Ducks Unlimited holds annual fundraiser Friday

The group's name is "Ducks Unlimited" but really that's only a lofty goal.

Ducks Unlimited is a national group that aims to save and preserve wetlands -- basically so ducks have a place to visit and therefore duck hunters have a place to hunt. The problem is, there are fewer and fewer wetlands in the Northwest suburbs, said group member Jeff Schroeder of Buffalo Grove.

"Ducks migrate all over the country and there just aren't a lot of farms or wetlands around here," Schroeder said. "We usually end up going to near Elgin, DeKalb, the Chain O' Lakes or near the Fox River."

New subdivisions have eaten up many wetlands formerly used by duck hunters, Schroeder said.

He has been a duck hunter for years and is the co-chair of the Northwest Suburban Ducks Unlimited chapter. There are about 350 members from Palatine, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Wheeling and Buffalo Grove.

Duck hunting is more about the thrill of hunting and not so much about shooting ducks, he said.

"Pulling the trigger lasts about one minute," he said. "We're out there on the water for eight hours and get there before the sun comes up."

And almost all duck hunters cook and eat their kill.

"It's delicious and very healthy," Schroeder said. "We eat everything we shoot. That's reason for hunting."

The Northwest Suburban chapter of Ducks Unlimited will host its annual fund-raiser banquet on Friday at Atlantis Banquets, 1273 N. Rand Road in Arlington Heights. Tickets are $65 and include a steak dinner, open bar, Ducks Unlimited membership, door raffle and gun raffle for new attendees.

Typically around 130 people attend the event, Schroeder said. For more information go to www.ducks.org and search under "Illinois."