The end? Bird bands.

[hdshot]

Sad to see bird banding could be near the end.

“allows the USFWS to gain information needed to know how to set bag limits”

“Bands are vital to knowing how to properly allow hunters to chase ducks.”

“crucial element in how bag limits and season dates are set“

https://www.wildfowlmag.com/editorial/budget-cuts-bring-the-end-of-bird-banding/528121


“The lab falls under the U. S. Geological Survey’s Ecosystem Mission Area”
“proposed budget would see funding reduced to $29 million, from $293 million.“

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/hunters-not-happy-with-funding-cuts-to-bird-banding-laboratory/article_c4df0378-9840-49f0-8865-459ad19bc682.amp.html

[Knocker of rocks]

Choices do have consequences

[BIGINNER]

I thought that the funding for this came from the duck stamps and migretory bird validations each hunter has to buy.... 

[hdshot]

I thought that the funding for this came from the duck stamps and migretory bird validations each hunter has to buy....

The migratory bird validation falls under what the state wants hunters to buy. The federal duck stamp mainly covers wetland conservation. 

https://www.fws.gov/program/federal-duck-stamp#:~:text=Since%201934%2C%20sales%20from%20Federal,to%20enjoy%20these%20outdoor%20spaces.

The very basic version, Banding migratory birds such as ducks falls under federal control due to treaties with other countries. 

[JBG]

The alpacas are not going to like this one bit.

[EnglishSetter]

I'm not an avid waterfowler, but I'm not sure what MORE information can be gleaned from banding birds.  We have a lot of historical data.

[bigtex]

I'm not an avid waterfowler, but I'm not sure what MORE information can be gleaned from banding birds.  We have a lot of historical data.

Migration patterns change, populations change, etc. Why do we still have studies on all other species? Don't we know enough about deer, Elk, etc.?

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[EnglishSetter]

I'm not an avid waterfowler, but I'm not sure what MORE information can be gleaned from banding birds.  We have a lot of historical data.

Migration patterns change, populations change, etc. Why do we still have studies on all other species? Don't we know enough about deer, Elk, etc.?

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

We don't band  other species (rare exception).  There's a host of other studies in parallel. 

I'm not saying it's useless, but I'm saying there's little real time data.  Very small snapshots in a large population.  So you turn in a band number of a 5 year old bird.  Kinda cool to get the data, but what changes or what stays the same? 

[ganghis]

Bands on waterfowl are used to estimate annual survival rate and hunting mortality rate which directly feed into the adaptive management models used to set harvest regulations.  Basically, good survival --> more hunting, bad survival --> less hunting.  Without those data there's more uncertainty which will typically lead to lower quotas.  Unless they say 'to hell with it, scientists are idiots, let the people hunt all they want'.   That's the way things are headed in this country.   

[Stein]

Except our wildlife commission which says to heck with science, don't let people hunt.