First Band of the Year

[BIGDOG253]

Got my first band of the year on a Greenhead  . It was banded this year, in the Basin somewhere. Not too far away from where he was shot.

Anyone else get any bands yet? Where was it banded?

[92xj]

This year in the basin as well. Was my first greenhead of the year on the opener.

[NW-GSP]

I've been hunting waterfowl for eleven years and have shot plenty of ducks but have never harvested one with a band.

[sakoshooter]

Congrats. 

[EWUeagles]

Never got a duck band but have a couple goose bands. Congrats on the first band of the year!

[BIGDOG253]

Our group got two more bands this weekend    We haven't checked where they were banded yet, but the duck on the left had some BRIGHT orange feet so I am thinking it was banded way up north.

[270Shooter]

Our group got two more bands this weekend    We haven't checked where they were banded yet, but the duck on the left had some BRIGHT orange feet so I am thinking it was banded way up north.

while it certainly could be from up north due to the excessive cold and migrations. The red color of the legs has nothing to do with a bird being a "northerner" rather it has to do with their breeding plumage.

[HunterDan03]

Our group got two more bands this weekend    We haven't checked where they were banded yet, but the duck on the left had some BRIGHT orange feet so I am thinking it was banded way up north.

while it certainly could be from up north due to the excessive cold and migrations. The red color of the legs has nothing to do with a bird being a "northerner" rather it has to do with their breeding plumage.

THANK YOU!!! Someone finally gets it!!

[duckmen1]

It seems that certain strips of flyways see a lot of bands where others see close to none. My last trip put me up to an even 200 ducks just this season and last combined. Been hunting ducks for 13 years. Still haven't got one. So seems I'm on the wrong strip of the flyway for bands.
Great job guys

[270Shooter]

It seems that certain strips of flyways see a lot of bands where others see close to none. My last trip put me up to an even 200 ducks just this season and last combined. Been hunting ducks for 13 years. Still haven't got one. So seems I'm on the wrong strip of the flyway for bands.
Great job guys

I've been hunting ducks about 5 or 6 years now and I've killed 8 bands. All of them were banded in wa. And nearly all of those were from the yakima valley which is where I hunt 95% of the time.

[h2ofowlr]

It seems that certain strips of flyways see a lot of bands where others see close to none. My last trip put me up to an even 200 ducks just this season and last combined. Been hunting ducks for 13 years. Still haven't got one. So seems I'm on the wrong strip of the flyway for bands.
Great job guys

Some also have the opportunity to hunt near banding locations, so your odds of shooting one go up significantly.   

[BIGDOG253]

It seems that certain strips of flyways see a lot of bands where others see close to none. My last trip put me up to an even 200 ducks just this season and last combined. Been hunting ducks for 13 years. Still haven't got one. So seems I'm on the wrong strip of the flyway for bands.
Great job guys

I've been hunting ducks about 5 or 6 years now and I've killed 8 bands. All of them were banded in wa. And nearly all of those were from the yakima valley which is where I hunt 95% of the time.

Our group got two more bands this weekend    We haven't checked where they were banded yet, but the duck on the left had some BRIGHT orange feet so I am thinking it was banded way up north.

while it certainly could be from up north due to the excessive cold and migrations. The red color of the legs has nothing to do with a bird being a "northerner" rather it has to do with their breeding plumage.

THANK YOU!!! Someone finally gets it!!

You guys were right! It was banded in Yakima and hatched in 2012. I always thought those bright legs meant it was a "northerner". You don't see them a whole lot in the early season.

[270Shooter]

It seems that certain strips of flyways see a lot of bands where others see close to none. My last trip put me up to an even 200 ducks just this season and last combined. Been hunting ducks for 13 years. Still haven't got one. So seems I'm on the wrong strip of the flyway for bands.
Great job guys

I've been hunting ducks about 5 or 6 years now and I've killed 8 bands. All of them were banded in wa. And nearly all of those were from the yakima valley which is where I hunt 95% of the time.

Our group got two more bands this weekend    We haven't checked where they were banded yet, but the duck on the left had some BRIGHT orange feet so I am thinking it was banded way up north.

while it certainly could be from up north due to the excessive cold and migrations. The red color of the legs has nothing to do with a bird being a "northerner" rather it has to do with their breeding plumage.

THANK YOU!!! Someone finally gets it!!

You guys were right! It was banded in Yakima and hatched in 2012. I always thought those bright legs meant it was a "northerner". You don't see them a whole lot in the early season.

that's because as the season goes on the birds are getting closer to the mating time. When there is an increase in breeding hormons their feet become very bright orange. Where at in the valley was it banded out of curiosity?

[BIGDOG253]

It seems that certain strips of flyways see a lot of bands where others see close to none. My last trip put me up to an even 200 ducks just this season and last combined. Been hunting ducks for 13 years. Still haven't got one. So seems I'm on the wrong strip of the flyway for bands.
Great job guys

I've been hunting ducks about 5 or 6 years now and I've killed 8 bands. All of them were banded in wa. And nearly all of those were from the yakima valley which is where I hunt 95% of the time.

Our group got two more bands this weekend    We haven't checked where they were banded yet, but the duck on the left had some BRIGHT orange feet so I am thinking it was banded way up north.

while it certainly could be from up north due to the excessive cold and migrations. The red color of the legs has nothing to do with a bird being a "northerner" rather it has to do with their breeding plumage.

THANK YOU!!! Someone finally gets it!!

You guys were right! It was banded in Yakima and hatched in 2012. I always thought those bright legs meant it was a "northerner". You don't see them a whole lot in the early season.

that's because as the season goes on the birds are getting closer to the mating time. When there is an increase in breeding hormons their feet become very bright orange. Where at in the valley was it banded out of curiosity?

Didnt get any more details other than it was banded in Yakima. The other bird was banded in Moses Lake in August 2015.

I still have yet to get a band from anywhere other than Washington. All my bands have been out of Moses Lake, Yakima, or Olympia.

[Fungunnin]

Got my first band this year. Wigeon hen banded in Cali in March of 2014