USFWS is UPSET about the Megaduck Challenge....

[Model12]

WOW!! Go to Waterfowler.com and see what the Chief (Brian Milsap) of the USFWS has to say about the new organization that's putting the Megaduck Challenge on...he's seems pissed....comments???

http://www.waterfowler.com/inportal/ind ... 5-1-1-1-1-

[fivemile]

I don't know that I understand all the technical aspects about USF&W banding data; but if they think the money rewards for bands will hurt their efforts, I will go along with them.

[booger]

I read it and was amazed!! Such a seemingly simple promotion has so many thorns. I guess it could skew the data and that would end up screwing us, the hunters.

[Don Miller]

So what the USFWS is saying is the bands that have been reported are not the actual number that were kill and Mega Ducks could skew their unreliable numbers. I personally don't buy the USFWS argument. Maybe this will give those digit heads a reason to come up with another formula to calculate band numbers. They sure as hell can't count duck numbers, so why would band data be any more or less reliable because of Mega Ducks. JUST MY 2 CENTS!

[BBR12]

I've never hunted with a guide, but I remember last year several post about guides stealing bands. Don't get me wrong I know most guides are honest. This just seems like a great reason for a guide or someone whom you are hunting with but don't know that well to steal a hard earned band. My cousin had one stolen by some of my uncle's business associates a couple yrs ago, after thier dog retrieved it, they all took turns looking at it they casually told him when he turned around his duck came too a went off in the water and never popped back up. They haven't been back but, he still doesn't have his band.

[RLJames]

The SWAG system is alive and well. What a crock they know how many bands are not reported because of historical data.......well I'm against mega duck's cash awards..I believe it will just promote band hunting instead of waterfowling......but I'll keep reporting my bands (jes in case)

[Don Miller]

I have no dog in this hunt as far as Megaduck is concerned, but I do like the idea that everytime my lab retrieves a greenhead, there is hope this one may have the lottery band. As far as band hunting goes, I have killed 20 banded ducks in 28 years of hunting, only once did I see a band on a duck's leg before I shot. I would say that 90% or more of banded ducks that are killed, were killed not knowing that they were banned. It's just hard for me to believe that the Megaduck challange will throw the banding data out of whack like USFWS is claiming. Chances are, even if the Mississippi Flyway Megaduck is killed it will not be by a registered member. I certainly don't want to ruffle any feathers on this board, but I don't always take our government agencies beliefs as the gospel truth.

[SB]

MS Sportsmen:

Please take this issue seriously. I am currently at the MS Flyway meeting in Traverse City, MI, and we were made aware of this competition this afternoon. The same issues that are of concern for Mr. Millsaps (USFWS) were brought up and discussed by the group. Please read the story by clicking on the link above and take it to heart. This competition is of serious concern.

[Don Miller]

Ok SB, It had to come from a state agent before I would believe it. If you say it is a serious matter and could adversly effect the banding data and waterfowl hunters, I would be inclined to believe it. Glad to see you post your stance on Megaduck Challange.

[RLJames]

I just don't believe big cash awards for a band would promote good waterfowling. I think some people would shoot way over the limit just looking for the 250K band. I think you would have people out there that don't care about duck hunting just shootin ducks trying to get rich. If they do it anyway I would hope someone from this board would get the band , but I'm not for the idea. Don Miller I agree with you about the USFWS argument on band counts. Figuring bands that are not reported is not very scientific.

[SkippyJ]

Maybe this all started with no harm intended andit looked good on paper, but I just can't see anything good coming out of it.

Sure it would be nice to dump one about 6ft over decoys and haul booty to the bank, but.........

Like I said I can't think of one good thing that can come out of this.

[Wildfowler]

Not too mention the fact that the feds think that the competition would result in a higher reporting of Mallards being killed than really are being killed. That couldn't be good for the continuation of liberal seasons....

[Denduke]

May be a little far fetched but mass killings, punt guns, roost shooting or other outlaw practices could really screw things up. Big money always brings out the evil and greed in people.

[timberjack]

Maybe I'm dumber than I realized. The USFWS' argument that an increase in band reporting will skew their numbers is completely ludicrous to me. I thought the whole point of banding ducks was to get the data on when and where they were harvested. I'm no stats man but it seems to me that the more reported bands you have the better your numbers will be. I think the FWS feels a little threatened that somebody else is taking part in their studies and frankly they're coming off as a bunch of TOOLS.....

Now, having said that, I will also say that I think the NWR challenge is a poorly thought out deal and could do more harm than good. I absolutely disagree with the USFWS statement that it could harm their numbers. As I stated above I think that's a crock of bull. However, and I may well be the only one that sees this, but when you attach a monetary value to an animal, bird, fish, etc., I think you're setting yourself up for trouble. What's to stop some idiot or idiots from going out and shooting until they run out of shells hoping for that megabucks bird? The world is full of fools and all we need is more incentive for them to go duck hunting. The more I think about this the madder I get. Why not just put a bounty on greenheads and you'll accomplish the same thing as the NWR is doing. I think they're just trying to create a membership drive and make some money. Dr. George Hurst once told me that one of the worst things you can do for wildlife conservation is turn hunting into a money making tool and i think he was right...........Am I the only one who sees this?????

[DuckyDan]

I agree with ya! It sounds cool on paper and all of that, but I'm afraid that every Tom, Dick, and Harry will be out there blowing the hell out of everything that flies trying to get some cash.

I can see how it would mess up their numbers. Not everyone reports thr bands that they kill. A lot of people just put them on their lanyard and that's that. The people doing the research know this and I'm sure have taken that into account on their calculations. There are all kinds of surveys that they send out every year asking you everything about your hunt except for if you took toilet paper. I'm sure they've taken surveys on whether or not people call in bands. For example, let's say statistics show that only 60% of bands killed are reported. If you factor in a megabuck duck flying around out there, band reports will probably jump all the way up to the 95% range. The USFWS has no way of knowing what "new" percentage of bands will be reported, so their standard deviation will be inaccurate. They're used to adding the numbers as (example) only 60% of bands are turned in and only 15% of the ducks are banded (examples). They use that data to estimate how many ducks are killed each year. This method has been fine tuned over the years and I'm sure is more accurate now than it was 10 years ago. If you throw the megabuck duck out there and band reports jump to 75%- 100%, there's no way of knowing how to compensate. More bands will be reported, therefore making it seem like there were more ducks killed than really were, which means we might not have as liberal a season or limit next year. Translation: this thing could come back and bite us in the booty.

SB>>>do you know any stats or percentages on that stuff?