[mallard]

I was at the lagoons lastnight and seen 4 banded geese,2 adults,and 2 young ones(same location).Any one hear if there was a banding crew out there?

 

[Matt Jones]

MN has been banding the crap out of the geese this year...especially in the NW part of the state. So guys gunning eastern Nodak might see an increase in "aluminum collection" this fall. :wink: They're trying to prove to the USFWS that most of the geese being shot are locals and not EPP. So they're banding geese all over the state. The NW has always had different restrictions during the early season because of the migrant EPP's which is why they are banding a lot of geese there this year.

I think ND needs to start doing some banding programs so they can better set the early season. We might be giving up that third week this year for no reason. :******:

 

[Matt Jones]

I also saw where the DNR posted something on waterfowler to not tell anybody about banding locations after some guy spilled the beans on a big banding they did around *******...over 500 geese banded the first time (and they were going to band another area hoping to get just as many the next day)...here's the kicker, every third adult banded got a green $100 reward band in addition to the regular USFWS band! They ended up putting 50 of those suckers on!

The DNR doesn't want word getting out because it will probably increase the kill in that area with guys chasing bands and then mess up their data. Now who would go and do something like that??? :wink:

I've never even heard about using the green reward bands on anything but ducks...but HOLY **** wouldn't that be sweet dropping one of those guys!!!