Duck Band Etiquette

So this incident happened to me over the wknd. Already done and overwith but just wondering what the rest of y'all would do in the same situation.

Here's the cenerio(Names have been changed for privacy issues, but needed to help with context of story)....Went out hunting this past weekend on public property with a buddy of mine who was in town for the holiday (Let's call him Bob). We were hunting with a friend of his that I have never met before (we shall call him Tom). It was Tom's boat that we were using to get to a spot (Tom's spot) on a public lake in the area. He said he has been having some luck on it in weeks past, but not much. I didn't mind because I just wanted to hang with my bud Bob and we were also taking my 8 mo lab pup, so it would be good experience for him.

So that's the back story...here's the issue. It was a slow hunt, few trickled in here and there, but pretty slow. The issue came up when we had a single bird come in and work the deeks, a single mallard drake. Came in on the right, and since I was on the right, I was the one who shot it. I also sent my pup on the retrieve and he made a pretty good one and returned with the duck. Upon inspection of the bird, low and behold it was banded. I was ecstatic. Not only bc it was my first band, but also bc it was the first mallard that my pup had retrieved in his young life. So after I told Bob and Tom about it, Tom had a serious change in demeanor. He clamed that bc it was his spot (although public)and his boat (that we were only using for transport) the band was his...Even though I shot the bird and my dog had retrieved it. He raised such a stink about it, I just let him have it sicne he was acting so butt hurt. He was a total jerk the whole rest of the hunt, kept on bringing it up trying to justify to me why it was his. I didnt say anything bc i didnt want to upset my bud who was friends with him. So I will no longer be going hunting with that gentleman again. Just wondering what Y'all would do in a simalair situation.

I'd a told him to bend over and I'll deliver it. No way he gets my duck, banded or not. Heck, sic the dog on him, he's a jerk.

You got screwed. Bird comes in, public or private, it's the shooter's bird, no questions asked. If you fired the only shot and killed the bird, it's yours. Two people shoot at same time and it's the old fashioned coin toss to decide.

He would NOT have gotten the bird or the band.

What a d-bag. Did he charge you for his boat fuel too? No way I would have given it to him- even if it meant no ride home.

Sorry but I would have to agree with Tom.....I wouldn't have been a jerk about it but if it wasn't for him you wouldn't have shot the band....I can see i'm in the minority here.....with that said I have never shot a banded duck....been on hunts where two banded dove were shot....one of them was on my property (i did not shoot it) I was definitely cool with the guy that shot it keeping the band but he insisted I keep it....the other was not on my property I shot it and I offered it to the property owner who said I could have it....I guess I would have offered it to the Tom in hopes he would let me keep it

Sounds like you hunted with a complete dbag. Who cares who's spot/boat it was. Even if it was a private pond of his. I can't even comprehend how he would ever justify even to himself that's his bird. ESPECIALLY since you were the only one that shot and YOUR dog retrieved it. And it was your dog's first mallard? If I were Tom I would've been ecstatic and given you my taxidermist's phone number. You got robbed of a real trophy. If I were you or even Bob there's no way that would've gone down like that.

X2

^^^

Hug a root Tom

So what would of happened if you towed his boat to the lake, then what. Or wait give it to the folks that built the lake. What an idiot!! You shot it you own it. If two or three shots fired then a coin toss. Been there and done that.

Tom is an idiot.

He was acting so inappropriately about it, it may have come to fists if I didn't concede

Low blow...

He gonna put that band on his lanyard and tell people it's "his?"

That is a special bird for you and your dog and you should have kept it for the wall.

Understood, you did what you thought you had to do. But it ain't right. Whoever pulled the trigger gets the band. If a group shoot and you don't know who shot it, draw straws or something.

[quote=TXPride]
Low blow...

He gonna put that band on his lanyard and tell people it's "his"

That is a special bird for you and your dog and you should have kept it for the wall. [/quote



X2 I would've kept the thing sounds like tom is a bobagaduesch

SO what's the story Tom is going to tell? "I was hunting and another guy shot this bird and got this band but its mine since we were in my boat."

