merrit island

[Randy Clark]

some people think that alls we ever do as hunters is shoot things. well today about 25- 30 of the uwf members with friends and family showed up to cleanup a large section of dike road at merrit island NWR heres a few pics of the cleanup.
beautiful start merrit island sunrise
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2458.jpg
start of the road cleanup
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2460.jpg
place is looking nic if you werent here you missed a chance to scout
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2464.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2466.jpg
the line of us out on the dike starting the trash cleanup
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2467.jpg

[Randy Clark]

think duke hurt his back before we started
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2468-1.jpg
darn i knew i should have kept that bigger lens
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2469.jpg
don starting it at our spot
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2471.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2473.jpg
help of all ages we'll take it
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2474.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2475.jpg

[Randy Clark]

ron found a nice rod holder
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2476-1.jpg
playing leap frog moving down the road
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2477-1.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2479.jpg
you should have shown up to scout
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2481-1.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2483-1.jpg

[Randy Clark]

more trash
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2485-1.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2486.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2487.jpg
think these two were dicussing tactics for this years hunts
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2489.jpg

[backcast]

Great job guys!
I think Jimmy's explaining where he had to pull me out of the mud over there.:tongue1:

[krimmie]

Hope you don't mind if I add a few Randy.

Road block ahead.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/krimgeo/road912x684.jpg

Pat clearing the road block.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/krimgeo/duckbone608x456.jpg

Randy in the truck cheering Jimmy on.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/krimgeo/nosoy912x684.jpg

Plenty of ducks.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/krimgeo/mottleds2912x684.jpg

The heat didn't bother him much.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/krimgeo/vulture600x450.jpg

Dennis and wife.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/krimgeo/dennis912x684.jpg

Plenty of good food...thanks to all who helped.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/krimgeo/group912x684.jpg

[Randy Clark]

dont mind at all keep them coming
after picking up the trash we headed back to have a duckacue

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2492.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2493.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2494.jpg
USFWS alog with the FWC stopped by to have lunch with us and to thanks us for coming out and cleaning up.
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2496.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2497.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2498.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2499.jpg

[Randy Clark]

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2500.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2502.jpg
dang i keep messing it up when there is a glaring sun background help
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2503.jpg
hurricane came out to have some fun and eat some good food
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2507.jpg
he also made a friend
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2517.jpg
another young man who came out to help clean up

[Randy Clark]

another young man who came out to help clean up
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2515.jpg
dennis's kids looked a little tired after helping cleanup thje trash out there. only got up to 95 or so
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2511.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2513.jpg
hitch relaxing after maning the grill and putting on a terrific feed
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2508.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2509.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2510.jpg

[uncle D]

Dang,

I'm that bald!?

I guess I can't grow my hair out like Duckbone, unless I did a comb over.

Also, that alot of belly going on. Hurricane fits right in with the big boys!

Besides seeing my better side in those first shots,

Great pics!

Duke

[duckbone]

The refuge loves us, at least somebody does. Lots of great idea's from everyone at the meeting. Joe's becoming quite the visionary in his retired state. We ate alot of those greasy nasty ducks that the circle b'ers can't figure out why we shoot or eat. Some of which were better than any steak I ever had. Great day, thanks for everyone's participation and help. Krimmie presented me with an awesome coco-pin. He's been relaxing by the pool with a beer since we got home.

[duckmanJR]

The trash was plentiful and the food was beyond awesome. A tip of the hat to "Chef Underoo" on the BBQ duck and to Huntmaster for yhe most tender venison I ever ate... those "spotted deer" sure eat good! :laughing1:laughing1 As for being "visionary"..I just see where we started and how far we have come...so it is easier to extrapolate where we can/should be in the future.

Great seeing all the "old hands" and seeing some new faces as well....

[DEADEYE DICK]

Thanks for the pictures Randy.

Great job everyone!!!

[Converted]

Great pics and a great event. Thanks so much Pat for taking the leadership role at the refuge. Your fellow duckers greatly appreciate it.

The food was out of this world. Nearly everything was wild game and each bite was better than the one before. Duck, deer, dove, goose and even, yes it's true, MERGANSER that was better than anything at Ruth's Cris. A special thanks to all the cooks.

I thought the meeting was very productive. Everyone had some very positive discussion to bring to the table. We have a lot of work to do. Time to roll up the sleeves and get to work.

The meeting report will be posted under the cone of silence. :occasion14

[Randy Clark]

pat the man behind merrit island
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2521.jpg
more of the meeting sorry there dark
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2522.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2523.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2524.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2526.jpg
the food was good and plentiful with differnt duck and goose items, along with chicken and brats
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2528.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2529.jpg

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2531.jpg

[Randy Clark]

david came up to start the meeting
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2532.jpg
and ended up helping cook
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2535.jpg
jimmy enjoying some food
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2536.jpg
kieth yates explaining something to jimmy as pat and jim listen in could have been where the duck are going to be
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2537.jpg
this young mans name escapes me hopefully someone will post it up hurricane's buddy and lots of help picking up trash
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2540.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2541.jpg
FWC and USFWS enjoying lunch
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2542.jpg

[Randy Clark]

dennis was there
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2543.jpg
along with his family thanks for the help guys
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2552.jpg
jimmy enjoying a break
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2544.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2545.jpg
than we started the meeting
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2547.jpg
hitch had some interesting facts
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2550.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2551.jpg

[Randy Clark]

dennis explained about some of the things we learned
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2554.jpg
joe pointed out what we gained
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2555.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2556.jpg
this is just some of the trash we cleaned up quite a few trash bags in other vechiles i'm just amazed how kayakers and bird watchers and fisherman looose so many tires back there
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2559.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2560.jpg
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2564.jpg
hurricane found a cool shady spot and said you guys handle it
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2566.jpg

[Pinman]

Wish I could have stayed for that lunch. Sounds like it was great. Great photos.

Good to meet some new people. Impressive that some came from far away to play in that heat. It was a good time though.

[Public Hunter]

pat the man behind merrit island
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p208/lakejessup/IMG_2521.jpg
]

Dang Pat...you must be going to my barber....or uh....not going I mean.

Wish I could have made it. I got hammered by a couple of storms this week and had to work Saturday.

[duckbone]

It's a good thing I shaved a couple days before.