BAND REPORTS: Three Hunters and Three Banded Ducks in One Hunt!

For Zach Dailey of Canton, Illinois, Nov. 12, 2023, didn’t hold high hopes for him or his two friends, Paul and Kyle, who had joined him in the blind that morning. “The weather had been well above average (temps) for most of the season, and this day was no different,” Zach recalls. Whether it was the right shift in wind or just the right bird on the right day, the trio doesn’t know, nor do they care, because an hour into the hunt Kyle, who had never shot a banded bird, knocked down a banded drake mallard. Everyone was ecstatic.

But the fun didn’t stop there. After another hour had passed a single drake swung into the decoys and Zach sent it spiraling down. When Zach’s dog, Hank, brought it back, it too was sporting a band! The numbers were worn thin, and the band later revealed the bird to be over 9 years old.

With the excitement heavy in the air, Kyle, at the end of the blind noted, “Two mallard bands in one duck blind has to be one in a million!”

The very next duck that coasted into the decoys was shot by Paul, and Hank set out for the retrieve. Zach says, “As Hank went to get the duck, I joked with Paul that I hoped this one was banded, as he was the only one that hadn’t shot a band on the hunt.” As if willing something into existence, Zach opened the dog box, and Hank greeted him with yet another banded drake mallard! The hooting and hollering ensued, as each member of the blind now had a shiny piece of metal to take home and brag about.

They had to set up a timer on Zach’s phone to be able to capture a photo of all three of them since there was no odd-man-out who hadn’t shot a banded bird to take the photo. What a great morning, and an amazing memory for all three hunters in the blind.

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