What a Douche.

If only one person shot, it's their band. If more than one person fired a shot (even if you are certain you killed it) then draw straws. I honestly don't know a single person who would want to keep a band from a bird they didn't shoot at.

So much fuss over a little band... Real Dbag move by tommy I would have took it off the leg and threw it in the water

NO WAY I WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM THAT BAND!!!! Period! Anyone that supports his decision is also a complet idiot! You shot that bird its your band. I connot believe there are people out there that would pull that crap. Sorry for you buddy. My buddy and I went to Alsaka last year and we shot a band. Didnt see it until we were cleaning birds. We flipped a coin and I won. You can get a band made. Its from the actual band makers. They will need the number on the band and its 50$ but I would do it if I were you.

I would have swallowed that band in front of him.

Come and get it!

Always carry a fake band in your pocket, always !!

If Tom thinks like that then I hate to know how he thinks on other situations. Proper etiquette is whoever shot the duck gets the band period! Even if the person never shot a duck, was a guest, did not pay a dime, borrowed the gun to hunt etc... you get the point. There is no other criteria that changes this etiquette. You shoot it, the band is yours. I have been on hunts were a newbie was on their first hunt and killed a banded bird. We praised them on the trophy. He really took a great moment for you and your dog and screwed it up. I can understand how you agreed to let him have it , but it was yours. You can take satisfaction in that 100%.

Tom is an idiot.

I'd have kept it (though throwing it in the water would have been a heck of a sight to see).



^ Truth.

first question comes to my mind, how old is tom? gonna guess 12, but may be off a year or two

your shot, your dogs retrieve, your band.

tell Tom to go, pound sand

Bad deal, it was your bird 100%

Tom needed a throat punch...and so did your friend for being such a nancy and not speaking up

What would be really perfect was if tom was reading this now.. #tommytommerson #Dbag #whatarethesepoundsignsforanyway

You got screwed. post his # and see how many texts he gets haha (kidding here). Hope the good lord blesses you and your pup with a double banded mallard sometime soon.

As long as I had a shotgun in my hand, he wouldn't be getting that bird. I would've waited til we got back to the ramp to say anything about it, so I was assured I would have a ride home, but he wouldn't have gotten the bird. Even if I had to call the GW for him stealing your game.

So if Tom drove you somewhere and introduced you to your future wife, would he have dibs on her too?

Tom's a douche...

I've been waterfowling for over 40 years and have never shot a banded anything. Took a young guy hunting w/me last year. I got a mallard drake that sailed 400+ yards. My young pup is just beginning to take a cast and I couldn't get him on the other side of the river channel and too deep to wade. Young guy had a kayak in his van, hikes back 1/2 mi. and drags yak back down to waters' edge. Paddles over to other side and starts hiking. Next thing I hear he's hootin' and hollarin', I think, ok he found it. Then he starts hollarin' again, I think, oh good God it's got a band! Sure enough, he gets back and it's a banded drake! He hands it to me and says nice shot, I hand it back and say nice retrieve! No way I would have had that bird w/o him and his yak. No gray areas to me, just right and wrong...Tom's a douche.

Dude what did you give him the bird for? I would have told him to get effed.

Tom is a jerk, and Bob has no backbone.
I'd love to shoot a banded duck, but one someone else shot would have no sentimental value to me.

Would you have lost?

I doubt I would have lost, but to me its not worth losing my composure over. Im out there to enjoy the hunt and work my pup...not to act like a d*ck. Id like to think Im better than that.

What a doosh-a-saurus. I would have simply said, no. If it was a bird that was taken out of a group and unable to determine who harvested the bird, It's the right thing to do to give the host the band. Otherwise, GFY, pal.

You should of "spit some Beachnut in that dude's eye"

Was he a guide or something? I've only heard of that kind of poop from guides...

Ain't no way I'm wearing a band on my lanyard that some other person clearly shot. You shoot it, it's your's. Even if my dog retrieved the bird, the band is your's, IMO.

Wish we knew his real name. I'd bet he never gets an invite from anyone else again...

