Monday, October 5, 2015MWHI BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

at 2404 E. Broadway, Alton at 6:15 pm

Monday, October 21, 2015MWHI BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

at 2404 E. Broadway, Alton at 6:15 pm

The Sentry is published monthly except for December and January by Migratory Waterfowl Hunters, Inc., 2404 E. Broadway, Alton, IL, 62002. The Sentry deadline is always the second Monday of each month.

Statements and opinions expressed in the Sentry are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of Migratory Waterfowl Hunters, Inc. Officers, Directors, Advisors, Members or the Editor. The appearance of an ad in this newsletter does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of a product or service. We encourage our members to take note of those businesses advertising in our newsletter and shop with them when they are in the market for their product or services.

The Gathering StormFrom the Desk of: Rich Pearson, ISRA Executive Director

Adventure Sports Outdoors, August 2015

The Spring 2015 legislative session has been the most difficult in my memory. I have spoken to some of my colleagues, and we agree that this may have been the most difficult session they too have ever seen. We proposed bills, but couldn’t get them to move. We wrote and rewrote language to no avail. We never gave up, and we will never give up. We did finally get a “cleanup bill” but we should have had more.

I have been watching the national, state and local activities and I don’t like what I see. This is why I have been describing what I think is coming, as “the gathering storm.” What I am referring to is a set of circumstances that may

Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut save you thirty cents?

Peg Bracken

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not only cause us to not make any progress, but also lose ground if we are not prepared. The gathering storm is made up of six elements. Here is a brief explanation of each.

The 2016 Spring legislative session is likely to be open season on Illinois gun owners, in part because it’s an election year. Our issues make for good campaign fodder. We are going to see attempts to roll back concealed carry in the General Assembly. This will not be an outright ban but there will be attempts made to scale back the law, such as expanding the restricted areas where you can carry. Attempts will be made to change “shall issue” to “may issue.” This is the first of the six elements in the gathering storm.

In 2016, there will be general elections. All Illinois State Representatives will be up for election, as well as one third of Illinois State Senators. It is possible that many pro- Second Amendment legislators will lose their seats. This is the second element in the gathering storm. On the national level we have the presidential election. If the wrong person is elected we will have a President intent on denying Second Amendment rights, and therefore we will continue to experience many different sneak attacks on our Second Amendment rights. With the wrong President we will have the battle to try to ban certain bullets, restrict ammunition imports, and on it goes. In addition to the President, all Illinois Congressmen are up for election, along with one Illinois U.S. Senator. We cannot afford to lose ANY of these elections. This is the third element in the gathering storm.

The United Nations (U.N.) has become a menace to gun owners of the United States. The U.N. is working on treaties that would limit imports and exports of firearms, ammunition, and would even infringe on our Second Amendment rights if passed. Every division of the U.N. has a gun control section embedded in it. Treaties, once adopted, become the law of the land. John Kerry recently stated that the United Nations wants something done regarding gun control, referring to the Second Amendment. The ever treacherous United Nations is the fourth element of the gathering storm.

Aside from these four challenges, we are facing a complacent gun owning population. Our ISRA recruiters tell us that gun owners think the battle has been won because of the passing of concealed carry. Passing concealed carry legislation was in some ways only the end of the beginning. Defending and improving that law is a difficult and ongoing effort. Complacency of gun owners makes us an easy mark for the gun grabbers. This is the fifth element in the gathering storm.

Adding to the legislative and political situation, there are several billionaires nationally who are willing to dump millions of dollars against Second Amendment candidates. We have seen this happen in Illinois with the election of Robin Kelly to Congress. We have seen these billionaires, in only a few days, dump hundreds of thousands of dollars into state and local issues. For example, in just two days, billionaires dumped $600,000 dollars in campaign funds against Washington State gun owners. This will happen with the presidential elections as well. The anti-gunners are well organized, well financed, and are media darlings. This is the sixth element in the gathering storm.

We MUST keep these six elements of this Gathering Storm from becoming the PERFECT STORM.The 2016 Spring legislative counter attacks, 2016 state elections, 2016 federal elections, the complacency of Illinois gun owners, the U.N., along with the unlimited funding by anti-gun billionaires will make for a tough road ahead. Now you can see all the elements laid out for you in black and white. In the next few months we have several things to do in order to weather the coming storm.

I need you to join the ISRA and help defeat the Gathering Storm. This fight is not a spectator sport; this is a contact sport. Gun owners who are not committed to help saving the Second Amendment in Illinoismight as well choose the anti-gun side. You are either part of the solution or part of the problem.

