Teddy Roosevelt may have established the first
National Wildlife Refuge, but the real genius behind
today's wildlife refuge system was Roosevelt's friend
and another Republican hunter, Ding Darling of Sioux
City, Iowa. He pushed through the Duck Stamp idea to
fund the refuges in 1934.

I've never been a hunter but I still thank them for
providing nearly all the funding for establishing the
refuge system we have today, Federal and state.

In contrast to the hunters who have backed their talk
with real money, the birding community has been all
talk. As an economist and escaped Fed. I've learned to
watch the money and forget the talk.

I loved that story about the Gyrfalcon and would love
to read more.



Richard Carlson
Full-time Birder, Biker and Rotarian
Part-time Economist
Tucson, AZ, Lake Tahoe, CA, & Kirkland, WA
rccarl at pacbell.net
Tucson 520-760-4935
Tahoe 530-581-0624
Kirkland 425-828-3819
Cell 650-280-2965