Subject: Duck Stamps
Date: Jun 30 19:13:12 2003
From: MaryK - CelloBird at seanet.com


....go on sale tomorrow. Just a reminder.

I've been buying duck stamps for the past several years, thinking that it's
nice to be able to flash a pretty, pre-purchased stamp and not have to deal
w/paying fees at NWRs. Kind of a voluntary taxation thing, I guess.

Have also been thinking about joining orgs such as Ducks Unlimited, Ruffed
Grouse Society, etc., because of the good conservation work they do. But
you know, somehow it just goes against my grain/philosophical makeup to
join/contribute to organizations that conserve waterfowl (or any other kind
of bird, for that matter) in order to keep their populations up so they can
go out and shoot them. Am not trying to stir up any sort of hunting debate,
mind you. It just seems weird. If any of you are members of such
organizations, I'd love to hear from you re how you reconciled what seem to
be the orgs' oxymoronic missions and being a birder. Maybe there's
something I haven't considered, ya know? Or, are there any other
bird-related conservation orgs that you support that don't have
hunting/hunters behind them? It's nice to be able to throw $$ at those
folks every so often.

Good birding,
Mary

Mary Klein
Seattle WA
CelloBird at seanet.com