Please join the ISRA today and be part of the solution. Call, write or email us! Illinois State Rifle Assn, PO Box 637, Chatsworth, IL 60921 (815) 635-3198, email: [email protected]

California Bans Bobcat Trapping, Despite Evidence

Sportsmen's Alliance 8/6/2015

With a contentious 3-2 vote, the California Fish and Game Commission approved a statewide ban on trapping of bobcats.

The Sportsmen’s Alliance and its Al Taucher Conservation Coalition partners favored following the science amassed by the state and federal governments.

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“Today’s narrow decision by the commission to ban bobcat trapping in California flies in the face of the science made available by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Josh Brones, government affairs coordinator of western operations for the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “For the commission to willfully ignore the departments’ recommendations to not implement the ban, indicates an utter lack of regard for the role and value of science and wildlife professionals in resource policy-making decisions.”

In his presentation, Craig Martz, senior environmental scientist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, provided ample evidence that the bobcat population in California was stable and possibly growing, and as high as 140,000 animals. When the maximum population was estimated to be no more than 72,000 bobcats nearly 30 years ago, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife established a threshold of harvest by hunters and trappers to be 14,400 bobcats. Given the current average annual take of approximately 1,800 bobcats, the department's staff appropriately summarized their presentation by stating that the trapping of bobcats would have absolutely no impact on the population.

In a disappointing turn of events, newly appointed commissioners Sklar and Williams voted against sportsmen and were the deciding factors in the needless statewide ban, with commission president Jack Baylis joining them. Commissioners Kellogg and Hostler-Carmesin voted against the ban.

“We are very disappointed by the willingness of the new commissioners to cave to the irrational and emotional arguments of the animal-rights community by taking such a radical stance on a very complex topic that has been debated for more than year – especially when their knowledge and experience with the subject matter has been confined to this single meeting,” said Brones.

“When they were appointed by Gov. Brown, we had hoped Williams and Sklar would recognize the environmental and economic importance sportsmen serve in wildlife management. At the very least, we hoped they would take a prudent and thoughtful look at the evidence and recommendation of state and federal scientists,” continued Brones. “Apparently, that was too much to hope for in this hotly debated contest. This glaring disregard for credible science will most assuredly be exploited as we pursue our options to reverse this decision.”

IDNR Newsbits -- August 2015

IDNR Update: IDNR staff members who had been based in the former IDNR Regional office in Alton have relocated to a number of IDNR sites in southwest Illinois. For contact information, please call the site office at Pere Marquette State Park at 618-786-3323.

Controlled Pheasant Permits: Information is now available online for hunters to apply for 2015-16 Illinois controlled pheasant hunting opportunities available at 18 IDNR sites.

Fourteen of the sites are operated by the IDNR, while four other sites are managed by concessionaire T. Miller, Inc. For application information,

check the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov or www.tmillerinc.com.

LEGISLATION UPDATEJohn Popov

In the August issue of the American Hunter, Wayne LaPierre lets go with a very good

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article on gun laws. He boils it down to what he and the NRA and all of the rest of us have said for years: "We don't need more gun laws, just enforcement of existing ones."

In big cities, take Chicago for instance, violent crime is out of control, especially gun violence. What does the Chicago mayor and most big city officials do? Blame the gun owners and all organizations, like the NRA.

Many years ago, the NRA worked hard to get 'Project Exile" implemented. Project Exile when implemented was very 'swift and certain and it worked." What has happened? For the past six-and-one-half years our justice department has not done its job protecting the U.S. citizens. They instead work very hard with many in this administration to fault guns and law abiding citizens as the problem, not the criminal element.

Many people may not know it, but literally thousands of 2-level illegal immigrant criminals have been released into our country's communities by the Department of Homeland Security. Is this fair to the American citizen? I don't think so. Don't wait to call your federal congress people or Senators. Do it now! If it is to be, it is up to you and me.

IMPORTANT CONTACTSNRA Update on Gun Bills 1-800-392-8683

Federal Senate Office 1-202-224-3121

Federal House Offices 1-202-225-3121

Illinois State Rifle Association 1-815-635-3198 www.isra.org

Illinois Senate Information 1-217-782-4517

Illinois House Information 1-217-782-8223

Sen. Wm. Sam McCann – 50th District Tel: 217-782-8206 Email: [email protected]

Sen. Kyle McCarter– 54th Districted: 217-782-5755 E-mail: [email protected]

Sen. Chapin Rose – 51st Districted: 217-558-1006

Sen. William R. Haine – 56th DistrictTel:618-465-4764 E-mail: [email protected]

Sen. James F. Clayborne – 57th DistrictTel: 618-875-1212 E-mail: [email protected]

