Winter is upon us.  Hunting seasons are winding down and as the places we love to wander are resting under a blanket of snow we join with family and friends to celebrate the holidays.  For many of us this is a time of reflection on the year that has passed, to consider our successes and where we go from here.

All the volunteers throughout the State that make up Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited have many successes to reflect upon.  The 75^th anniversary celebration of Ducks Unlimited, the world’s leading conservation organization, is winding down.  During those 75 years a small group of concerned sportsmen with an idea has evolved into a multinational organization dedicated to conserving habitat.  Ducks Unlimited uses real science to guide its conservation efforts.  Utilizing the best biologists and wildlife management specialists there are, Ducks Unlimited leads the way on implementing solid strategies that further the goal of filling the skies with waterfowl.  In Wisconsin that has translated into the conservation of well over 100,000 acres of habitat.  However, all of us involved in Ducks Unlimited understand that those 100,000 acres would mean nothing to a migratory species without the further 12 million acres conserved by Ducks Unlimited throughout North America.  Wisconsin grassroots volunteers had a major hand in funding all of those acres.

I, like many of you had mixed success this past waterfowl season.  The mild weather allowed the birds to hold in the prairie pothole region and make a leisurely migration.  However, without the habitat provided in that region by Ducks Unlimited and its partners there wouldn’t have been sufficient feed to ensure the birds survival.  What we ended up with this year are healthy birds arriving at their wintering grounds which should greatly benefit the spring migration and brood success for 2013.

Now is the time to look to the future.  As we say goodbye to 2012 it is time to reflect, celebrate, and plan for the challenges of 2013 and beyond.  Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited is holding its State Convention January 24 - 26, 2013 in Green Bay.  I urge you all to join the celebration and begin the quest for success for the next 75 years.  

Jim Gronowski
Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited
State Chairman