Incredible season so far....

[Blacktail135]

 40% of the ducks I've taken this year have either been banded or are a bucket list bird. Incredible season so far!

[Stein]

What?  I've yet to see a band on a duck in western WA. I've only been at it 5-6 years or so, but haven't shot one or been on a hunt where one was shot.

Let's see some pics, must be some good bucket birds?

[vandeman17]

are you hunting really close to a banding site?

[7mmfan]

I've killed a hundred ducks in the last 5 years or so, not a hardcore hunter. I've killed one handed bird. It was banded along Columbia somewhere.

[vandeman17]

I've killed a hundred ducks in the last 5 years or so, not a hardcore hunter. I've killed one handed bird. It was banded along Columbia somewhere.

I think I have 6 bands in my career and killed tons of birds. Buddy I hunt with a lot has also killed tons of birds with no bands

[KP-Skagit]

I have hundreds of ducks to my name in Skagit County and have not shot a banded one. I have shot a few banded snows.

Be interested to hear what your bucket list birds are! I have gotten a couple firsts this season myself.

[h2ofowlr]

I got a double banded goose on the early season hunt and two weeks ago I shot two banded mallards within a week.  Always fun to see where they come from.  I haven't shot any bucket list birds this year, but I don't imagine I will unless I travel to harvest a king eider.

[Blacktail135]

 My first duck of the year was a banded Mallard drake.

[Stein]

Where do they band ducks that might spend time in Skagit?

[vandeman17]

Where do they band ducks that might spend time in Skagit?

years back I shot a duck in the basin that was 8 years old and banded in upstate new york

[Blacktail135]

 Back when I used to keep a detailed, daily journal (weather, locations, ducks, patterns, numbers etc.) of my duck hunting I figured, on average, for me, I got a duck band for about every 250 ducks.

[PatoLoco]

Where do they band ducks that might spend time in Skagit?

I have shot banded ducks in Skagit County that were banded in Alaska, western Oregon, and one mallard that I shot on Christmas Eve that was banded in August of that same year a mile away (what most would consider a "local" duck). I found it interesting that it hadn't migrated south by then.

I'd say the majority of banded ducks shot in Skagit that I have heard of were banded in AK.

[Mfowl]

My buddy got a band on opening day a few years ago near Othello that was from California in August of the same year. I shot a drake mallard last year near Othello that came back as a wood duck from Idaho. The band itself was much smaller than other mallard bands I have, I have no doubt that it was meant for a wood duck.

[h2ofowlr]

Where do they band ducks that might spend time in Skagit?

Majority of the banded birds harvested in Skagit county are from Wrangle Island, Alaska, B.C. and Oregon.  Over the years they have also done limited banding in Skagit County, Snohomish County, Whatcom County and Island County.  Some of the locally banded ones I have harvested were Stanwood, Fir Island, Conway, Oak Harbor, Wiser Lake and Slater Rd.

[WSU]

I've only got two out of hundreds of birds.  One was a mallard from Alberta (shot in Monroe area) and one was a teal from the Yukon delta (shot in Olympia area).