Sen. David Luechtefeld – 58th District Tel: 618-243-9014 E-mail: [email protected]

Sen. Gary Forby - 59th DistrictTel: 217-782-5509

Rep. Dan Beiser – 111th District Tel: 217-782-5996 E-Mail: [email protected]

Rep. Natalie A. Manley – 98th DistrictTel: 217-782-3316

Rep. Adam Brown – 102nd DistrictTel: 217-782-8398Rep. John D. Cavaletto – 107th DistrictTel:618-548-9080 Rep. Dwight Kay – 112 DistrictTel: 618-307-9200Rep. Jay Hoffman – 113th DistrictTel: 217-782-0104Rep. C. D. Davidsmeyer – 100th DistrictTel: 217-243-6221Rep. Mike Bost – 115th DistrictTel: 618-457-5787 [email protected]. Dan Reitz – 116th DistrictTel: 618-443-5757 E-mail: [email protected]. Rodney Davis - 13th District Tel: 202-224-3121Rep. John Shimkus - 15th DistrictTel: 618-344-3065 E-mail: house.gov/shimkusSen. Richard J. Durbin Tel: 202-224-2152 E-mail: [email protected]. Mark KirkTel: 202-224-2854 Email: kirk.senate.

Controversial bill signed into law by Gov. RaunerBy Cory Davenport, Alton Telegraph - July 15th, 2015

SPRINGFIELD —Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed into a law a controversial bill that allows the hunting of bobcats in Illinois.

Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.

E. Burke

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The law takes effect on Jan. 1, and it will allow the hunting and trapping of the animals to occur during a four month period. The bobcat was removed from the protected species list in 1999 after being placed on the list in 1972 due to hunting and habitat destruction decreasing their numbers. A similar bill was vetoed by Pat Quinn in 2014.In a July 14 statement, Wayne Pacelle, the president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States issued a statement condemning the new law.

“We are very disappointed that Governor Rauner chose to ignore the vast majority of his constituents who were strongly opposed to this unnecessary and misguided legislation,” he said. “A statewide poll showed that 75 percent of voters wanted the Governor to veto (House Bill) 352, and his office received thousands of calls urging a veto. To get the bill passed through the legislature, lawmakers relied on absurd and outlandish exaggerations about bobcats — who are shy and elusive creatures that weigh slightly more than an average house cat — and it’s unfortunate that the Governor apparently fell for this fear-mongering.”

In a previous interview with the Telegraph, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) wildlife diversity biologist Bob Bluett said the harvesting of bobcats may prove beneficial for the future of the species in Illinois.

“It’s a proactive approach to keep populations from expanding uncontrollably,” he said. “More importantly, it’s a conservation success story. We’ve done our job by bringing back bobcats, and their numbers are to a point that are able to allow a sustainable harvest.”

Illinois Rep. Dan Beiser (D-Alton) also agreed with the law. In a previous interview, Beiser cited the “destructive nature” of bobcats as the reason he voted for the legislation.

“The IDNR said the population has grown tremendously, especially in Southern Illinois,” he said. “They are a predatory species wiping out the pheasant populations and having a detrimental effect.”Special permits have been granted to individuals in the past to allow the killing of bobcats that have proved to be a nuisance.

Bobcat hunters as well as bobcat advocates will have a while to wait before the full details are available. According to Bluett, once the bill is passed into law, the IDNR must adopt an administrative rule that details how to pay for permits and what the requirements are for registering catches. Those proposals will then be sent to the Fish and Wildlife Service who will determine if harvesting bobcats will be detrimental to their species.

IDNR Announces Wildlife Violations Involving Illegal Deer HuntingIDNR Press Release 8/10/2015

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Office of Law Enforcement has announced court action in three separate wildlife cases in Calhoun County, Illinois. Two cases were a result of joint efforts with the Illinois Conservation Police and wildlife officers in multiple states.

After a six-month investigation in multiple Illinois counties and eight other states, Weldon “Jesse” Bean of Bourbonnais, Illinois was charged with outfitting without a license and outfitting while wildlife privileges are revoked. Wildlife officers from Ohio, Michigan, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Michigan and Arkansas assisted with the investigation. Bean’s hunting privileges were revoked after an arrest in a 2011 Unlawful Taking of White-tailed Deer case in Kankakee County.

