de-bander
10-24-2003, 12:04 AM
I was out scouting the other day and found 30 honkers on a pond late in the morning. As I stepped out of my truck I noticed a shine coming off of one of the bird's necks -- neck band SWEET! We have very few white neck bands in our area now so I was stoked. So I got my spotting scope out to read the #s and noticed it wasn't a white collar but an extremely rare black collar!! SHWING!!! I rushed back to my shop to grab my camera but the bird was gone when I returned.
That afternoon I decided to check some fields in hopes that the bird would show up again. After scoping out the field I thought he was most likely to appear and seeing nothing I headed back to the pond where I had spotted him before. Halfway to the pond I noticed 6 honkers passing by with another 50 or so behind them. So I turned and followed them to the field I had just checked. The first 6 bombed right in. I was thinking Cool now those 50 will join the 6 and there will be a fair chance the neck band will be with them. But the 50 circled and circled and finally left. I decided to glass the 6 on the ground not thinking there was any chance for the neck band when BLING! There he was!!
So I set up the next morning with 10 decoys and faced my blind toward the roost in hopes that if nothing else the birds would give me a low enough pass over to get a shot. 45 minutes went by of patiently waiting when finally I could see a small streak on the horizon. I knew it was them and I got so nervous I could hardly sit still. The birds worked in just behind me and at 40 yards they were as close as they were going to get. Then all in one motion I rolled over, sat up, found the neck band, shouldered my gun and shot as the birds were gaining considerable distance. My first shot missed and for a split second I thought I had blown it. Then I took my time and made my second shot count. As I squeezed the trigger another bird crossed in front and I managed to get them both with one shot!! And to top it off they were both banded!!!!! The first picture shows both birds right after I retreived them. 30 minutes later I was fortunate enough to fill the rest of my limit on another flock. Getting a black neck band was something I have wanted to do for a long time now. To me it turned out to be the ultimate trophy! To top it off I got a really nice wild rooster after picking up. What a morning!!!
http://www.cochranandsmith.com/Black_Neckband_Field_2.jpg
http://www.cochranandsmith.com/Black_Neckband_Limit.jpg
http://www.cochranandsmith.com/Black_Neckband_Closeup.jpg
http://www.cochranandsmith.com/Black_Neckband_Shop.jpg
That afternoon I decided to check some fields in hopes that the bird would show up again. After scoping out the field I thought he was most likely to appear and seeing nothing I headed back to the pond where I had spotted him before. Halfway to the pond I noticed 6 honkers passing by with another 50 or so behind them. So I turned and followed them to the field I had just checked. The first 6 bombed right in. I was thinking Cool now those 50 will join the 6 and there will be a fair chance the neck band will be with them. But the 50 circled and circled and finally left. I decided to glass the 6 on the ground not thinking there was any chance for the neck band when BLING! There he was!!
So I set up the next morning with 10 decoys and faced my blind toward the roost in hopes that if nothing else the birds would give me a low enough pass over to get a shot. 45 minutes went by of patiently waiting when finally I could see a small streak on the horizon. I knew it was them and I got so nervous I could hardly sit still. The birds worked in just behind me and at 40 yards they were as close as they were going to get. Then all in one motion I rolled over, sat up, found the neck band, shouldered my gun and shot as the birds were gaining considerable distance. My first shot missed and for a split second I thought I had blown it. Then I took my time and made my second shot count. As I squeezed the trigger another bird crossed in front and I managed to get them both with one shot!! And to top it off they were both banded!!!!! The first picture shows both birds right after I retreived them. 30 minutes later I was fortunate enough to fill the rest of my limit on another flock. Getting a black neck band was something I have wanted to do for a long time now. To me it turned out to be the ultimate trophy! To top it off I got a really nice wild rooster after picking up. What a morning!!!
http://www.cochranandsmith.com/Black_Neckband_Field_2.jpg
http://www.cochranandsmith.com/Black_Neckband_Limit.jpg
http://www.cochranandsmith.com/Black_Neckband_Closeup.jpg
http://www.cochranandsmith.com/Black_Neckband_Shop.jpg