Ducks Unlimited works hard for Georgia waterfowl

17,322 Ducks Unlimited members in Georgia

1.36 million Conservation dollars raised by DU local chapters in Georgia in 2014

The general waterfowl hunting season opened throughout Georgia this weekend. This year’s season dates are Nov. 21-29 for the first session, with the second portion running from Dec. 12-Jan. 31.

Duck and goose hunters are passionate shooters, ready to brave bitterly cold weather in search of their favored quarry. That kind of condition is a prerequisite for good duck and goose hunting.

The cold weather prompts those birds to migrate south, bringing them down their migration routes from the north to relatively warmer climes.

Georgia is skirted to the east by the Atlantic flyway along the coast and is far from the Mississippi flyway to the west. That makes hunting here much more dependent on homegrown wood ducks and mallards.

Georgia Ducks Unlimited, with a membership composed 90 percent of hunters, has invested money and man-hours in making sure those ducks have places to nest and feed in the state. The volunteer organization has spent more than $2.1 million on in-state projects that conserved 22,952 acres of wetlands in 42 locations around Georgia.

Georgia DU partners with agencies such as the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for matching-fund projects to enhance the benefits from the money raised and spent. They also have worked with corporate partner Georgia Power Company to enhance more than 225 acres of wetlands on Rum Creek, Blanton Creek and Oconee Wildlife Management Areas.

While 90 percent of the acreage is open to hunting, the tracts also benefit many non-game birds and animals.

The money for these projects is raised by local chapters of DU through annual fundraising banquets. At least 80 percent of each dollar raised is funneled into local on-the-ground conservation projects.

Duck hunting regulations are available at georgiawildlife.com/hunting/waterfowl. For information on Ducks Unlimited visit duck.org/georgia.