Bob Spoerl

What an incredible night in Little Rock last week, celebrating George and Livia Dunklin and their lifelong commitment to wetlands and waterfowl conservation. More than 300 guests joined us, including many DU Board members and Wetlands America Trust trustees, to honor a true champion for our mission. We were also glad to have Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and her husband, Brian, with us for the celebration. A major highlight: Johnny Morris and his son, JP, surprised the room with a $100,000 check, part of their amazing $1 million commitment to Greentree Reservoir conservation. Their support will help restore and protect critical public‑land waterfowl habitat for generations to come. From the stories shared to the gratitude in the room, the evening was a powerful reminder of the impact one person—and one family—can have on people, wildlife, and the places we love. Huge thanks to everyone who made the night so special. Conservation’s future is stronger because of leaders like my friend, George.

I want to send my deep appreciation to the Charleston DU Committee for another outstanding SEWE, Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, in Charleston, SC, this month. The event saw overflowing crowds, perfect weather, and great booth sales. If you've never been there, put it on your plans for next year. Ducks Unlimited is well represented, and you won't be disappointed! Especially the Oyster Roast, which is the largest DU event in the country, with over 1,500 in attendance! Thanks again to the volunteers and staff who put on a great weekend of events.

Little did I know when I attended the Easton Waterfowl Exposition last November that it would be the last time I saw my friend, Chip Heaps. I had the honor of presenting Chip and Patty with their Benefactors Roll of Honor plaque at one of our President's Council events. Also in the picture are Jake McPhearson, Managing Director of Region 6, and Chad Manlove, National Director of Development. Chip was an awesome employee; he worked as a Regional Director and then as a Director of Development for a total of over 30 years with Ducks Unlimited. Upon retirement, Chip was still working for the ducks, but as a volunteer this time. Thank you for your dedication to the mission, your commitment to your work, and for being a friend to so many. I'm blessed to have known you and will always hold a special place for you in my DU memories. God Bless, Patty and your family. Chip has truly left this conservation world a better place than when he found it.

The latter part of January found me along the North Platte River in the Scottsbluff, Nebraska area, attending a dedication to one of DU's most dedicated conservationists and philanthropists, Bruce Lauritzen. Bruce was a long-standing DU member and served on the board and as a trustee for the Wetland America Trust. Through his generous philanthropic support over many years, Bruce and the Lauritzen family helped advance DU's conservation mission across the Prairie Pothole Region as well as the North Platte River Basin—two critical landscapes for North America's waterfowl populations, wildlife, and people. Several family members, including his son, Clark, as well as many supporters and DU Staff, were on hand to celebrate Bruce's legacy to conservation. Clark greeted the crowd to celebrate his Dad's love of family, conservation, waterfowl, and DU. It was a wonderful tribute to a giant in the conservation world, and I was so proud to support such a man for such a great landscape. Bruce, you certainly left this place better than you found it. Thank you!

As the season of giving surrounds us, it's not hard to think of all the giving that you, the DU volunteer, have given in the name of conservation for nearly ninety years. There is no doubt in my mind that this organization wouldn't be where it is today, working toward conserving and protecting over a million acres annually now, if it weren't for your dedication, passion, and philanthropy. As you gather with family and friends this holiday season, please take a moment to reflect on and thank yourselves for the wonderful impact you have had on waterfowl and conservation. While many of us didn't have full hangers after each hunt this season, there's no doubt in my mind that the bag limits, not to mention the length of the season, would have been much less if it weren't for the work we do for Ducks Unlimited. As we close out 2025 and prepare to start a new year, please accept my thanks and gratitude for your ongoing efforts in making this the best conservation organization, led by the best volunteers and managed by the best staff in the world. You've already made this a better landscape than you found it, let's keep that momentum going into the next year as we close in on the completion of the largest conservation campaign ever held—over $3 billion! Merry Christmas and to one heck of a New Year!

Unique opportunities don't come around that often, so when I was offered the chance to hunt with the winning bidders of the national convention auction hunt with Bo Whoop, I jumped at the chance! Winning bidders, Tammi and Ed Kircher of Keokuk, Iowa, along with me, Dan Thiel, Executive Secretary for DU, and our host of the hunting grounds, Ronal Roberson. Bo Whoop is the famed Fox double-barreled shotgun owned by famed Nash Buckingham, one of the best outdoor writers in America. Bo Whoop went missing in 1948 and was ultimately found, then turned over to Ducks Unlimited. (For the complete story of what happened to Bo Whoop, visit this article: gardenandgun.com/feature/the-le… Both Tammi and Ed took turns pulling up Bo Whoop on Mallards and Wood Ducks, and listening to the 12-gauge discharge into a "bo whoop...." was magical. The roar of the gun. The smell of gunpowder. The splash of the ducks hitting the water all brought visions of yesteryear. It was great to be part of it. To help preserve the memory of Bo Whoop, Wetlands America Trust Chairman Steve Maritz commissioned Connecticut Firearms to create a duplicate "Bo Whoop" for others to experience the feel of the old Fox without placing undue stress on the original. With the exception of having a safety installed on the replica, one can hardly tell them apart! Thank you, Steve, for your generosity in providing this replica so that so many more can have that opportunity to feel that double barrel in their hand.