In an unrelated case, Illinois charges were filed against Joe Slye of Cartersville, Georgia for providing outfitter services without a license, the unlawful take of an antlered deer without an either-sex deer permit, the unlawful possession of a white-tailed deer, and failure to report harvest. The investigation was centered on Slye, owner of 8up With It Outdoors, and his associates taking antlered deer in Illinois while only in possession of non-resident antlerless-only deer permits. Officers with the Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division assisted with the investigation. One buck was seized from Slye and two other bucks were seized from Slye’s associates. Additional charges against the associates are pending. In a third case, Michael Tomlanovich of Wood River, Illinois pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors following a 2014 investigation into illegally obtained landowner deer permits and the unlawful taking of white-tailed deer. His total fines and court costs were $7,232. The investigation was centered on Tomlanovich fraudulently applying for resident landowner deer permits for several non-hunting members of his family. A total of 21 white-tailed bucks were seized from Tomlanovich and his hunting associate, David Cox of Roxana, Illinois. The case against Cox is still pending.

Amendments to MWHI By-Laws

Submitted at August 2015 Board of Directors Meeting

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ARTICLE 4 - MEMBERSHIP1. Anyone interested in migratory waterfowl hunting with a minimum experience of one season of migratory waterfowl hunting in Illinois may become a member of this organization by payment of the annual dues.Amended to: 1. Anyone interested in migratory waterfowl hunting may become a member of this organization by payment of the annual dues.

B. Life membership is available to any member in good standing over 16 years of age, subject to review by Board of Directors, who has a minimum experience of one year migratory waterfowl hunting in Illinois,Amended to:B. Life membership is available to any member in good standing over 16 years of age, subject to review by Board of Directors.

Deleted:C. Funds received for Life Memberships will be placed in an annuity or other investment type program approved by the Board of Directors for a period of at least 10 years. These funds may be utilized by the organization prior to completion of the initial 10 year period only by unanimous approval of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE 5 - OFFICERS

Qualifications. To qualify for an office, a person must be a charter member in good standing or a regular member in good standing for a period of two (2) consecutive years. To qualify for a directorship, a person must be a charter member or a regular member in good standing for a period of one (1) year. These qualifications must be met at all times while a person holds such office.Amended to:Qualifications. To qualify for an office, a person must be a charter member in good standing or a regular member in good standing. To qualify for a directorship, a person must be a charter member or a regular member in good standing. These qualifications must be met at all times while a person holds such office.

ARTICLE 7 - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Reverted to:2. The Board of Directors shall be composed of the elected officers, plus ten (10) directors. Five (5) directors shall be elected every year at the annual meeting to serve for a two (2) year term with the following exception. in the event of a retiring President, the retiring President will automatically serve as a director for a one (1) year term, therefore, making eleven (11) directors.

ARTICLE 8 - DUTIES

3. Regular Meetings. The Board of Directors shall hold a regular monthly meeting from January to October. Time and place of such meetings to be determined by the President. Due notice of these meetings shall be given by the President via the mailing of a meeting agenda to each Board member and officer. Amended to:3. Regular Meetings. The Board of Directors shall hold a regular monthly meeting from January to October. Time and place of such meetings to be determined by the President. Due notice of these meetings shall be given.

4. Special Meetings. Due notice being given, the President or any three (3) members of the Board of Directors may call a special meeting of the Board of Directors for any time and at any place he/she or they may designate whenever he/she or they deem it necessary for the consideration of urgent matters requiring the immediate attention of the Board. Due notice of special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be deemed given by placing in the mails, postage prepaid to the last known post office address of each member, notice thereof in writing at least six (6) days prior to such meeting or phoned twenty-four (24) hours prior to such meeting.Amended to:4. Special Meetings. Due notice being given, the President or any three (3) members of the Board of Directors may call a special meeting of the Board of Directors for any time and at any place he/she or they may designate

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whenever he/she or they deem it necessary for the consideration of urgent matters requiring the immediate attention of the Board. Due notice of special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be deemed given by phoning twenty-four (24) hours prior to such meeting.

ARTICLE 9 - MEETINGS

2. General membership meetings shall be held during the months of February, April, June, August and October of each year. General meeting times and dates to be determined by the President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, with due notice being given by a letter or with special notice in the Sentry, no later than one month in advance of the meeting date.Amended to:2. General membership meetings shall be held during the months of February, May, August and October of each year. General meeting times and dates to be determined by the President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, with due notice being given by a letter or with special notice in the Sentry, no later than one month in advance of the meeting date.

Deleted: 3. Quorum. Presence of one tenth (1/10) of the membership in good standing shall constitute a quorum at all meetings.

4. Voting. The majority of the members present and voting, in the presence of a quorum, at all meetings, unless otherwise specified in these By-Laws, shall decide its action.Amended to:3. Voting. The majority of the members in good standing present and voting, unless otherwise specified in these By-Laws, shall decide its action.

