AM I THE ONLY ONE????

[GulfCoast]

I was there when Webfoot/Harden (rip, buddy) killed his Minor banded greenhead. Dude freaked slap da frick OUT! Never seen a man so happy. Sorry it did not last for him.

[legends of the lower mars]

I have been duck hunting since 1978 and have yet to kill one with a band.

I took a guy on his first duck hunt back in the 90's and he kills a banded Can and on a latter trip another guy kills a banded teal... Oh, the agony...

[slim jim]

The 3 i killed was in the 08-09 season . 1 was banded in mill's lake, northwest territories, canada. another 1 was banded at valders, manitowoc county, wisconsin. the last 1 was banded around goodrich, sheridan county, north dakota. they were banded in different spots but were killed in the same hole.

[Northbigmuddy]

I figured as much. The only band that has come out of my spot was last year. I took my brother for his first duck hunt in like 5 years. We both shot at the bird and I was pretty confident that my shot dropped it. Didn't know it was banded until we picked em up. My brother claimed it....sleaze.

[ChadL03]

So my question is...is it possible to collect hundreds of bands or are those guys with the loaded lanyards just frauds?

I don't see someone from MS killing 100's of duck bands unless they are lucky as all get out. Someone from a state up north that has 100+ duck bands and hunts regularly near a fall banding site would be believable. The only person that I know of that has a lanyard full of bands is my buddy who lives outside of MS. He is a guide and hunts close to 100 days each year. More than half of his bands are goose bands though. I think it is alot easier to get a lanyard full of goose bands if you are hunting in the right area.

[Anatidae]

It's interesting to ponder various scenarios of how to increase the odds, but I conclude killing banded birds is a product of opportunity and luck. Obviously if you hunt a lot of days, have access to good hunting grounds, experience a true migration 'to' your area, and kill 100+ birds a year, your odds should increase. Otherwise, in my own case, there's a lot of luck involved.

My wife hasn't killed a banded bird since 2005-06. That bird was the only banded bird we've killed in 9 trips to Saskatchewan (excluding the one killed by our host, this year - see story http://www.ducksouth.com/phpbb/viewtopi ... 4&t=107378).

A woodie banded in Ware Illinois ended my 7 year drought last January 27th. That's the 2nd wood duck (of 4 banded) I've taken that was banded in Ware, IL.

I wrote a story about a unique year in which my wife and I killed 5 banded birds in a 2-week period back in 2000-01. She killed 2 in the same day and one on the next day. One of her ducks and one of mine (same prefix - 1255 digits apart in their band numbers) were killed 8 days apart less than a 1/2 mile from each other. They were banded 8 days apart by the same bander, in the same location in Plumas, MB - 6 years prior. Makes you wonder if they traveled together for those 6 years.......I think it's more than coincidence.

Just hang in there - In my experience, bands usually come in streaks if you stay 'at it' long enough.

[Caller1]

Seen a few. Three double banded mallards, three banded and collared geese, several single band snows, banded teal pintail blue bill mallards AND A black duck, gotta Jack Miner..

.Best story was in the 80's my uncle ( I wasn't there) had 5 mallards come into decoys. He shot 3 down. All banded and one had a backpack antennae on it! Coated in tar, cool looking deal. He had the worst luck/terrible episode.... He let my cousin take his call ( old style ps olt with keyhole) and lanyard (full of bands) out hunting, also in the eighties....cousin lost the lanyard in the water never to be seen again.

Always check the legs.... Same uncle left my dad to clean a pile of birds, dad found two bands!

[augustus_65]

I have hunted ducks in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas and Maryland over the past 15 years. I would guestimate the number of birds I have either taken personally or on hunts of which I was a part to number into the thousands. Of all those hunts, I have only been on one hunt in which a banded duck was killed and that was a banded wood duck killed ten miles from my house in a beaver pond in Alabama. I think its just plain old luck.

[hottytoddy]

a couple of crazy band stories:

1) We had a guy show up with a guest at our camp one morning. He had barely made a work day prior to the hunt. He was asking where to go and we sent him to a blind that had barely enough water in it to flush a turd. Not the 1st duck had been seen in there in two weeks. Nontheless, they came out with a double banded mallet that had a reward.

2) Christmas Eve 2005, I witnessed 3 bands harvested that morning. 2 drake mallards and a drake pintail.

I had 2 bands on my lanyard that got broken and fell in the water. I never got them back but i still have their certificates. I guess i could laminate them and put on my lanyard. LOL

[hntrpat1]

I killed five banded birds last year

[Anatidae]

I killed five banded birds last year

Sez Poule D'eau?

[hntrpat1]

Three mallards a teal and woodduck. Can't beat that. I was going to shoot a banded mallard this morning but alas I have a flat tire on the truck.

[Anatidae]

Sez Bon au la canards. 'Surprised there wasn't a Dos Gris mixed-in there. Keep it up!

[hntrpat1]

I $#!+ a dos gris that was banded a few years ago but somebody claimed it and I wasn't gonna fight over it.

[BamaK9]

I think since Bama sux for ducks the duck gods had to throw me a few bones over the years. I've killed 12, 11 green heads and one friggin ringmeck. One of my hunting partners has killed 2 reward bands andn3 jack minors so he definitely has a rabbit foot up his booty I haven't killed me personally since 08 tho, seen 1 minor and 3 Feds since then so hopefully my ticket will get punched again soon!