Delta Waterfowl is grateful to our Partners and their resolve in helping to advance Delta's mission. Through these partners our capacity to provide tangible results to waterfowlers is significantly enhanced. We encourage our members to support all of these fine businesses.
For information about corporate opportunities with Delta Waterfowl please contact:
Pat Hudak - Vice President of Membership, Marketing
1-888-987-3695 (toll free)
phudak@deltawaterfowl.org
Partner Spotlight:
Mossberg: Providing Hunters with Quality, Affordable Firearms
Since 1919, Mossberg has been an industry leader in providing hunters with reliable, well-built shotguns and other firearms at an affordable price.
In fact, many products pioneered by Mossberg over the years are now the standards by which other modern firearms are judged.
Mossberg is a valued partner of Delta Waterfowl’s mentored hunting program. Mossberg has donated materials for Delta’s mentored hunts (youth, women, university students and other adults), which are held throughout North America every year.
In addition, Delta Waterfowl’s Gun of the Year for 2009-2010—the Silver Reserve over-and-under 12 gauge—is one Mossberg’s signature “double guns” —shotguns that have the same craftsmanship and reliability of high-end models but retail for a substantially lower cost.
“It’s great to have Mossberg on board helping us with our mentored hunting program,” said Delta Senior Vice President John Devney.
“Our partnership is a good fit all the way around.”
Mossberg is also dedicated to hunter education and safety. The Mossberg Hunter Education Instructor Purchase Program is part of the company’s Friends of the Family (FOF) program. FOF’s overall philosophy is to turn the decades-old Mossberg tradition of quality, value and versatility into a powerful teaching tool.
Mossberg offers certified hunting instructors a collection of its most popular products to assist them with educating future hunters and shooting-sport enthusiasts. The program is specifically dedicated to assisting certified instructors of the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA).
For more information about Mossberg and its products, see www.mossberg.com.
Federal Premium Ammunition: Hunters Serving Hunters
Tim Brandt communications specialist with Federal Premium Ammunition, remembers the day’s assignment: To learn the effectiveness of Black Cloud (unnamed at the time), the company’s promising but still largely unproven waterfowling ammunition.
“We had good results from our engineers shooting in our tunnels, but results in the field can be a little different,” said Brandt, an avid waterfowler.
After two years of research and development, Black Cloud, Federal’s signature steel waterfowl-hunting ammunition, was, in effect, born.
“We came up with a cutting-edge steel pellet and wad system that’s more lethal and has consistent patterns for an affordable price,” he said. “and we had a tremendous product that flat-out worked, and duck hunters have confirmed it.”
Minnesota-born Federal Premium Ammunition, one of Delta Waterfowl’s conservation partners, has been manufacturing shotgun shells since 1922.
Federal hasn’t forgotten about giving back, either. Ryan Bronson, the company’s conservation specialist, said Federal has always nurtured a professional culture that stresses conservation. The goal: To develop a conservation ethic that ensured future hunting opportunities.
Federal’s partnership with Delta Waterfowl on its Hen House and mentored hunting programs is also helping secure the future of waterfowl and waterfowl hunting. “The hen house project is a great example of the science-based programs that Delta Waterfowl works on to increase waterfowl populations,” said Bronson.
Bronson says “Mentoring programs and youth hunts are the next critical step in helping attract the next generation of hunters, and Delta’s leadership in Canada and the United States gives us hope that declining duck hunter trends can be turned around. The future of our wild places depends on it.”
For more information: www.federalpremium.com or www.blackcloudammo.com.
Purina: An Innovator in Dog Food and Dog Care
The history of the Ralston Purina Company (now the Nestle Purina PetCare Company) is a timeline of twists and turns, watershed events that shaped the St. Louis-based company into what is today: an industry leader in premium pet food.
Founded by William H. Danforth in 1894 as a horse and mule feed company, Purina cut its teeth in the dog food business in 1921, when it introduced a pellet form of dog food called Purina Dog Chow. The innovation caught on, and quickly, and soon the entire American feed industry began producing pellet-form animal food.
Purina’s work with canine nutrition extends far beyond the dish bowl, however. The venerable company has a long history of helping its customers maintain the health and over well being of their animals. That’s particularly true for the hardworking sporting breeds coveted by hunters.
Bob West, Purina’s director of breeder marketing for its sporting dog programs, is as passionate about hunting dogs as anyone you’ll ever meet. A professional trainer for 40 years, West has some practical advice for dog owners who plan on training their dogs this summer in preparation for the hunting season.
West says preseason conditioning plays a critical role in field performance. Simply put, a well-conditioned dog can endure more and is less likely to sustain an injury or succumb to heat stroke.
