Illinois Ducks Unlimited
[May 2012]
A Word from Our Chairman
Galen L. Johnson, 2011-2012 State Chairman
The events for this spring are winding down and will
be done, for the most part, by the time you receive this
newsletter. We are now moving into summer
activities and second events for some of you. This time of year can be an
excellent time to work on getting new sponsors and major donors.
As we all know by now, this is the 75th anniversary of Ducks Unlimited. In
recognition of this landmark, ILDU has set a goal of 75 new major donors and/or
upgrades. As of the end of April, we have obtained 24 of those 75. We need
your help!
Perhaps you, or someone you know, have been on the fence about making the
commitment of Life Sponsor status. If this is the case, contact your Regional
Director and discuss the advantages of making this pledge. You can also help by
identifying those members in your area who have sponsored with your chapter
for several years and might be a good candidate for a life sponsorship. Again,
talk to your RD about any potential candidates. Your RD can look up the
cumulative giving of any candidate and credit that toward Life Sponsor
membership. This credit, along with a four- or five-year payment plan, makes
the step up easy.
I have asked Bill Westbrook, former State Chairman, to head a committee to
lead the activity of recruiting major donors for Illinois. Bill has many years of
experience with ILDU and is well known throughout the state. I know he and his
committee will do an excellent job, and I look forward to their progress.
This summer would also be a good time to talk to your friends about stepping
up to sponsor membership. DU has three levels available for this membership
that makes it affordable for any member to upgrade. The option of the
automated monthly payment program through your financial institution makes
this an easy thing to do.
I hope you have a good summer and take time to be with family—they are your
most important asset. Thank you for what you do for the ducks!
Galen L. Johnson
Illinois State Chairman
In This Issue
State Chairman Message
1
Contacts
2
Featured Photo
2
Facts
3
Conservation Corner
3
Events
4
Chapter Recognition
5
The Back Page
7
[May 2012]
Illinois State Contacts
FEATURED PHOTO
Chairman
Galen Johnson
[email protected]
Treasurer
Bob Burton
[email protected]
Secretary
Bill Sarafin
[email protected]
Greenwing Chairman
Pat Killian
[email protected]
Webmaster
Jonathan Fields
[email protected]
Regional Directors
NW Regional Director
Brett Brown
[email protected]
Central Regional Director
Jim King
[email protected]
Southern Regional Director
Jon Sturgill
[email protected]
NE Regional Director
Rodney Schlafer
[email protected]
Regional Biologist
Eric Schenck
[email protected]
First duck!
Harvey Holland with grandson
Jake Koelmel and Jake’s first
duck—pictures like this are the
reason Harvey and Janet do what
they do for DU!
This Issue: “Pass it on”
Location: Southern Illinois
Photographer: Janet Holland
[May 2012]
State Facts
Total Membership
28,110
Greenwings
2,061
Legacy
Greenwings
650
Conservation Corner
OTTER SLOUGH NEWEST DU PROJECT AT
OAKWOOD BOTTOMS
Ducks Unlimited has completed its most recent project at the
Oakwood Bottoms greentree reservoir in Jackson County. The Otter
Slough project enhanced water management capabilities on up to 560
acres of flooded bottomland hardwoods. This is the third in a series of
projects that DU is developing in cooperation with the U.S. Forest
Service (USFS) under a multi-year challenge cost-share agreement to
improve wetland habitat on the Shawnee National Forest. Over the
past two years, DU and USFS have invested approximately $107,500 in
these cooperative projects.
Sponsor Members
1,806
Major Sponsors
406
2011 Grassroots
Total
$1,891,258
Total Acres
Conserved
44,712
According to Eric Schenck, DU regional biologist, the estimated cost of
completing the third phase of the Oakwood Bottoms rehabilitation and
Big Muddy wetland development exceeds $2 million. “While DU and
USFS can be proud of the progress that has been made so far, we have
a long way to go to reach our ultimate goal,” Schenck says. “Our hope
is that the Otter Slough project reinvigorates support for the
conservation partnership that has helped make Oakwood Bottoms a
truly remarkable waterfowl area for southern Illinois.”
