Moto - DFG Meeting Minutes

[Duck Fan]

The Fish and Game Commission notes:

At the Feb 2, 2001 meeting in Sacramento - ### Deputy Director Mansfield discussed the department's written report and reported that the Department is unable to detect any population declines due to the use of a mechanical duck decoy.

THEN...at the April 5th meeting in Monterey, this is what was noted: "Sonke Mastrup provided the department's report and reported that preliminary hunter harvest data may indicate that success is slightly higher using mechanical duck decoys.

AND....There will be an update at the June meeting.


So, who do we believe? ###DFG's own staff has publicly stated 2 different opinions USING THE SAME DEPARTMENTAL DATA.... ###

My "vote" is that if they decide to eliminate them, they should provide specific reasons AND provide 1 years notice of any decision to "ban" them.

[jerry d]

What ever the outcome, let's just hope it's done by scientific methods - not by popular vote.

Wonder if dimpled or hanging chads would be counted.

[Scank]

Why are we spending so much time, resources, and energy discussing the moto? If the DFG report is true with no or a slight decline in waterfowl populations using the moto then what's the hassle.
There is a segment who will disregard this information and try to ban the moto at all costs. If the study information doesn't say ban then don't.
The CWA memmbership will probably vote to ban the moto without looking or believing ###the the scientific information. Anti-moto hunters can load up the CWA site survey page and vote as many times as they want. Hey, I voted probably 25 times. I hope this isn't the way the CWA is going to poll its membership.
Let's study the rot water problem instead.

[Duck Fan]

If you read everyone's various opinions on Motos, you will see that the following words are used most often (even on the CWA site where they provide some insight):

Words such as:

"potential"
"may"
"managers lack information"
"biologists can provide little insight"
"Anecdotal information suggests "
"if"
"but we stress the need for quantitative information "
"We need to know more"
"It is premature to draw conclusions about any of these possible effects."
"appears"

and it goes on and on.....

I have never used a moto - but I plan on trying it this year to see for myself. ###But, before we ban them (or any other mechancial decoy such as swimmers, tip ups that vibrate, torpedo motors, bilge pumps that spray water, etc), I hope we have specific data to support it. ###