DNR biologists banding a goose

Hunting

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for hunter safety. Required if you were born on or after January 1, 1973.

Buy

your hunting license.

Apply

for a permit and check permit status online.

Know

the regulations.

Related links

• Waterfowl management
• Mississippi River waterfowl surveys [exit DNR]
• USFWS Division of Migratory Bird Management [exit DNR]
• Waterfowl Hunting Management in North America [exit DNR]

Report bird band recoveries

Have you ever experienced the excitement of harvesting a banded game bird? Hunters who take a banded bird may wonder where the bird originated, how old it is or who to contact to report the information on the band. In the past, many hunters found it difficult to report their band recovery, while others simply didn't feel it was necessary.

To make life simpler and to improve the reporting rate of band recoveries, the U.S. Geological Survey's Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL), in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have given hunters three different ways to report a band recovery.

Please note: If the band has the letters AU, IF, CU, NPA or IPB it is probably a captive pigeon band. Please do not report captive pigeon bands as the BBL does not keep a database of these birds. You can find more information and provide recovery information to the pigeon's owner at the American Racing Pigeon Union [exit DNR].

Hunters are welcome to keep the bands they report. When they report via Internet or phone, they can find out where and when the bird was banded. In addition, each hunter who reports a band recovery will receive a certificate of appreciation that tells when, where and who banded the bird.

The service is responsible for establishing waterfowl hunting regulations. The banding program helps provide information about waterfowl movements, survival rates and harvest rates that is critical to population management and setting of hunting regulations. The information provided by hunters is essential to this effort.

More on bird banding

• North American Waterfowl Banding Program [exit DNR]
• Bird Banding Laboratory [exit DNR]
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service migratory bird program [exit DNR]

Contact information

For information on waterfowl banding, contact:

James Christopoulos
Assistant migratory game bird ecologist
Bureau of Wildlife Management
608-261-6458