West, who is an avid hunter, recommends a go-slow approach to pre-season conditioning. “Start off easy with your dog and gradually build up,” he says, noting that it’s also prudent to consult a veterinarian before starting a conditioning program. “If your dog has been static after the hunting season, it’s going to take at least six to 12 weeks for that dog to get into shape. You have to be patient.”
West says mornings and evenings are the best times to train your dog during the heat of summer.
“For retrievers, swimming is always good,” he said. “Keep it fun. And don’t overload them. Help them realize their potential.”
West says hardworking dogs should be “watered” regularly throughout the day, especially when weather conditions are hot. Dogs that are not properly watered, he says, will be more stressed during a workout and can become overheated, or dehydrated. West also says exercised dogs shouldn’t be allowed to gulp water when it is hot. That can cause bloat, a potentially lethal condition in which the swelling of the stomach compresses important organs and blood vessels.
During the conditioning process, proper nutrition, West says, is hugely important. He recommends feeding “normal healthy dogs” once a day, in the afternoon or evening. And, he cautions, don’t overfeed your canine. “A dog that’s kept at its proper weight works better and lives longer on average and has less orthopedic problems,” West says. “That’s our goal as a company—giving our customers the information they need to keep their dogs healthy and working well.”
For more information about taking care of your sporting dog, see www.proplan.com/sportingdog.
Final Approach: Innovation Key to Success
Rewind to the late 1980s.
Veteran waterfowl-hunting guide Ron Latschaw is hunkered down in a hand-dug coffin pit in eastern Washington, and the wheels in his head are spinning as a new idea slowly takes shape.
“There has to be a better way,” he tells himself.
A better way than rolling in the dirt and mud and being exposed to all the elements Mother Nature has to offer. A better way than having grit and grime roll down his shirt collar and settle in the small of his back, all while trying to hunt geese.
Three weeks later, Latschaw’s innovative vision to stay warm, dry, clean and concealed while goose hunting took wing: the first known incarnation of the layout blind—dubbed The Slider—was born. Born, too, was Final Approach (Latschaw officially founded the company in 1993) and its penchant for producing cutting-edge, hunter-friendly, field-tested waterfowling gear that can withstand the most inclement weather conditions.
“We spend a lot of time thinking about—and eventually testing—our products before we put them on the market,” said Mark Schaefer, marketing manager for Final Approach. “We have a group of field pros and others that we rely on and who come up with news ideas and solutions to make the waterfowling experience better and overall more enjoyable. From Ron’s (Latschaw) experience, we’ve learned that necessity is the mother of invention.”
But Final Approach’s business plan—developing innovative products for waterfowlers—transcends layout blinds and its rapidly expanding line of other waterfowling gear.
Indeed, Final Approach, one of Delta Waterfowl’s newest conservation partners, understands that sound conservation is good for waterfowl and waterfowl hunters as well as its long-term future.
“We wanted to be apart of Delta Waterfowl because of it long history of cutting-edge waterfowl research and because of its proven conservation programs,” said Schaefer. “It’s a comfortable fit for us because we fully support Delta’s grassroots approach to hunter advocacy and strongly believe in the principles and tenets of the organization.”
Added Schaefer: “In the end, conservation is good for everyone—waterfowlers, the public, everyone.”
For 2009, Final Approach is offering waterfowlers several new products, including decoys, gear bags, blinds and more.
The new high-definition advantage pintail and wood duck floating decoys were designed by nationally acclaimed sculptor Marty Hanson, who has been making decoys for more than 30 years. “The authenticity, rich detail and feather textures with these decoys are a testament to Marty’s skill as an artist,” said Schaefer. “They look ever bit as good as live birds. Their realism is truly amazing.”
Final Approach’s new Eliminator Cargo Blind illustrates the company’s innovative spirit. The new blind, which is waterproof, lightweight and extremely durable, has a back rest that doubles as a back pack and detachable wheels. Both features allow hunters to get in and out of the field with ease. The news blind comes in three camouflage patterns: Advantage Max-4, Mossy Oak Duck Blind and Field Brown.
“The new blind showcases our philosophy about innovation,” said Schaefer. “It’s who we are.”
For more information about Final Approach: www.fabrand.com/
U.S. Bank and Delta Waterfowl, Securing the Future of Waterfowling Together!
U.S. Bank is the official affinity credit card provider of Delta Waterfowl. Not only does this partnership improve Delta Waterfowl’s ability to offer members high-quality affinity credit products, but U.S. Bank has also stepped forward in a big financial way as a key corporate partner for the long haul. U.S. Bank will make a donation to Delta Waterfowl each time a new card is activated and again each and every time the card is used.