ARTICLE 10 - ORGANIZATION

Deleted:3. Sergeant of Arms. A member of the Board of Directors, appointed by the President shall be responsible for maintaining order and discipline at all meetings of the corporation. The Sergeant of Arms has the full support of the corporation.

3. Discipline. Any member charged with being out of order by the President for the third time in any one meeting may be ejected from the meeting by the Sergeant of Arms and shall be referred to the Board of Directors for appropriate action.Amended to:3. Discipline. Any member charged with being out of order by the President for the third time in any one meeting may be ejected from the meeting and shall be referred to the Board of Directors for appropriate action.

Deleted:A. No alcoholic beverages are to be consumed during the actual meeting of the corporation.

Amended all references to "he" "his" to "he/she" "his/her"

If you want a symbolic gesture, don't burn the flag, wash it.Norman Thomas

Legends & Legacies: The 30 Greatest Outdoor Icons [Excerpts]Sporting Classics Daily, By David Cabela Aug 13, 2015

Thirty outdoor icons for the ages, who have had a profound impact on hunting, fishing, and the environment.

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Ernest Hemingway with a marlin

Conservation & Stewardship

George Bird Grinnell (1849-1938) “The conquering of difficulties is one of the chief joys of life.”If there is a father of the hunter-conservationist, then his name is George Bird Grinnell. His words, in private, in public, and on paper called for sportsmen to spearhead the greatest conservation movement in world history.

Key Pittman (1872-1940) and A. Willis Robertson (1887-1971) At the urging of sportsmen, Congress passed the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 and created an excise tax on certain sporting goods to be distributed to state fish and game departments for wildlife restoration. Today, in combination with the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (excise tax on sportfishing equipment), the legislation has apportioned more than $12.9 billion back to the states.

Jay “Ding” Darling (1876-1962) “How rich will we be when we have converted all our forests, all our soil, all our water resources and minerals into cash?”“Ding” Darling’s political cartoons brought awareness and spurred national debate on conservation issues, and his passion led directly to millions of acres of preserved habitat.

Herbert Stoddard (1889-1970) “Land management is an art that builds on history and is based in science.”A pioneer in land and wildlife management based on scientific study, Herbert Stoddard’s ideas on the conservation of bobwhite quail and, more importantly, to the forests in which they live, laid the foundation for our approach to habitat management today, including the ecological role of fire and selective-cut forest management. His first book The Bobwhite Quail: Its Habits, Preservation, and Increase, is considered “The Quail Bible.”

Sigurd Olson (1899-1982) “To countless thousands, wilderness has become a spiritual necessity.”Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Voyagers National Park, Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, California’s Point Reyes National Seashore and the Wilderness Act of 1964 defining wilderness and creating the National Wilderness Preservation System can all be traced back to Sigurd Olson’s efforts. The plain and lyrical prose in his nine books continues to inspire any outdoor enthusiast lucky enough to discover them.

Lee (1905-1991) and Joan Wulff (1926) “A game fish is too valuable to be caught only once.”Innovators. Teachers. The definition of sportsmen. Lee and Joan Wulff, the parents of catch-and-release fishing, did more to create a sustained interest in fly fishing than anyone before or since. Their influence changed the way many anglers perceive a successful day on the water.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) “The conservation of our natural resources and their proper use constitute the fundamental problem which underlies almost every other problem of our national life.”It took someone connected to the rhythms and ways of wild creatures and places to understand they had greater value than mere exploitation and to realize the need to conserve them for future generations. President Roosevelt brought forth the idea of conservation when America was on the verge of losing more than its animals and forests – it was on the verge of losing its soul. He set aside millions of acres, thus insuring our ability to taste the true freedom of wild places.

Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) “There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.”The pioneer in wildlife management, Aldo Leopold’s intimate connection with wildlife and wild places through hunting fueled his lifelong quest to discover the conservation practices he hoped would one day lead to a time when, in his own words, “…we may begin to use it (the land) with love and respect.”

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2015-2016 MWHI Gun Raffle WinnersOne Winner Every Month - Ticket Drawn on First of Every Month - Beginning April, 2015

Subject to availability at Draw Date - Pick-up at Outrageous Outdoors, Jerseyville

April 2015 Gun - S&W S&P Shield 9mm - Ray GalloMay 2015 Gun - Tristar 12 ga O/U - Matt Popov June 2015 Gun - Henry 22 lever action - Brad (Brownstown)July 2015 Gun - Ruger 10-22 - Donals S. Griesemer

Support Your Club - Sign Up a New Member Today!