AM I THE ONLY ONE????

[teul2]

I went 20+ years.

[DeltaCotton12]

One in 6 years. Female Wood duck.

[jacksbuddy]

Y'all are ALL lyin'!!!!! I have been duck hunting for what seems like eons - ok, several decades (no kidding). Been on many extremely successful hunts all over the Delta. Killed a bunch of birds myself, and been with others who have done the same. Ain't never been on a hunt where a banded duck was harvested. Therefore, until I am proven wrong by me personally getting one during a hunt, I must categorically conclude that there ain't no such thing as a banded duck. Ever'body gets 'em off of E-Bay

[grik]

Hunted with one buddy maybe 15 times over the course of past couple of years --- during those 15 hunts, he's killed a banded greenhead, banded snow goose (with neck collar) and banded drake pintail ---- the odds of that (15 hunts and 3 bands) have got to be on up there.

[Nitro Mag]

I went about 7 years(hunting probably 40+days a season) before I finally killed one with a band. I ended up killing 3 with bands that year. I havent killed one since and its been about 10+years now. But I don't duck hunt like I used to either, only go once or twice a year now.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Only one band in over 30 years of duck hunting.

IF gadwalls and GWteal were a much bigger part of the banding program, I would probably look like Fred Zink on crack.

But, think about it. Your odds of killing a banded duck depends in large part upon where you hunt and what type of ducks you predominantly kill. The banding program apparently is focused upon a relative few banding areas and only particular species of ducks. Thus, if those banded ducks usually migrate to certain areas that are not in the area that you usually hunt, then you have little to no chance to kill a banded duck.

And just what is a banded duck anyway? A government employee captures the duck and places upon the duck's foot a metal band with an identifying number for later tracking, assuming you call in the number on the band. That's it. Its really nothing that special. Its not like the duck grew it ---- like an oyster growing a pearl. Its just a manmade trinket One way to look at it is that only the inferior, more tame ducks get fooled into being captured and banded in the first place. The superior wilder, more wiley ducks evade such capture and banding. And these superior wild, wiley ducks are the ones that I harvest. The ducks with those bands are inferior specimens of the particular duck species that were too stupid to evade capture and banding.

So, there ya go. Don't sweat it, fellow no banded duck killers. Just keep on enjoying the harvest for its real value --- great tablefare, and an occasional great mount.

[NIPP1]

21 years hunting-5 bands, can only prove two since I lost a lanyard. Been on a dry stretch the last 5 years but kids will diminish your days and ducks

[rebelduckaholic]

Killed 3 in 4 days then went 13 years before another. So who knows it just happens

[mudsucker]

Been hunting since 1982. No bands but I do not get to go but a couple times a year here lately!

[davidees]

I started duck hunting in 1994. I have killed a couple thousand ducks and not a single band. Took my buddy on his first duck hunt in '97 and his first duck was a banded green head and he lost the band the same day.

[js]

I'm 35 and have been hunting since I was 13 and have yet to see a duck killed with a band so don't feel bad

[72broncojp]

30+ years for me and not nary a duck band

[feather]

I've hunted them since 1975 and only gotten two...been about ten years or so now.

[Money]

Band on the Run?

[digger]

Been duck hunting since I was 4 fixing to turn 48 no band's but the group I hunt with useally get a couple a yr.We have a banded teal this yr killed by 1 of the kid's in our group.