2020 Annual Report

PHOTO: WAYNE TILCOCK PHOTO: WAYNE California Waterfowl 2020 Annual Report California Waterfowl 2020 Annual Report | 1 2019-20 WHAT Program highlights 9,422 acres WE DO Wetland, riparian and breeding-habitat work completed in California in 2019; of that, 6,686 acres (71%) were public land. WATERFOWL • Banding waterfowl for research 8,522 ducks and geese • Rescuing imperiled wild duck nests Banded by CWA biologists and partners in 2019. • Helping give duck nests in California farm fields more time to hatch 41,540 wood ducks • Providing nest boxes for wood ducks Hatched from nest boxes in the California Wood Duck Program in 2019. • Engaging volunteers in hands-on work 2,283 duck eggs WETLANDS Rescued from wildlife-friendly farmers’ fields in 2020 – then incubated, hatched, reared and released – through the Egg Salvage Program. This was a new record! • Restoring and renewing wintering habitat • Adding breeding habitat 1,645 acres of wheat and triticale • Managing CWA-owned wetlands Enrolled in CWA’s new Delayed Wheat Harvest Incentive Program in 2020, • Grant-writing assistance for duck clubs giving wild duck nests more time to hatch before harvest. HUNTING 13,400 students Learned about wetlands and the role hunters play in conservation through field • Private-land hunts for trips, presentations and hands-on projects. the public • Hunting on CWA properties 210 youth, 200 women and 500 veterans • Veteran hunting & fishing trips Enjoyed CWA camps, mentored hunts and guided hunts in 2019-20. • Guided youth hunts • Women’s hunting & fishing opportunities 2,727 hunters Enjoyed private-land hunts in 2019 with CWA’s Hunt Program. That’s a medi- EDUCATION um-sized refuge worth of hunting opportunity! • Teaching conservation in public schools 5 CWA-supported bills • Leading school field trips to wetlands Passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor in 2019. • Junior Duck Stamp Program • Providing augmented hunter education $2 million • Operating mentored hunts for novices Raised at 80 grassroots events in 2019 thanks to 1,500 volunteers. ADVOCACY 5 companies • Defending hunting and Proudly supported our work as CWA Corporate partners in 2019-20: Banded, hunters’ gun rights Benelli, Federal Premium Ammunition, Jack Daniel’s and SportDOG® Brand. • Calling for optimal hunting regulations • Fighting for water for managed wetlands 21,000 people • Sponsoring conservation-friendly bills Graced our membership rolls – thanks for your support! Detailed highlights are at calwaterfowl.org/annual-report 2 | California Waterfowl 2020 Annual Report THE FIGHT FOR LOWER KLAMATH ou wouldn’t know it from this photo, but the Lower Klamath shrinking state mallard breeding population, intensified botulism YNational Wildlife Refuge was once the Pacific Flyway’s outbreaks – 2020’s is the worst anyone can remember – and di- Grand Central Station – a year-round hub of waterfowl activity. minished body condition for birds that do survive. Tens of thousands of ducks raised broods here each spring and Saving Lower Klamath is CWA’s top priority. summer. Even more – particularly mallards that breed in the Cen- The problem is exceedingly complicated, tied up in matters of tral Valley – chose this vast wetland as their safe haven during their water rights, the Endangered Species Act and, in annual molt, which leaves them flightless for up to 60 days. years like this, poor rainfall. But with the Staging (high food needs) Hundreds of thousands of migrants that breed and molt up support of our passionate members, Molting north, including pintail, used this as their staging area on their our allies in the Klamath Basin (ightless) 15 journeys south each fall, and back north each spring. farming community and a new Breeding & raising broods Those numbers, though, are cratering as Lower Klamath’s water high-powered Lower Klamath supply is strangled, increasingly diverted down the Klamath River Refuge Task Force, we can 10 or held in Upper Klamath Lake to try to help three fish species in build on a series of small- Historic (1960s-90s) danger of extinction – so far in vain. er victories to solve Modern (2000-present) It’s a staggering tragedy nearly 20 years in the making, and now this problem for 5 approaching a dangerous tipping point as generation after gen- good. eration of waterfowl arrive here to find no water when they des- The ducks are WATER DELIVERIES (in thousands of acre feet) WATER perately need it. The cost can be measured in dead ducklings, a counting on us. Jan. April July Oct. OUR CHIEF GOALS FOR LKNWR: • Secure high-priority water rights for the refuge. • Secure an agreement to distribute water equitably in the Klamath Basin. OUR RECENT VICTORIES • Worked with farmers to secure surplus ag water in fall 2019, substantially increasing bird counts. • Worked with farmers and the U.S. Department of Interior to secure water for