duckboats.net Might End Up An Endling

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

Administrator
Staff member
The last surviving individual of an entire species is known as an endling.

I went and looked for other waterfowl hunting forums and most are dead. There are some that are technically functional but haven't had a post in over a year. The only two I can find with any significant activity are The Refuge and DuckHuntingChat with the latter being a nightmare of ads and popups and minimal activity. There are probably a few others tucked away out of view but it sure seems like it is basically us and The Refuge. I'm not at all surprised. So many sold out to VerticalScope who ran them into the ground with poor management and a singular interest in ad revenue.

I ask that the members here actively recruit new members to this site. Spread the word and contact buddies with common interests. Talk us up on Instagram (Thank you @Anthony Babich for your unwavering support on IG) and Facebook Groups. Recruitment will determine if the species ends with us.
 
Eric,
Perhaps a storefront where members can purchase a cool hat or shirt with duckboats.net emblazoned on it for free advertising for when walking around events such as a DU, Delta Waterfowl or Pheasants Forever convention.
Also, I have said it once but I will say it again, we need a political advocacy arm in duckboats.net. Whether it's HOA's battling geese and swan or hunters fighting flooded corn or border restrictions to non resident hunters, we need a voice. Remember, leadership is always pushed up from below.
RM
 
I do like the idea of a store front, along side the option for a direct donation. A direct donation, results in the most cash income to keep the site up and running. A store front purchase, produces less income, increases the workload, yet the trade-off of "on the street exposure" may be an acceptable trade-off.
I will gladly leave that decision to Eric. :cool:
 
The Refuge would be fantastic without it's over-moderation. There's a bunch of good dudes on that forum. If a bunch of that group moves over to here, I imagine a lot of folks here will not be happy about it (and maybe rightfully so). The majority of the threads will not be "duck boat related" anymore.
 
I am here and the Refuge and a few more state specific forums. Forums usually really die off Feb to Aug. There are a few good Facebook groups, some boat specific and some more regional duck hunting in general.
 
All the other fish/hunt/boat/recreation chat boards I used to belong to are gone or have moved to FB. (Or perhaps to other social media; FB is a far into that swamp as I am going.) The high quality of the members and the posts what keep me here. And the lack of ads, bots, and politics is also welcome.
 
Question: Is it the forum platform that is dying or has there been a subtle shift in demographics that is causing a lack of interest? We are largely a Popular Mechanics generation and boat building is maybe not as popular as it once was. Maybe we need to adapt as well without losing our soul. I have no idea what other forums are like as this is the only one that I belong to and I will never join Facebook. On the issue of political advocacy, I know that it rubs alot of people the wrong way but I don't believe that it has to be an area of contention within our own ranks. Take a look at what has become of public hunting on the other side of the pond if you have any doubt of what will take place here if we remain silent. Perhaps the next super attractive barista, with no life experience, that runs for congress will be a duck hunter but I would not count on it.
RM
 
On the idea of a storefront I like it. I think the company that did t-shirts and sweatshirts for us last time may no longer be in business. If so that is a big setback because they had the ability to make an online store for us and ship orders and already worked through the printing details. They are on my way to work so I'll see if I can talk to the owner. The building is still there but their website and FB page have been taken down. Besides the logo we used in the past do you think we need other designs? Who can create them?

@RM Anderson , I believe the death of forums is a result of mobile devices. Social media platforms built their user experience around mobile devices with seamless photo and video upload. In contrast, forums work best on PC or Mac devices. Most folks under the age of about 40 don't want to use anything other than mobile devices for communication and recreation. Long term information storage and retrieval isn't as important as immediate interaction.
 
Eric Patterson said:
@RM Anderson , I believe the death of forums is a result of mobile devices. Social media platforms built their user experience around mobile devices with seamless photo and video upload. In contrast, forums work best on PC or Mac devices. Most folks under the age of about 40 don't want to use anything other than mobile devices for communication and recreation. Long term information storage and retrieval isn't as important as immediate interaction.
Click to expand...
An irrefutable law of the universe is if you want to get something from others, you have to give something first. We have so many members who have generously shared their knowledge. I was impressed by that from the start and it is one of the reasons I joined this forum but I think we could take it one step further.
Why don't we give members something that they can't get from other internet platforms such as a real interpersonal experience like a get together every summer at say Pool 9 of the Mississippi? Some of the old timers on this forum will know what I am talking about. I think it would be very fun to meet other members!
RM
 
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I wore my duckboats.net sweatshirt last October at the MidAtlantic Small Craft Festival. I had a few questions about the site. Most groups are into their own niche and there is little cross over.

The South Jersey Sneakbox Facebook group was just talking about an old sneakbox design Tshirt done in the 1980's by Anthony Hillman. Capt. Bob Kenney posted.