Iv always agreed with the guide gets the band... but this was not the case. Next time break the leg and don't tell anyone till later.

I wouldn't give my band to a guide either. If I pay a couple hundred bucks to duck hunt and I shoot a band I'm not giving it to the guide. I dont thibk a guide should try to keep it anyways. I wouldn't have given it to this douche either, I would have walked back before giving him my band.

To me its a good gesture or thank you to a guide that put you on ducks.. id offer a band to the guide either way...

I would have kept it because I killed it. Tom probably lets his wife eat the meat other men have killed.

I can't see why Tommy would want someone else's band. I've never shot a banded bird, or been with anyone who has while I was there, but it makes no sense to want it from you, especially to the point of fisticuffs.

I've been in a situation where it's better to do what you did. It's not worth throwing fists over, guns are involved, you've got to ride in his boat back and possibly his truck and you've got to go home to your family and your job. As much of an experience getting a band would be, it's not worth physically fighting over and potentially being sued for kicking his butt.

It would have been nice for Bob to step up, as the only guy that knows you both, and tell Tommy to stop being a loser. That's what he sounds like to me. A loser.

X2. That guy quickly showed his true character. Just remember-it's just a piece of metal. If you can get the numbers you can get a duplicate certificate. You can then get an exact duplicate made by national band and tag for $50.

I agree that the solo shooter gets it. 2x last year we shot banded birds that I was 99.9% sure I shot. Both times I had a hunter that had never gotten a band. They took em and I even played up the-you got this one. I wasn't even shooting at that one. I guess it's all about what drives you inside. Others happiness or your own.

This is simple, in the eyes of the law who did that duck belong to?

Back when I guided I had a guy shoot a very nice banded pintail drake. I took his picture with it and smiled all the way home knowing I had a repeat client for as long as I ran my business! Jerks are jerks, some just duck hunt.

^^ All of this

I am not a duck hunter.

But why in the heck would anyone (hunter or guide) want a band off of a duck SOMEONE ELSE KILLED??

Makes zero sense. Just goes to show the downfall of hunting these days where it's all about the trophy-even to the point of ruining someone else's experience to get it.

I would have told Tom to go fly a kite! If one can indefinitely determine who shot the "banded" bird, then it belongs to the shooter.

I would have told him to go pound sand. That's lower than whale sh!t.

Really should have been yours. Did you get pictures of your dog with the bird? You with the bird? Did you get the band #? If so, then screw him. You have the honest memories and that can’t be taken from you. And what is it worth knowing you will never have to deal with that guy again?
I have been lucky enough to shoot several banded ducks over the years but the two that stand out the most are: The first one. It sucks you won’t have it but go back to honest memories. And #2; Years ago I was hunting with a bunch of guys at my family’s place and I shot a banded Woody hen. One of the other guys shot one of the nicest Woody drakes I’ve ever seen and man they made a pretty pair. It took the other guy a few minutes to work up the courage, but he asked if he could have mine to have them mounted as a pair. I said sure. I left the band on but took the band info and called it in myself.
I’ve been to his house a couple times and the mount is really nice and I hear from mutual friends that he still tells the real story behind it… most of the time.

And the world still turns.

I think Tom's a democrat

Sucks you gave the band away. What did Bob have to say in all this, and why didn't you tell Tom to get bent?

That was darn good of you Brazos!

Yup, I was gonna say the exact same thing. Let alone the fact that he's clearly a douche, Why would he want a band off of a bird he didnt shoot? Thats a heck of a story for the grandkids... " Yea I got THIS band from another guys duck that he shot!"

Not too late to try and get the band back. Maybe he is feeling a little guilt for being a dbag. it is just a stupid band, unless you shot the bird, then it is special. Maybe your buddy Bob can help Tom understand this.

The story will eventually change to that he shot the duck and it was his dog that retrieved it. If you have any doubts read the thread Stolen Valor in the Disabled Forum. If people will lie about heir military service, lying about a duck band is a piece of cake.

I will shoot the double banded mallard for you and we can have a cointoss.



