How many bands

[Jerome]

Between three of us hunting buddies we have had some fantastic days in the blind but have only took three bands.  Two mallards which i had no part in shooting and then this goose that me and another buddy are still fighting over who shot it.  Anybody else had any luck.  And for the record i shot the goose.

[sisu]

Neighbor's son got two on one duck his very first season this year. The dad got a $100 dollar band.

[WACATHUNTER]

I've got 8-10 over the last 12 or so years, but none worth any money.  I got one two years ago, sat there all morning and finally decoyed a drake and folded him as he was kicking on his back I spotted the ever elusive band.  One shot one band in 5 hours of hunting, it sure livened things up!!!
WACAT

[WAmuleyHunter]

i have one band, got it a few years ago, if you want bands go up to alberta and Sask, they are ever where.

[Choclab]

Thats a really cool picture. Did you or someone you know take it?

[Choclab]

Thats cool. I would like to donate some of my time to the bird banding guys. If they ever need and extra couple of guys, let me know

[GOcougsHunter]

I've killed hundreds of ducks and geese (strictly in WA) and have never got a single band...  For those guys who are shooting them here in WA, what species are you getting the bands from?

And... do they band locally?  I thought most of the banding occurred up in BC, AK and AB?  If they do it locally, I wonder if DU or Washington Waterfowler's Association have any information

[Choclab]

Where do you mainly duck and goose hunt? If you ain't in a fly way with alot of migrators, you'll never get a band. Alot of mallard hens are banded. Thats the most common banded bird.

[GOcougsHunter]

Choclab,
I have shot ducks in Sequim, in the Skagit, near Chehalis, Potholes, and Snake River...  The only flyway I haven't really been in is the Yakima or the Pacific Coast.  I rarely shoot Suzies, so... that would explain some of why I'm not seeing bands. 

I've seen bands on Swans' necks in the skagit.. But, I'm not going to jail for one of those (ha ha)

[boneaddict]

Thats an awesome picture.  What a gorgeous bird.

[Choclab]

Thats is strange that you havn't had any band luck at the potholes, that is a pretty decent migrator route. You'll probably be one of those people who never gets bands and shoots a double banded reward bird....lol

[GOcougsHunter]

Me and my buddies have taken probably 300 ducks out of the reservoir and the seep lakes area over the last 10 years and none of us have any jewelery.  The duck Gods do not shine on us for the bands...  I did pick up a few at last year's WA Waterfowler Assoc auction, but thought it probably bad form to put them on my lanyard.

[Choclab]

HAHAHA...I won't tell if you don't. I ain't to big on bands either. I only have a few. I usually put duck and goose bands on my call lanyard, and all the pheasant bands on my e-collar lanyard.

[General Disarray]

Me and my buddies have taken probably 300 ducks out of the reservoir and the seep lakes area over the last 10 years and none of us have any jewelery.  The duck Gods do not shine on us for the bands...  I did pick up a few at last year's WA Waterfowler Assoc auction, but thought it probably bad form to put them on my lanyard.

just doing the math here, you and your buddies have shot 300 over 10 years? so an average of about 10 birds per guy per year? It does have a lot to do with luck but only shooting 10 birds a year won't get many bands in the blind.  Just as a rough number we average about 1 band per 100 ducks(95% mallards).  Some years are different than others like 05-06 I shot one band out of over 300 ducks.  My buddies were all around 4 to 7 for the same type of numbers.  Last year I didn't touch one until Dec 17th, but then I shot 4 in less than 2 weeks, 3 of them in 4 days.  I'm primarily hunting Yakima and the Tri-Cities areas and we get a fair mix of Alberta/BC/WA/ID/OR bands.  Most of the washington birds come out of the Valley here or Potholes.  I'd have to say between me and the 3 guys I hunt with the most we probably have somewhere around 125 between us since the late 80's.

Just saying you can't expect bands to fall into your lap when you're averaging 10 birds a year.

[GOcougsHunter]

General,
Good point, but, we also do a lot of shooting on the Westside and down on the Snake and Columbia.  We have more than doubled that number, overall.  I do like the 1 per 100 ratio idea.