The Delta Waterfowl Visa card also helps Delta to provide knowledge, future leaders, solutions and its passion for waterfowl to scientists, resource managers, waterfowlers, conservationists and the public to enhance waterfowl populations while securing the future of waterfowling. With every purchase on your Delta Waterfowl Visa card, a portion of your purchase helps Delta Waterfowl achieve its mission of enhancing waterfowl populations while securing the future of waterfowling.
The credit card program has the following impressive features:
- Your choice of Select Rewards Visa, Platinum or Cash Rewards Visa. Choose the product that suits you best.
- No annual fee
- Low introductory rate
- 1,000 bonus points with your first purchase
- Earn 1 Reward point for each net purchase dollar charged to your Delta Waterfowl Visa card. Redeem rewards starting at just
- 1,500 points!
- Visa’s Zero Liability*
- 24-hour Cardmember Service—and more!
*Certain conditions apply. The creditor and issuer of Delta Waterfowl’s U.S. Bank Visa cards is National Association ND.
Go-Devil Manufacturers of Louisiana, Inc.
In 1977, at the age of 22, Warren Coco of Baton Rouge Louisiana founded a business that was to become an important and influential member of the waterfowl industry, Go-Devil Manufacturers of Louisiana. Coco has been able to turn his passion for duck hunting into his full-time job and livelihood. Warren and Go-Devil have since become a fantastic partner with and supporter of Delta Waterfowl. They have been a true partner of Delta Waterfowl and a sincere advocate of duck hunters states Delta Senior V.P. John Devney. Twenty-seven years ago Go-Devil revolutionized the shallow water marine industry and they continue to be the industry leader.
Remington
Delta Waterfowl once again is partnering with Remington on a new 3-year agreement. This makes 6 years of support by Remington in a joint effort to continue to advance conservation practices, research and hunting advocacy.
One of Remington's main focuses has been assisting conservation and youth organizations. Whether it is with our efforts on behalf of the wildlife residing in "Remington Country" or with special programs established to educate individuals regarding proper conservation practices or hunter safety--Remington is there. Remington recognizes the importance of these national and state organizations and the fact that your role is critical to the future of our wildlife and hunting resources, as well as to the shooting industry.
Cabela's - World's Foremost Outfitter
Cabela's, the World's Foremost Outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, was born somewhat inadvertently in 1961 when Dick Cabela came up with a plan to sell fishing flies he purchased while at a furniture show in Chicago. Upon returning home to Chappell, Nebraska, Dick ran a classified ad in the Casper, Wyoming, newspaper reading: "12 hand-tied flies for $1." It generated one response. Undaunted, Dick formulated a new plan, rewriting the ad to read "FREE Introductory offer! 5 hand tied Flies….25c Postage….Handling" and placing it in national outdoor magazines. It didn't take long for the orders to begin arriving from sportsmen and women around the country. In the interim Cabelas growth has been legendary and they have been a proud supporter of many conservation organizations. Delta Waterfowl is happy to welcome Cabela’s as a Conservation Partner.
“Cabela's is proud to sponsor Delta Waterfowl and their invaluable efforts to enhance duck production, advocate hunting and continue their world renowned research programs. Cabela's is making contributions towards these Delta projects. It's part of our commitment to preserving our hunting traditions and to the millions of fellow hunters we serve.”
Hunting Retriever Club (HRC)
Delta Waterfowl and the Hunting Retriever Club (HRC) have formed a partnership to promote waterfowl hunting, waterfowl conservation and the use of retrievers in the field.
Gabe Tarr, HRC National Sponsors Chairman, says working with Delta is a natural fit for his organization.
“I couldn’t be more excited about partnering with another grassroots hunting organization,” says Tarr, an avid waterfowler and longtime Delta supporter. “Delta’s commitment to waterfowl research, waterfowl conservation and waterfowl hunting in North America is unmatched, and we’re proud to working with the organization. We’re going to make a great team.”
Scott Linden Outdoors
Delta Waterfowl is the newest conservation partner of Scott Linden Outdoors, a multi-media production company led by founder/executive producer Scott Linden. Delta will enjoy worldwide exposure via Scott’s two radio shows, Scott Linden Outdoors a one-hour talk show airing weekends, and Scott Linden Outdoors Journal, a two-minute vignette airing weekdays. Weekly conservation-oriented radio spots, public service announcements and in-show interviews with Delta spokespeople are planned. Delta also becomes sponsor of Scott’s “Great Outdoor Game Show,” a weekly call-in quiz on the hour-long program, and will provide branded prizes for winners.
Scott is well known for his television work as well, focusing on bird hunting, bird dogs, and fly fishing. His newest TV series debuts this fall and is a joint venture with the National Shooting Sports Foundation titled “Wingshooting USA.”
Scott has been involved in conservation issues for over a quarter century, supporting various groups with promotion, marketing consulting, board membership and on-the-ground work.