Hang on, that girl in her lil red dress, dang nugget

i just heard tom was fired from his job and been put 25 yrs in state penn to depleting his boss retirement fund

Oh well, karma is a biatch

Wow

I've gotta say I think I would of stood up a little bit more than you did. Sure it's over now, but the fact that you gave into Tom is just as bad. He's smiling now and probably really thinking he did the right thing....which is completely chitty.

On a different note, why didn't your buddy Bob give any input?

Tom was fully aware that when he brought a guest that there is a chance they will shoot birds.

What would he of said if you shot a bunch of coots? Bet he wouldn't of taken those from you.

Get a replica band and mount that bird! Nothing like your young dogs first greenhead.

Had a guide do this to us this year. He didn't even acknowledge the band. The other guide who had been scouting came to help pick up and was setting up the birds for a picture and starting yelling in excitement. The guide whom we were hunting with said he saw it but didn't say anything. I am unsure if he did or not but it really ticked me off.

The helper picked up hulls with 1 different color and we drew for it. First guy won and the guide was ticked off. It was hard not to come unleashed.

had it not had a band, I bet everyone would've agreed it was your bird. The rules dont change just because its sporting some jewelry!

The same reason people buy them on eBay. Having bands on your lanyard makes you a "real" duckhunter.

Same reason a guy will spend 30k to shoot a 300" whitetail inside a high fence pen.

I think they call it compensating?

I would have kept the bird, including feathers, guts, legs, head and any other items attached to the bird. If and when he threatened to leave me stranded....his assa would have been stranded. After me and "bob" got back to the ramp, "bob" could ride back out and pick the sumbitch up while I go home with a bird. Dirtbags like him deserve all punishment that you can give them.

This.

I would not want a band on my lanyard from a bird I did not shoot. If more than one of us fired and someone else thinks they shot it, I don't want it.

IMO it would be like mounting a deer that you didn't shoot.

If there was no debate as to you shooting it, it is your band. I don't care if he flew you there in his private jet.

Tom turned a moment to be a stand up good guy into a moment that marked him forever. That band will be thrown in a drawer and forgotten about, there is no pride for him. If he says there is, he is lying about it. He will feel like the turd he is, ever time he sees that band for the rest of his life.
Smile and enjoy the moment. You have a great story to tell about a great first retrieve and a banded duck. He still ain't got squat.

Yep, Tom is a giant Richard, and Bob pulled a puss move for not getting your back. I would never expect the band on a duck I didn't kill and I never would let that happen to a friend of mine either. Smh.

So now wearing 15 wonderbread bands around your neck a la jeff foyles makes you a hero?

The band wouldve just ended up in the lake and if it came to fists he wouldve to.

I would have laughed at him.

best answer

There was some definite disbleive about him carrying on the way he was. My bud did have my back a little bit, I highly doubt he'll ever hunt with that guy again either.

Yes, you are in the minority.

Suppose at the end of the hunt you shot 3 greenheads, a bufflhead and a pintail (I'm not looking to see if this is in limit - just an example, so bear with me). And Tom shot a couple of spoonies and maybe a helldiver or two. And at the end of the hunt Tom decices the greenheads are his because, hey, his boat and all, and you get the spoonie and helldiver instead.

Would you give them up? (hint: the answer is "no").

Tom is a douchebag, and the band belongs to the person that shot it. And no way would I have given up the band - he could pout all he wanted. Kind of like how I'd not give up the 12 point buck I shot (in pretend land, because I've never shot one) to my buddy simply because I was hunting on his lease. That's just not how it works.

Pretty simple really.

If a guy takes me hunting and at the end of the hunt wants all the mallards or teal-they're his.

And if he didn't shoot the band, it would have never been in Tom's boat. I don't get your logic...

JoeCowboy, congrats on your first band and what sounds like a good start on your pup!

So has anybody punched Tom in the face yet?

Sounds to me like Tom is a special kind of stupid!!!!

I still cant believe no one has called him the S word yet

Tom's a go-getter, I like him.

What's the big deal about a band? Is there money involved? How is it any different than shooting the bird next to that one?

What a horrible person. Even if he was a guide...to keep your clients bands? Are you kidding me? Why? Sad deal man.

