08/09 Season "Waterfowl Jewelry"

[ThePascoKid]

A lot of the people on here are trophy hunters or else there wouldn't be so much talk about a 190" this or a 370" that.  By the way I have never shot 25 coots in my whole life and probably wouldn't waste the shells. Any one here ever shoot crows what's the difference you don't eat crow.

[General Disarray]

I trophy hunt ducks, nothing wrong with it, the birds still get cleaned and eaten...

If the conditions are right and the birds are there, i'll sit there all morning or afternoon looking for bands.  To me it's the ultimate to finish so many birds, so close that you might actually spot a band and then try to make a shot on it.  Not to mention, I enjoy being out there.  If I shot the first 7 birds that came in, I'd be gone in an hour or two and why not stay out there and enjoy what I'm doing.

[sisu]

Coot...? YUK! May as well drain the fish bowl and lick the sides.

[h2ofowlr]

I usually only try to shoot mallards and a few wigeon towards seasons end. 
Attached a picture of Charles hunt from Oregon.

[The Weazle]

I have been shooting ducks/geese for over 20 years and have never gotten a band...My time will come...Hopefully...

[h2ofowlr]

Your odds increase the more your out.  I was hunting about 5 days a week.  When we had the winter storm. I think I hunted 17 days in a row. Between the group I hunted with I think we shot 11 banded birds in one week.  Overall it was a great year.

[benbo30]

so whats the deal with the bands ,  something special , im new to the duck hunting scene this next season will be my first , also how is duck meat which is better

[boneaddict]

some bands are worth money.  They give you some sort of history on the bird you shot.  I would say Mallards are probably some of the best.  In general, puddle ducks good, diver ducks like goldeneye etc, not as good.  All depends on your pallet

[boneaddict]

reading up the thread....Coot, oh my gosh, there are a couple things I will not eat.  That would be one of those things.

[Sawbuck]

I just started duck hunting a couple of years ago, mainly field hunting, but have been able to round up four banded mallards two each year. This year I was really shocked when I picked up a drake and it not only had a locate band, but also a $50 dollar reward band on the other leg. It was awesome to get paid to hunt My buddy told me to hurry up and turn it in before the government goes totally broke.

[Thenewguy]

I sure hope hunters don't shoot high numbers of birds just for the intent on retrieving more bands 

Kind of like trophy hunting.. In it for horns instead of the meat.

Yet you eats the meat still no?

[Sawbuck]

Yeah, the neighbor down the road makes awesome duck jerky and sausage. The bands aren't the goal, just something extra, always eat the ducks I shoot.

[h2ofowlr]

Picture of one of my banded snow geese that I had mounted.

[lokidog]

A side-note to the band thread....Coots are actually not bad.  They have huge, I mean 2/3 the size of the breast, gizzards, so if you're a giz fan, them's the birds.  Also, if you fillet out the breast and season it like a steak, pan sear it, it tastes about like a venison steak, but more tender.

I never did understand shiney, jingly pieces of metal on a, frequently, camouflaged lanyard hanging off a very camoed hunter.

 

[Abolt338]

From this season:

Gaddy Hen .

One Redhead Drake (sorry for the bad condition, but he got swatted a couple times) .

RW