We have a spectacular offer for Forum Members only! Many of you contacted us, asking for the opportunity to participate in the Silent Auction that benefits the Jesse West Research Endowment at SDSU. Last year�s proceeds from the endowment went to Melissa Wuellner to buy observation tanks for her work on walleye and smallmouth bass interactions. Melissa will be one of the speakers at the annual conference this year. We�ve also used those tanks for work on the endangered pallid sturgeon. This year�s proceeds went to Justin VanDeHey, who is working on a cool new technique to assess food habits from fish tissue, fin clips, and scales. It turns out that different diets will create a different �signature� in the fish. We�ll have Justin come to next year�s conference and report on his results. However, we are hoping for a very exciting research opportunity. We think we can go back and get walleye scale samples from 20 years ago, before smallmouth bass were introduced, and then compare their diet signatures with current walleye samples after the smallies have been introduced. If this works, how cool will that be??
THE OFFER: Grand Pondmeister Bob Lusk agreed that a Forum-only auction would be a good idea. As you read earlier, he offered to provide four slots for people to spend the night with Debbie and him on July 13 at Lusk Lodge II. That is the day following the 2nd Annual Pond Boss Conference and Expo in Dallas. Dr. Bruce Condello, one of our Forum Moderators and a master angler, will also be at the house. You can arrive Sunday morning, July 13, and spend the day with Bruce, Debbie and Bob catching big bluegill, bass and catfish from several of the 8 ponds at Lusk Lodge II. Then, Bob will cook some of the fish for lunch and create another great meal that night. From personal experience, I can assure you that his meals are on the master-chef level! Monday morning will bring more fishing and visiting as everyone basks in the afterglow of the Pond Boss Conference and Expo.
PROCEDURE FOR BIDDING: We will use this Forum topic/thread for bids. If you are interested, please post your bid for Seat 1, Seat 2, Seat 3, or Seat 4. The auction will be open through noon (Forum time, which is eastern time) on May 23, 2008. Non-bidding forum members are highly encouraged to kibitz, and keep up the pressure on the bidders.
Wait, I didn�t really have to say that, did I? I couldn�t stop that from happening, even if I wanted to do so.
At the end of the bidding, the four winners will be asked to send checks to Dave Willis, Box 2140B, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007. Please make checks payable to �SDSU Foundation� and in the memo line of the check, please write �Jesse West Research Endowment.�
Thanks to all Forum members for your interest in the two auctions. We sincerely appreciate your assistance, and we�ll continually update you on the good works of the endowment through the magazine, forum, etc.