Facebook

www.facebook.com www.facebook.com

Sneakbox_Tshirt.jpg

You might be able to get cross posted sales.

B

Thread 'Barnegat Bay Sneakbox Poster'

Found this poster when cleaning out an old house. I just had it framed and matted. Anyone know anything about it? It is signed Anthony Hillman 1980.





Anthony is still active. Maybe ask if he would design a new shirt?

Hillman Art


Rick Lathrop
 
Richard Lathrop said:
I wore my duckboats.net sweatshirt last October at the MidAtlantic Small Craft Festival. I had a few questions about the site. Most groups are into their own niche and there is little cross over.

The South Jersey Sneakbox Facebook group was just talking about an old sneakbox design Tshirt done in the 1980's by Anthony Hillman. Capt. Bob Kenney posted.

Facebook

www.facebook.com www.facebook.com

View attachment 77396

You might be able to get cross posted sales.

B

Thread 'Barnegat Bay Sneakbox Poster'

Found this poster when cleaning out an old house. I just had it framed and matted. Anyone know anything about it? It is signed Anthony Hillman 1980.





Anthony is still active. Maybe ask if he would design a new shirt?

Hillman Art


Rick Lathrop
Click to expand...
A shirt or hat with the website logo?
 
I still use my sweatshirt in the winter, my t-shirt has seen better days for sure and bring out the can koosie occasionally (don't drink alcohol so not often using cans)

I think it's about time for at least another round of merchandise even if there isn't any storefront. Could do a couple different designs, maybe one with a boat, one with a decoy blueprint or duck call blue print, or a combination of all of that.

As far as forums dying, it's a sad thing that I've been apart of more than I like. Workingdecoys .net, the decoycarvingforum, primiativearcher, all died off with the lack of creativity and the promotion of "ease" of buying manufactured products, especially modern age products. Just not as many people interested in in primitive archery and hunting, or crafting decoys when they can go buy the latest and greatest that is constantly promoted to them.

I am active on one other forum and it's a massive one that I discovered costs over 30k a year to keep operating and they don't have any pop up ads or paywall. I get on taxidermy.net sometimes but it's mostly just a few core people keeping it going at least in the waterfowl section.

Having real names and staying firm on the stay on topic rule has been a blessing to this place.
 
benp said:
the can koosie
Click to expand...
I have this weird thing about collecting koozies. Never knew this place made any. Now I want a duckboats can koozie. I had 100 of them made up for the Refuge when I was hosting the shindigs in Alabama a few years back. Think I have 3-4 left now, after giving most of them away.
 
Steven Alexander said:
I have this weird thing about collecting koozies. Never knew this place made any. Now I want a duckboats can koozie. I had 100 of them made up for the Refuge when I was hosting the shindigs in Alabama a few years back. Think I have 3-4 left now, after giving most of them away.
Click to expand...
I won this one, there was some event thing Eric had going on... I cannot remember what it was but that's how I got this one. It's the only one I use and if there is another duckboats shindig and I can make it then the koozie is going too.
 
RM Anderson said:
Question: Is it the forum platform that is dying or has there been a subtle shift in demographics that is causing a lack of interest? We are largely a Popular Mechanics generation and boat building is maybe not as popular as it once was. Maybe we need to adapt as well without losing our soul. I have no idea what other forums are like as this is the only one that I belong to and I will never join Facebook. On the issue of political advocacy, I know that it rubs alot of people the wrong way but I don't believe that it has to be an area of contention within our own ranks. Take a look at what has become of public hunting on the other side of the pond if you have any doubt of what will take place here if we remain silent. Perhaps the next super attractive barista, with no life experience, that runs for congress will be a duck hunter but I would not count on it.
RM
Click to expand...
I agree with something you said here (well more than one but one in particular).

I don't believe there are as many folks building wooden duckboats anymore. I also think (no proof at all) there arent as many folks rebuilding old wooden duck boats..

Once again, another opinion. Many people have a variety of boats they use for duck hunting. There are many sites that are specific to that particular boat. I see FB groups for jon boats, sit on top kayaks, kayaks, canoes, specialty built blinds and more. People who visit those sites may cime here and thing it is a bunch of old dudes sitting around and building and restoring old wooden boats and nothing more.

I kind of experienced this here as well. I am no craftsman for sure and would have a very difficult time with anything to do with wooden boats. With this in mind, I have restored/repaired a few aluminum and fiberglass boats specifically built for duck hunting back in the day. I didn't fel (jeez, I hate using this word) that there was much interest in the restoration of boats, or the use of boats that weren't wooden.

Maybe DBHF could attract more folks if it expanded its scope. Just a thought from one guys perspctive.

Mark
 
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