Duck, Geese Hunters Requested To Report Banded Waterfowl
Monday, December 08, 2008 | 04:16am
NASHVILLE --- With the 2008-09 Tennessee duck and geese season underway, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) urges waterfowl hunters to report leg and neck band numbers they find on ducks and geese to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
The recovery of waterfowl band numbers reveals scientifically valuable information necessary to monitor migration patterns and manage North America’s ducks and geese. Banding data from game birds is analyzed yearly and determining hunting regulation development as well as for learning changes in population sizes.
Data from banding can be used to evaluate hunting pressure, estimate productivity and survival and determine how vulnerable different ages and sexes are to hunting pressure. All of these are key components to managing game birds for sustainable harvest.
The USFWS has implemented a toll-free number for hunters to report band numbers. The toll free number is 1-800-327-BAND (2263). The information to report is the band number, the date of harvest, and the county or area of harvest. Bands do not need to be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
---TWRA---