[sprigs4days]

Starting to see more birds. Next couple of months should be good. This cold winter we’re having should keep ‘em moving. Scratched out a couple mallards today.

 

[ohio mike]

Caught this one under water after a battle. Took over ten minutes for a 50 plus water retrieve on a big banded goose.

 

[sprigs4days]

View attachment 478150

 

[sprigs4days]

 

[HNTFSH]

View attachment 478152

Still seems like yesterday he was a pup. Good job. You guys mainly going out solo?

 

[sprigs4days]

Still seems like yesterday he was a pup. Good job. You guys mainly going out solo?

As much as possible. Have to admit, I prefer it that way. The older I get the more I wanna it to stay that way.

 

[HNTFSH]

As much as possible. Have to admit, I prefer it that way. The older I get the more I wanna it to stay that way.

Totally get it.

 

[sprigs4days]

 

[firebird]

double retrieve on mallards and earlier in the day my chessie Judge retrieves a big canada

 

[ohio mike]

Caught this one under water after a battle. Took over ten minutes for a 50 plus water retrieve on a big banded goose. View attachment 478138

Brought some jewelry imported from Canada.

 

[HNTFSH]

Brought some jewelry imported from Canada. View attachment 478178

Always a huge surprise (for me anyway) when there's jewelry. The sole goose band we've got was a long crossing shot in pretty foggy conditions about 30 minutes into sunlight. A string of Geese came off a pond and were flying single file and while I aimed at the lead bird, the 3rd one back dropped. I blame the fog.

After getting the bird info back I learned the bird was banded within a mile of where I shot it. 😂 Which means all of those birds were probably family banded.

That pic is hilarious, I didn't quite understated it till you explained it to me. Big goose, belly up, comes alive on the dogs way out and the tussle ensues with the bashtard diving and evading/fighting off ole Brick.

Good dog!

 

[Rick Hall]

You may have come along too late, HNT. At least in the SE corner of the state, it seemed like every third Canada was banded in the '70s. Virtually all were "giants" banded nearby by a DNR still excited by the prospect of having resident geese. Was a little like shooting put-and-take birds other people had handled first, and I had a fair start on a cigar box of them by the time I moved. Eventually gave that box of bands to a Memphis banker disappointed by not shooting anything banded down here and thought he might wet himself.

Haven't kept a band longer than it took to find a kid with a duck call since.

 

[HNTFSH]

You may have come along too late, HNT. At least in the SE corner of the state, it seemed like every third Canada was banded in the '70s. Virtually all were "giants" banded nearby by a DNR still excited by the prospect of having resident geese. Was a little like shooting put-and-take birds other people had handled first, and I had a fair start on a cigar box of them by the time I moved. Eventually gave that box of bands to a Memphis banker disappointed by not shooting anything banded down here and thought he might wet himself.

Haven't kept a band longer than it took to find a kid with a duck call since.

I've often thought 150 years too late (used to say 100 but to stay current I have to keep adding years). Funny on the banker; knowing bankers, he's still got it. Or a grandchild may.

I put the goose band on my old Coyote Leather 3 drop. It was Knothead's first goose and at the distance we dropped him wing broke the goose was a handful like Mike's. The band signified a banding location one of my best and productive locations for both ducks and roosters. The lanyard hangs in the garage and will be handed down to someone I love who probably won't care that much.

The sole duck band I have was a complete surprise from the Plond. Hen Mallard from Canada. Keep that on my key chain as a keep sake and every once in awhile some kid at an auto service center who handles it will notice and say "cool...you're a duck hunter" which signifies they are too but not yet stumbled across a banded bird.

If I ever get enough to start filling a cigar box you'll know two things. One, I have moved. Two, someone got a gift of a couple dozen cigars.

 

[Rick Hall]

The neatest thing about bands is when I see them first and get to angrily demand, "Who shot that bird? I need to know who shot that bird!" Then, when my guys are silently thinking someone messed up and shot something protected, I get to add, "Then I guess you'll have to arm wrestle for the band."

The next neatest is when one of our hunters shoots one I helped band. Likely had my hands on a "trophy spoon" one of my guys shot on last year's last day. And another of our blinds shot a blue-wing this past September that likely passed through my hands last spring.

 

[ohio mike]

This discussion makes me want to find my very small collection and gift it to the two duck hunting Grandkids in Michigan. The very same ones that HNT/FSH gifted enough equipment to get them started.

 

[sprigs4days]

Guess I’m lucky I got one. Two if you count my dove band. Put some time in for those damn things.

 

[HNTFSH]

This discussion makes me want to find my very small collection and gift it to the two duck hunting Grandkids in Michigan. The very same ones that HNT/FSH gifted enough equipment to get them started.

I wanted to get back to this Ohio Mike post. His grand kids are better men than I as they were kind enough to not only thank me in an email for the waterfowl stuff I'd passed to Mike but followed with some pics of birds they killed and the fun they were having. THAT is what we all want to see and appreciate as a younger generation of kids fall in love with the sport. Boys were raised right and gives me faith in youngsters these days.

 

[sprigs4days]

 

[HNTFSH]

View attachment 478305

Just another day at the office.

 

[sprigs4days]