Questionaire

Answer the following True or False: 
Families living in an American neighborhood should expect:    
a) To be blown out of bed early morning by unrelenting rifle fire     
b) To be greeted by hunters shooting outside their windows a stones throw away
c) To be acknowledged by duck hunters flashing you "the bird"
d) To pay for shattered windows broken out by mis-directed shells
e) To view hunters walking up on the beach shooting disabled ducks point blank
f)  To pick up the litter of empty shell casings left behind, scattered on the beaches 
g) To witness dead and crippled ducks left carelessly behind 
h) To be held hostage in your own home until the barrage of rifle fire ceases
i)  To have your child ask why ducks are falling from the sky


 If you answered any of these "False", you may want to contact your County Commissioners to stress the urgent need for a no shooting or controlled shooting zone over and around the waters of Henderson and Eld Inlets. 

Stop the madness, stop the shooting

BAIT AND SAVE

Our neighborhoods have been turned into hunting grounds, our migratory waterfowl has been targeted while attempting to winter on waters in the Great Northwest. As a result, our neighboring families living around Eld and Henderson Inlets are witnessing the destruction of marine life and feeling the loss of personal safety. And to think there is a simple, non-violent solution that each of us can actually enjoy doing!!

 FEED THE DUCKS!!
"Feed the ducks, bait the area= stop the shooting"

According to our own Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife it is illegal to shoot in a baited area....so there is our answer! Bait the Bay!! (Which we believe is already the case due to the acres and acres of shell fish farms, but this has yet to be acknowledged by our elected officials)

From the folks that brought us much of the advice on how to protest, we are now given the basics on how to feed ducks...it's a click away:

HOW TO FEED A GROWN DUCK

It's worth a try to save our little piece of heaven from falling to undesirable activity, litter, threats and loss of our waterfowl. And since The National Audubon Society has identified Eld Inlet/Mud Bay as an Important Bird Area., we should do whatever we can to prevent a Bird-less Important Bird Area.

Margaret Mead once said, "Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world." ....a colleague of hers added, "Indeed, they are the only ones who ever have."

Acres of Shellfish Farms Beg The "Baited Area" Question

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife defines "baited areas" pertaining to agriculture,  but where is the discussion of  "baited areas" pertaining to aquaculture? 

Red Dots=Shellfish Farms=Wintering Migratory Diving Ducks 

It is illegal to hunt waterfowl in baited areas and it should be equally illegal to shoot in the adjacent neighborhoods

                                                               

DO NOT TIRE....PROTEST!

And to think our lives have come to this....having to protest, but as the saying goes....

"Government doesn't change things, people do" 

Hunters claim that killing wildfowl within our neighborhoods is a right and tradition. Families living within neighborhoods being fired upon, feel victimized and see it differently. To protest hunting effectively, it is necessary to understand the hunters' views as well as our own.

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE PROTESTING:

• Understand your motives. If you believe it is wrong, state solid reasons why you believe it is wrong. Safety? Litter? Population? Give examples of "close calls", windows shot out, pellets raining down on your home, accidents, confrontations and threats.
• Photos and videos speak volumes to document the facts and the fear
• Inform yourself. Research the arguments that hunters use.
• Acknowledge why hunters hunt and their perceived benefits before stating your own case.
• Share your view with your neighbors, organize, write letters to your elected officials and newspaper.
• Call 911 when your safety has been compromised. If we don't report, there is no record.
• If an area is baited, post a sign or wave your sign that states "Baited Area"-document with a photo
• Keep anger in check. One of the main charges against people opposed to hunting in their neighborhoods is that they are too emotional. Getting visibly upset will only confirm this assumption. Share your views calmly. (I'm still working on getting this down)
• Research the laws in our state and be prepared.

            INFORMATION TO HELP YOU PROTEST EFFECTIVELY:

*Comments following this article illustrate hunters' arguments:
Denver Residents Protest                                                                                                                                
                                                                  
*These You Tube videos reveal the dangers of hunting:

How many hunters have been harvested

Hit By Stray Hunting Bullet

*Hunters' opinions about shooting up Eld Inlet:

Hunting-Washington Duck Hunting Blog

*Read Migratory Waterfowl section(scroll down to the Summary of Federal Regulations):

Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife  and                                                                          
United States Wildlife Hunting and Baiting                                                                                      

*Discussion of distances: 

One hunter's explanation of where does shot go?
 "...the safety "fall-out" zone of 300+ yards being the "norm". The effective pattern will have long gone at that distance, and will be merely, a falling shower, albeit still dangerous!  

We cannot tire in our mission to safeguard our homes and families. This is the most important job we have as parents, and as guardians of our neighborhood.