Winter has settled in Wisconsin, but that didn't stop the DU Conservation staff from getting together to strategize for the upcoming year, as well as enjoy a bit of ice fishing. The GLARO Directors of Conservation Programs that participated included Brian Glenzinski (WI), Brandy Neveldine (NY), and Casey Bergthold (MO). Casey provided some great ribeyes from his beef herd, and yours truly did the grilling and did the fixings for a great meal, served at the famed Ne Pee Nauk Duck Club in Central Wisconsin. The ice was thick enough, so the gang took advantage of the warming temps and managed to catch a few bass. Thanks again to the staff for your dedication and passion to put record acres on the landscape.

This is a busy time of the year for the RDs as they bring their DU Committees together for a year in review and a chance to say "thanks" to all of the great volunteers. I attended my regional year-end gathering at the Bayside Supper Club in Beaver Dam, WI. With a great turnout, RD Benny Magalski went over the new guidelines for the upcoming event year. Along with many attendees, I had the honor of recognizing three long-serving volunteers—all with over fifty years of service! To give proper recognition, I presented each with the President's Proclamation honoring them for their fifty years of volunteering for Ducks Unlimited. The three recipients included Dave Kuen, Bob Foster, and Bill Lange, Jr., along with last year's recipient, Don Jago. Also present were State Chairman Bob Hornby and Senior Flyway VP Jeff Maletzke. Thanks to everyone who made the night so special, and congratulations to our senior volunteers!

Ducks Unlimited CEO @AdamPutnam recently joined the Cox Conserves Conservation Panel to discuss the impact of the @CoxEnterprises $100M investment in the prairies. This isn't just about dollars. It's about transforming critical prairie habitat that serves as a lush and productive ecosystem of wetlands and grasslands, and a critical breeding ground for millions of ducks and geese. When conservation meets this level of commitment, real change happens, and we are thankful to our partnership with CEI and the James M. Cox Foundation. @DUConserve #CoxConservesHeroes #Sustainability #ChooseYourHero

Well, after attending two of the Top Ten events for 2025 last week in the upper Midwest, it was time to head to the desert—southwest Arizona! Since I was attending the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) in Tucson this week, I thought I'd go down a little early to attend two events in the Phoenix area. Friday night, I attended the East Valley Dinner event in Mesa, which had nearly 100 attendees. It was pretty darn good for a state that is run with fewer than 100 DU volunteers! I had a great time and saw great energy and passion among those who attended. The next day, many of those same attendees attended the annual Volunteer Appreciation & Awards Day held in Scottsdale, which had its largest turnout ever! This is their state recognition event, and many awards were given out to state chapters, with representatives from all chapters in attendance! Awards included presenting State Chair Eddie Garcia the Gold Cup, recognizing AZ for being up in all event categories for 2025! Congratulations, Team AZ. Also, recognized were past AZ State Chairs, pictured with me. Jan Young, Regional Vice President for Region 1, was also on hand to receive her Excellence in Policy work award. Matt Little, Policy Director for Region 1, and Andrew Limmer, Regional Director for AZ, presented Jan with her award.  Thanks, AZ, for all you do for the ducks, and congratulations on your record income year!

As all of you are aware, Ducks Unlimited does events like no other; in fact, over 4000 events a year, which is incredible. What's even more incredible is having two of our Top Ten events in back-to-back days! I was honored to attend the #6 fundraising event in 2025 in Marsh Lake, MN, this past week. This event, attended by fewer than 30 major donors, has had such a huge impact over the past fifty years, raising literally millions of dollars for the ducks! The event has been held annually at the Marsh Lake Sportsman's Club and includes a duck/pheasant shoot and a great wild game feed.  Thanks to Co-Chair Tim Foster for your years of organizing this event. The next night, I traveled to Lake Forest, IL, to the Onwentsia Club, home for the past several years to the #1 event for several years running! Again, roughly 100 major donors come out for this formal event, supporting conservation with their philanthropy like no other chapter in the country! Thank you to Chapter Area Chair Spencer Bleecker for running such a successful event. By the looks of the activity that evening, you may just hold on to your top spot for another year! Good luck!