Especially on public land

Sorry, you were hunting with a complete self centered jerk. I am solidly in the camp of, the band belongs to the shooter. jTom should be glad I wasn't hunting with him.

I guided duck hunts in FL for 40 years, have had dozens of banded birds shot by clients and the thought never entered my mind that the bands were mine. They paid me to shoot ducks, some just happened to have bands.

I only have the bands that I shot, all by myself, only ones that would mean anything to me.

Hope, you get another one soon.

And I bet you would not think much of him after that either, especially if he made a stink about it.

Bottom line, whoever shoots the bird should get the band, its a trophy, and the trophy goes to the one who shot it. Its not a trophy to anyone else.

And if 2 shooters think they shot the same bird with band, before you do rock-paper-scissor, unless you are shooting the exact same shell, cut open the bird and see who's pellet killed the bird...

Tom's a cry baby.

I can't help but think:
If you would have kept the band, Tom would have been POed and never hunted with you again.
But you gave Tom the band, now your POed, and will never hunt with Tom again.

Either way it is the same outcome, NEXT TIME KEEP THE BAND!

I agree with the point you are trying to make, but if anyone takes me hunting they can pick out whatever ducks they want to take home, unless there is one I want to get mounted.

Stuff them with cream cheese and jalepeno, wrap them with bacon, grill to medium rare, and they all taste the same.

Most of the time we just divide them up as evenly as we can unless someone is wanting birds to give away to someone that doesn't hunt.

You shot it your bird. Don't care if its the guy who's boat you rode in or a guide, imo if you don't shoot the bird you have no business getting the band

My mind is blown. Since of entitlement at its finest.

We live in different worlds then.

I take somebody hunting, what they shoot is theirs - that's the whole point of taking them hunting.

Somebody takes me hunting, what I shoot is mine.

I honestly thought this was just an understood rule that really never needed to be debated. Maybe it's a younger generational thing or something like that, but unless it's specified before hand that you are pooling the total harvest together and dividing, you shoot yours and enjoy it, I shoot mine and enjoy it. And if you shoot a band, I'm happy as hell for you (and probably insanely jealous). If I shoot a band (maybe that will happen in my lifetime), I'm dancing a jig and bragging about it. But no way am I entitled to your band, and no way are you entitled to my band. That's just common sense and common courtesy.

I'm not saying if I was Tom I would have demanded the band. Tom definitely acted like a d-bag. But if I take you hunting to a spot I scouted we take my boat and you shoot a band and don't at least offer it to me (never been in this situation so cant say for sure but I don't think i'd take it) you probably wouldn't get invited back. Same goes for if i'm with a guy in his boat his spot (or his property) and we all jump up and shoot and the bird is banded i'm not drawing for straws or even trying to claim the band. The guy in charge of putting me on that bird is getting it without a peep from me. Now a guided hunt is a totally different issue. I see that's not the majority here but still feel that way.

The person who shoots the duck gets to keep the band.
Thats all. I dont care where you shoot, public, private, guided or not.

Having said that, if there is a special person (kid, dissability, vet, wounded warrior) in the blind, i will be more then happy to let it go, cause im beavernice

What the Beave said.

I find it humerous that people are even saying that they should be offered the band. the shooter gets the band. What he does with it is up to him/her.

I keep coming back to the fact that I wouldn't bloody want a band someone else shot. It would mean nothing to me. Nothing.

Yes, plus the band will be voodoo cursed. I promise you. Trust me, you dont want it. You will loose your wife, house, be in a million $ debt and then soms.

In other words, Tom's boat is bound to capsize?

You read my mind

They should make a movie about it

'The band that gotten taken away'

Starring: steven segal and chuck norris
Music: justin beaver
Narrator: phil robertson
Choreography: bill cosby
Directed by Chriss jenner
Special appearance: honey booboo

This is ridiculous. I'm thinking you won't have to worry about anyone on here wanting to hunt with you now anyway so doesn't matter I guess.

