DuckSouth.com

found a band in my grand-pa's tackle box......i'm past mid-aged and my grand-pa was born in 1902..... wondered how to get info on the band?


curious....

judge jb

What type of a band is it? If it's a USFWS band call the 1 800 number. I would think that they would still have record of it. Maybe not. It would be worth a call to try to find out. If you find out, please let us know what year it was banned.

Yep, try the 1-800-327-Band number. If no luck there, then try e-mailing them. I don't have an e-mail address for them but do a search for USFWS Bird Banding Lab. If still no luck let me know, and I will try it on my end. It sounds like you have true treasure. For some reason, I don't think I'll see that band on E-bay!

not having any luck on band info. the i-800-band people said it was not their band. here is what is on the band

notify dept of conservation
Springfield
date 1939
G
band # 8###

any help would be appreciated

judge jb

Could it be a state band?

Judge try the following:

Illinois Department of Natural Resources
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702-1271
217/782-6302

Website: http://dnr.state.il.us/

Also:
Missouri Department of Conservation
Southwest Regional Office
2630 N. Mayfair
Springfield, MO 65803
(417) 895-6880

Website: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/

Judge, try this phone number....301-497-5943. This is the # to the Federal Duck Banding Lab.

Sorry that I can be of no further help, but let us know what you find. This is getting interesting.

is there sum number that you can call to find out when iam gonna kill one with sum jewlery? probably setting myself up for that one.....

Judge et al.,
This is really fascinating to me. Frederick Lincoln, who used banding to delineate the modern flyways (Pacific, Central, etc.) started his banding program in Illinois. Shortly thereafter Frank Bellrose and I believe Jessop Low and Art Hawkins banded many ducks in that area in the late 1930's before they were called to war. Many of these banding efforts were through the Illinois Natural History Survey. My GUESS (and that's all it is) is you are the proud owner of one of the first and early bands used on waterfowl, perhaps placed on that mallard by the pioneers of waterfowl science.

The reason this is especially interesting to me is because I just finished my PhD here at MSU studying waterfowl, and will be moving next week to Illinois to conduct waterfowl research with the Illinois Natural History Survey at the Frank Bellrose waterfowl research station.

No guarantees, but I will ask around and see if any of those old records exist. If so, I may be able to track it down.

Neat stuff!

Josh

great deal Ringbill... i have made every attempt to get some info on this band with no success.... calls to Ill. and Mo. have not given me any clue to this band.... it only say's Springfield... the girl at the 1-800 number seems to think this was a Ill. band but she couldn't be proof positive... they have been more than nice and have helped me in any way they could.... and yes SB, she told me not to sell on e-bay......haha....

in reallity, might be best if i don't know the info....it will remain a gift from my grand-pa.... a trinket for good luck in the coming years...

PRICE-LESS

judge jb

by the way, Ringbill, i would really like to know.........thanks.....


judge jb

Judge,
I promise I will follow up on it. If you could PM me the complete band reading...all numbers that will help. It sure would be awesome. If I can't track down the band I bet they could tell me if it was one from their early banding program. To me it would be an heirloom of countless worth...far exceeding the couple hundered bucks it might bring on ebay. It's literally piece of North American waterfowling history. In my opinion it's more meaningful than an early Jack Miner.

I'll do my best!

Josh

Ringbill, you are da man, it looks like you are going to solve the mystery..