Ducks Unlimited, along with several other conservation NGOs, came together with the Wisconsin Sportsmen's Caucus to lobby several Assembly Representatives and Staff on the urgency of reauthorizing Knowles-Nelson before it expires. Several lawmakers and staff members shot a shotgun for the first time and enjoyed the experience. My team included Representative Treig Pronschinske, who serves the 29th Assembly district and is also the Co-Chair of the Sportsmen's Caucus. Other team members were staffer Faith Alpaugh from the 28th Assembly District and Bruce Ross, former Executive Director of the WI Waterfowl Association. The lawmakers heard loud and clear the need to save KNS and became our champions to carry on the message to their fellow Members.

I was fortunate enough to be in town to attend a DU project dedication only 60 miles from home this past weekend. The dedication was at the Grand River Marsh and involved the completion of restoring 100 acres of waterfowl nesting and resting habitat. This was the completion of phase 2, with phase 1 being completed in 2022. Both restorations involved plugging ditches that were still draining the marsh and putting in new scrapes. On hand to attend the dedication were numerous volunteers, major donors, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and several DU staff. Thanks to all of our supporters who supported this project.

It's been a busy past several days in the "north"! After attending the Wetlands America's Trust meeting in Yellowknife, NWT, Adam, Karen, and I went on to Anchorage, AK, to attend the Alaska Oil and Gas Association conference this week. Ducks Unlimited is undertaking a five-year initiative called the Alaska Initiative - Born to Fly to bring attention to Alaska's Level 1 Priority Areas. We'll take what we learned in Canada's Western Boreal Forests, working with Native Communities, corporations, and government agencies to help produce conservation outcomes that will be beneficial to people, waterfowl, and numerous other species that depend on wetlands. This conference gave DU staff and volunteers great exposure to numerous corporations, indigenous leaders, and government agencies. Numerous industry speakers addressed the attendees, along with our CEO, Adam Putnam. One of the numerous sponsors of the event was Alaska Airlines, which offered up its hangar to kick off the conference. Pictured with Karen, Adam, and me holding a Charles Jobes decoy is Scott Habberstad, Alaska Airlines' managing director. It was a great conference that gave us confidence that DU will continue its great Western Boreal work into the Last Frontier—Alaska!

We all know that Ducks Unlimited works across the states and the prairie provinces of Canada, but what is equally important, especially when the prairies are dry, is that ducks rely on the boreal. The North American Boreal Forest spans Alaska to Newfoundland, covering more than 1.5 billion acres. Learning more about its importance, the Wetlands America's Trust held its summer board meeting deep in the boreal in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, this past week. Trustees from across the country flew in to meet with one of many DU's First Nations' partners, the Dene. Through many indigenous partnerships, nearly 1 billion acres of habitat have been conserved. Partnerships were strengthened, knowledge was gained, and we even had time to do a little fishing. DUC's President, Patrick O'Connor, was a guest at our meeting, sharing the boat with yours truly for some lake trout fishing. Aside from several species of ducks observed, the northern lights also appeared several evenings. Truly a gem worth protecting.

Hello, Team DU! Dr. Karen Waldrop, Chief Conservation Officer, and I attended the 9th Annual Conservation Celebration at Uline Corporate Headquarters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Uline for being great hosts and for supporting Ducks Unlimited for decades! Dr. Waldrop provided insight into completed conservation projects to over 300 attendees, detailing DU's efforts in the Badger State. The Uline event is always one of the top two events in Wisconsin. Thanks to all attendees and supporters of Wisconsin, including past State Chair Chad Navis, for chairing the event.

DUX Moments | Volunteers: They showed up early, stayed late, and brought the energy every step of the way.    A huge thank you to our incredible volunteers and the entire DUX Committee for their tireless work, dedication, and passion. You are the heart and soul of Ducks Unlimited, and your efforts made this year’s expo a true success.   From setup to teardown—and everything in between—DUX wouldn’t be possible without you. THANK YOU!

Last night, I was excited to be in Washington, D.C., to attend a reception celebrating the signing of the President’s Make America Beautiful Again executive order. Ducks Unlimited will support a new commission chaired by @SecretaryBurgum tasked with guiding the United States’ conservation and environmental policy agenda. We’re looking forward to working alongside some great partners to prioritize waterfowl habitat and the sportsmen community! Thanks to our partners at @NFWFnews for hosting a great evening!

My home state of Wisconsin was well represented at Third Term with the state universities taking two golds, one silver, and one bronze. Here in the pic are UW-Stevens Point (Gold-my alma mater!), UW-Whitewater (Silver), and UW-Stout (Bronze). Congrats to UW-Madison for taking the gold as well. You missed a great time, Madison!