X2

Ohh noo whatever will i do???? Just giving my opinion bud the OP asked for it

You should send Tom this thread and see what happens

I may have had to walk back to the truck or maybe even to home(would have called someone as soon as they got out of sight), but there would have been no way he was getting that band! Just my 2 cents.

Yall get serious about a pen raised bird...

Yeah that would be great cause Steven and chuck would have kicked Toms a$$ just for being a d!ck.

I'm with the vast majority of the crowd, not only would I have kept the band, I wouldn't feel entitled to it if I were Tom. I caught a big fish once, the guy with me wanted to pose with it for pictures as if he had caught it. I just don't understand that mentality. What is Tom going to do with the band? Brag about how his expert navigational skills produced a band? If so why doesn't he get a band on every hunt?

Tom sounds like a socialist.

May have a lot to do with it. I grew up in south Louisiana where some people deer hunted all season without seeing a deer and then other people on the same lease would shoot 6 deer a year. We always divided the meat equally. Figured if they paid their lease fees, they deserved meat as well. Most of the time the guy on the hot streak one year didn't shoot anything or much the next year, so it worked well for us.

Duck hunting was the same way. We all split the gas and groceries, why send someone home empty handed because they had a bad day shooting. A lot of the times our grandparents, aunts or neighbors would ask for a mallard or two. We'd speak up at the beginning of the hunt that we knew somebody that wanted a pair of mallards. In every case, first two mallards were spoken for regardless of who shot it.

We never argued about it. If someone ever said they wanted the ducks they shot, then they got them. Most of the time hunting 3-4 guys you don't know who really shot half of the ducks anyway.

The opposite is true with dove hunting. I tend to get stuck with all of the birds because no one wants to take them home and clean them. I say stuck, but it doesn't bother me, the kids and I love them.

I haven't killed a duck in Texas yet. Anybody invites me on a hunt, I will gladly let them pick which birds they want.

I just cannot grasp this mentality, and hate to see it from a fellow Ag.

So, hypothetically, you invite me to your deer lease to hunt and tell me I can shoot anything. And luck is on my side and a 12 point 180" monster buck walks out and I pop him. If I dont offer that deer to you to mount and take the meat, you will never invite me hunting again? It is the same concept.

I just dont get it. Hunting is supposed to be about more than that. Or it is to me anyway.

Sry to disappoint you....

Well then, let's split that band three ways, that way Bob gets a piece too. Really!

I think gigem is Tom

Caught me!

Surprised he did not want the shell you shot the duck with so he could keep that also. What a douche bag to demand that you give him the band. I bet his story of how he shot the duck is a great one. I did not catch it in the thread but what did your mutual friend think about the outcome of who got the band?

WOW!

Beat me to it!

I have invited many people to hunt with me over the years and have been invited by others to hunt their spots. It would have never occurred to me to ask someone for a band from a duck that they shot. That's like wearing someone else's rodeo buckle, (I have several that I won), I would never want to carry around someone else's trophy.

He was just as dumbfounded as I was, but was a little too hungover to want to argue too much. Niether of us will be hunting with this clown again

All this for a stupido band

I can settle everything! Give me the band, that's the only fair way!

This! Imagine the stories he's going to tell all his buds about how he dropped this mallard drake from 70 yards and it was banded!!!

That's garbage...

I didn't think of it till I read all this thread but the easy response is "sorry, bud. It's illegal to transfer game like that".

Crazy...

Genius... If he doesn't have a properly completed 'Transfer of Game Affidavit' he's screwed, if he lies about it he's screwed. Some one needs to drop an anonymous dime on his [censored] to the GW.

It's strange that he even wants a band off a duck that he didn't shoot. Who wants someone else's trophy? In a normal situation I would have taken the band but especially since it was your pups first, the guy would've gone in the lake

It's strange that he even wants a band off a duck that he didn't shoot. Who wants someone else's trophy? In a normal situation I would have taken the band but especially since it was your pups first, the guy would've gone in the lake

You can say that again...

You can say that again...

thats the dogs band! that dudes ridiculous.

people are crazy. glad to be going solo this weekend.

Next time slip over your penis and tell tom to fetch it like a champion retriever.