DU TV this week: Wisconsin wonderland

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – This week’s DU TV episode follows co-host Doug Larsen as he hunts the upper Mississippi River in Wisconsin with dedicated DU volunteers Frank and Eric Lemke and southern Minnesota DU Regional Director Andrew Limmer. Watch as mallards and Canada geese decoy in close to their boat blind hides.

The Mississippi River system is vitally important to a healthy continental waterfowl population. Over the years however, changes in the river for transportation purposes have made it less friendly to waterfowl and less able to handle high-volume, seasonal flooding.

“Probably our biggest challenge is flood control now,” explained Limmer. “An inch or two of rain in northern Minnesota or Wisconsin means a foot or two of water for us in the southern parts of the state.”

Ducks Unlimited has been a part of Frank Lemke’s life for many years. He introduced his son Eric to DU’s conservation mission at a young age while helping at DU fundraising banquets.

“Eric started in Ducks Unlimited the minute he could carry a bid ticket,” Frank said.

“I can still remember to this day that the auction pamphlet told people to sign here and print here and pay the lady up front,” Eric said. “And then I recruited friends at my elementary school. Some of those friends later hunted with my dad and I.”

Frank and Eric continue to introduce people to waterfowling.

“I started to donate hunts as a way to increase my impact for Ducks Unlimited,” Frank said. “I’m trying to put back more than I take. It’s a passion. I like to share it.”

DU TV airs Mondays at 1:00 a.m., Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. (all times Eastern) on the Pursuit Channel. All episodes, plus bonus content and classic episodes, can be found at www.ducks.org/dutv.

DU TV is sponsored by Browning Arms, Browning Ammunition, Drake Waterfowl Systems, Plano Synergy and Zink Calls, Higdon Outdoors, Purina Pro Plan, Mossy Oak Camo, Mossy Oak Properties, Mossy Oak Biologic, Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries and SecureIt Intelligent Firearms Storage.

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 14 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.