Unit 2 in summer 2020. • Helped locate funding to repair pumps that can provide some well water. Read details, donate: calwaterfowl.org/lower-klamath PHOTO: CAROLINE BRADY California Waterfowl 2020 Annual Report | 3 ‘SKIN IN THE GAME’ “In the past, I’ve always thought of hunting as something to be discouraged at any opportunity; I had viewed it as the ruthless killing of an innocent creature.” “I grew up with family friends that were just as passionate about conservation as they were about hunting, but (I) always felt that they were hypocritical.” “I (used to see) hunting as antithetical to conservation, understanding it only to 2, 3 & 5: JOHN GEIGER. PHOTO 4: JAKE MESSERLI 2, 3 & 5: JOHN GEIGER. PHOTO 4: JAKE MESSERLI be diminishing wild populations for recreation.” f you heard those words coming out of vation constituency. PHOTOS 1, Ithe mouth of the manager of your fa- He found ready partners in hunter-phi- vorite wildlife area, you’d be concerned, lanthropist Paul R. Bonderson, Jr., whose and with good reason. Bird Haven Ranch was the perfect venue While the non-hunting general pub- for such a camp, and in CWA, which al- lic often doesn’t understand what drives ready had a strong youth hunter education hunters, we expect more of our wildlife program. College Camp was born. professionals: They should be aware of the With the completion of the 2020 camp, value of a constituency with a deep vested 157 UC Davis students have now partic- interest in maintaining abundant habitat ipated, many of them going on to careers for wildlife. where their insights serve them well. The words above were written by people Georgia Ramos, whose stellar shooting at who could become wildlife managers: UC College Camp was featured in a 2010 You- Davis Wildlife, Fish & Tube video by former Conservation Biology UC DAVIS COLLEGE CAMP CWA board member students, two of them Hosted by Paul and Sandi Bonderson at Jay Goble, was trans- featured in photos on Bird Haven Ranch, operated by California formed by the camp. the left. In duck blinds, Waterfowl’s expert hunting education staff. “It was a life-chang- with guns, and ducks ing experience that ex- they shot. Camp includes hunter ed, shooting instruc- panded my knowledge So how do they get tion, tours that highlight the Bondersons’ and comfort zones far conservation efforts and a Sunday hunt. from Point A to Point B? beyond my expecta- It starts with profes- Wildlife professionals whose career paths tions. It was a good re- sors who are hunters students may follow – biologists, war- minder to set my mind and know that hunting dens, refuge managers – guide the hunts. in sand (instead of is critically important stone) so I always have to conservation: Rav- Up to 15 students participate each year, room to change my now totalling 157 over 12 camps to date. eling Waterfowl Chair perspectives,” she said. Dr. John Eadie and Dr. Alisha Seabert, who Bob McLandress, the former president of shared a blind with CWA board Vice Chair California Waterfowl. Over a decade ago, Rik Jimerson in the 2020 camp, was equal- Eadie saw a growing problem: Students ly transformed. “I have been completely who might become wildlife managers were won over by everyone’s passion and love for no longer coming from hunting back- the hunt,” she said. “You’d better believe I grounds, and they often lacked any mean- will be out duck hunting next year.” ingful connection to wildlife. Eadie has a saying he shares with his stu- Inspired by the work of a Wisconsin pro- dents now: Mud on the boots. Blood on the fessor, Eadie dreamed of creating a camp hands. Skin in the game. “We won’t sustain that would introduce his students to hunt- what we don’t care for, he said. “We won’t ers and hunting, not necessarily to make care unless we obtain value from it. And we them lifelong hunters, but to ensure they can’t value what we don’t know and haven’t had a better understanding of a key conser- experienced.” 4 | California Waterfowl 2020 Annual Report alifornia mallards are different: CStudies show that 60% to 70% CALIFORNIA of mallards harvested in California hatched in California. And they don’t stray far from the state: Only MALLARDS 4% of California-hatched mallards are harvested out of state. Unfortunately, California’s breeding population of mallards has declined due to insufficient breeding habitat. CWA is working on many fronts to address this: WATER FOR LOWER KLAMATH: We’re fighting to get water back to a national wildlife refuge that provides critical breeding, brood-rearing and molting habitat – see recent successes and our big goals on page 3. ADDING BREEDING HABITAT: About 3,300 acres of brood ponds are being added in the Central Valley under the Presley Pro- gram. CWA fought to get $10 million for the program in Proposition 68, allowing it to enroll its first new acreage in 15 years.

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