Duck, duck, duck, goose!

There is a rather loud hen mallard protesting something on the upper pond.

In the mid-1970s, a gentleman named Woody Haley helped establish a chapter of Ducks Unlimited in Monroe, Michigan. Ducks Unlimited (DU) is a waterfowl conservation organization founded in the 1930s in response to the threat to migrating waterfowl populations by the “Great Dust Bowl” drought. In their history, they’ve conserved over 12 million acres throughout North America. Their revenue comes from government grants, personal donations, membership dues, and fundraising events. I worked for the organization for nearly eight years – first in Memphis, TN then in Ann Arbor, MI.

Woody owned a home furnishing store in Monroe and I went to work for him in 1975 – dusting furniture in the showroom, uncrating deliveries from manufacturers, helping with home deliveries, then later installing drapes, blinds, and other window treatments. It was a great job through high school and I became close with the entire Haley family (in fact, Woody’s grandson spent a good portion of the summer living here as it was closer to his summer internship).

As the annual DU fundraising dinners approached, I’d often open the packages of auction items delivered to the store. Marvelous wildlife inspired items including framed art prints, ornately engraved firearms, specialty knives, and various species of duck decoys were my introduction to DU.

Years later – while in undergrad – I came to discover that a friend’s father, Bob Ryland, carved duck decoys. His studio, like Bob, was modest. I remember that his eyes would light up as he described the process of taking discarded telephone poles and turning them into both working decoys (ones that could actually float in a pond to lure birds) and decorative decoys (ones made for display). Bob and his wife Judy were active in various decoy collector and carver groups and I got to attend a couple of these gatherings in Westlake, OH. I’ve included some pictures of decoys Bob carved that I now treasure.

These two men helped ignite my passions that eventually spawned Blackdog Bog. I became enamored with the idea of duck hunting when I was young through Woody’s stories and accompanying him to his marsh. Bob introduced me a community of men and women who tied their passion for duck hunting with their aesthetic. A series of other life events and good friends got me into the blind and eventually introduced me to the leadership of DU – less than 3 months later, I was working for them.

It was a great run – I was part of the major gifts team as well as involved with licensing and corporate partnerships. We hunted some remarkable marshes from California to Arkansas and I got to meet some very successful, passionate men and women.

It was relocating from Memphis to Ann Arbor that led to purchasing the farm and discovering later that a portion of it may qualify for the easement program described in an earlier post.

Every time I hear a hen fussing or a watch skein of geese splash into one of the ponds, Woody and Bob come to mind. Each has passed away. I do know, however, that their memory lives in many of us.