Shot my first banded duck today

[big game hunter]

Well the ducks had slowed down and it was beginning to rain so my friend went to go get the boat and I stayed back to see if i could get a few more and sure enough two drake mallards came flying into my decoys while I was looking away so I jumped up shot the first one ( which was banded ) then shot the other one. As did i not know my friend had saw the whole thing happen so he came over and picked up one of them then i went over to the "banded" one and grabbed it but its leg was caught on its wing so i undid it and sure enough there was some jewelry hanging from it

[Atroxus]

Congrats! 

I am curious though, I keep seeing posts about banded birds. Is there something special about getting banded birds vs non-banded birds?

[jplmyers]

Bird bands...They are an uncommon treat... they tell you all sorts of info about the duck, where it was tagged, etc.  Reporting the bird also gives information to biologists about where ducks are going, how many are making it year to year, etc

Here's a nice little photo essay from Ducks Unlimited about it.

http://www.ducks.org/conservation/photo-essay-waterfowl-bands

[johnnyaustin44]

Cool deal. love getting a band. you'll remember that forever as I'm site your buddy will

[BOWHUNTER45]

BigGameHunter ...looks like a duck shoot to me  Not a big game shoot by any means  good job !

[X-Force]

Looks like a great day on the water.

[Atroxus]

Bird bands...They are an uncommon treat... they tell you all sorts of info about the duck, where it was tagged, etc.  Reporting the bird also gives information to biologists about where ducks are going, how many are making it year to year, etc

Here's a nice little photo essay from Ducks Unlimited about it.

http://www.ducks.org/conservation/photo-essay-waterfowl-bands

Very cool. Thanks for the link. 

[hdshot]

I'll never forget my first band.  I was shooting a ton of ducks one year and my Brother brought his bosses kid.  So I blasted a greenhead out of a flock in the hole and said nice shot dude.  He said what? I said yes you shot that drake dead in the hole right?!!  He said aahh yes?!!!  Well Sure as poop it had a band and he never turned the info in.

[RifleRidge]

Nice ducks...

[MP123]

I shot a double banded mallard last season.  Besides the regular band it had a $100 reward band.  And sure enough after a few months they actually sent me a check!  That was one day I made money duck hunting...

[h2ofowlr]

Congrats!  Always exciting to find upon retrieval of your bird.