[May 2012]
Upcoming Events
DU Leaders of S IL
Gun Bash
6/9/2012
Saline Valley Ducks
Unlimited Annul
Banquet
6/28/2012
Chicago 75th
Anniversary Gala
7/28/2012
DU Leaders of
Southern IL
Annual Swing for Wings
8/4/ 2012
For more information,
visit:
http://www.ducks.org/illi
nois/events/
2013 DU Illinois
State Convention
February 15-16, 2013
Pair-A-Dice, Peoria, IL
Mark your calendars now and plan
on joining us!
[May 2012]
Chapter
Recognition
Southwestern Duck with
Chipotle-Apricot Glaze
http://www.ducks.org/illinois/news
President Elite
The following IL DU chapters were
recognized nationally by earning a
place in the President’s Elite:
Chicago Downtown Chapter
Lake Forest Area Chapter
Macon-Moweaqua Chapter
Top 100
The following IL DU chapters were
recognized nationally by earning a
place in the Top 100:
Manito Chapter
Northshore Chapter
Serves 4
By: Joshua Stasser
Ingredients
 16 cups (1 gallon) water
 3 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
 ½ cup + 2 Tbsp. salt
 ½ cup honey
 ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
 2 tsp. onion powder
 1 tsp. garlic powder
 1 Tbsp. mixed pickling spice
 4 boneless, skinless teal or wood duck
breasts
 1 jar apricot jam
 1 Tbsp. finely chopped, seeded chipotle
chili, packed in adobo sauce
Mix the water, cilantro, salt, honey, brown
sugar, onion powder, garlic powder and
pickling spice in a large container. Add the
duck breasts. Marinate in the refrigerator
for 6 hours. Drain and discard the
marinade. Pat the duck dry with paper
towels. Mix the jam and chipotle chili in a
saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Strain through a wire mesh
strainer into a bowl, if desired. Grill the
duck over high heat to medium-rare. Baste
the duck lightly with the apricot glaze just
before done. Remove the duck to a cutting
board and let stand for a few minutes. Slice
the duck diagonally. Drizzle with the
remaining apricot glaze and garnish with
chopped cilantro or scallions.
This recipe appears in the Ducks Unlimited
cookbook, The Hunter’s Table, available at
www.hunterstable.com.
[May 2012]
[May 2012]
The Back Page
Hi folks! We’re well into the spring banquet season, and I hope all of your
events are going great.
I’ve heard that many chapters are doing exceedingly well with fundraising this
spring. Keep it up, and Illinois will finish the year out on a high note. My wife,
Sally, and I are heading down to Princeton for the Crawfish Boil on May 12th.
What a bash! The Bureau County DU chapter always puts on a great event. If
you’ve never been, I highly recommend attending in the future.
On a side note, don’t forget your four-legged hunting partners during the off
season. Watch their diet, and give them plenty of exercise. Now is also a good
time to work on fixing any problems that occurred last season. Their time is
too short in this world to pay attention to them only during hunting season.
Those of you who have or will have new pups this year should enjoy them
while they’re young—puppy teeth, puppy breath, accidents in the house, their
first retrieve and all the other memories that go with their first few
months/years.
I hope everyone that attended DU’s 75th Anniversary National Convention had
a wonderful time in Nashville and a safe trip there and back.
Till next time…
Bill Sarafin
Editor
815-440-5494
[email protected]
[May 2012]
Keeping Busy
in the Off
Season
(Photo below)
Galen Johnson, Illinois State
Chairman, and his brother
with their Osceola turkeys in
Florida last month
(Photo above)
First Turkey
John Sturgill
(right),
Southern Illinois
Regional Director