Duck Banding

Doug Smith

Doug Smith

Member
Just finishing up helping the State biologists with some bird banding. Capture method is a three pronged rocket shot. The base side of the net is weighted and the rockets throw the other end of the net out about 30-35 feet. On the first shot I was involved in, one rocket came loose and who knows where it ended. Those things really fly! I think the propellant is some kind of pelleted military grade howitzer powder. But I diverge... Capture rate is typically 100 - 130 birds per 'shot', mostly mallards with a few blacks, pintails, woodies and gw teal. Cool stuff. Finally remembered to take a couple pictures with my cell phone so I'll try to attach a them. Quality isn't the best.

View attachment Rocket Launch 1a.JPG
View attachment Rocket Launch 2a.JPG
 
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Hi Mike,

Yes, all the birds get banded. Smaller birds like woodies and teal get smaller bands, larger birds (mallards, blacks and pintails) get larger bands. The banding 'season' is about over, as all bait has to be removed 10 days before youth waterfowl weekend which is the 26th and 27th. Interesting, on the last couple of nettings we were getting about 10%-15% previously banded birds. They can't stay away from that corn!
 
That is way too cool!! I have always wanted to do that. Great job helping out the biologist with our resources. Hopefully one of your banded greenheads will be seduced by the sound of my Glynn Scoby.
Jim/Fowlfishing
 
I imagine that would work quite well during the regular season,,,,,,,,,,,,, (long pause),,,,,,,,,,,,,, you did say it was only three "shells", right?
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STRICTLY TONGUE IN CHEEK !!
 
I am really interested in what type of rockets you used? I have wanted to do that for capturing pigeons, but have came up with a practical way!
 
Eric, the rockets were made by the biologist. I didn't take any measurements but the look to be about 12" sections of 2" black steel pipe. They're threaded on each end and caps have been screwed on. The back cap has about six 3/8" or 1/2" holes drilled in it for the propellant thrust. The pipe has an (approximately) 18" rod welded to it that slides into pipe that's part of the stake setup, which keeps the rocket(s) horizontal and a couple feet off the ground. There's also a length of chain from the back of the rod to the net. Oh, and the rocket propellant is electrically ignited remotely by a battery through a 2 strand wire running to the ignition device attached to the rocket propellant. If you look at the first picture, you can see how the setup is arranged.

BE CAREFUL!!!!! The ignition device can be VERY touchy! We keep a shunt between the two wires right at the rockets and/or at the battery. The shunt stays in place until you're ready to fire. Don't stand in front of, or behind the rocket.

When the rockets are touched off, it sounds like a cannon and the net flies it's course in less than 1/2 second. The weight of the rocket and rod carry the net VERY quickly over the birds.

I'd suggest contacting your local biologist and going along on a bird banding launch. You'll learn a lot about how to set up one of these devices. Good luck.
 
Aaaah I missed out this year. I have been with John and Bill at a few different "Rocket Net" sights to band with the VT biologists. Its a ton of fun waiting and watching the birds build up at the feed site.

Anyone thinking of making one of these "rockets" be carefull, they are on the edge of pipe bomb.

Incase anyone is wondering about how fast a mallard really is, that net shoots out about 40 feet. you can see it fly, but it happens pretty fast. Unless the birds are within the last 15 feet (close to the rocket) then they stand a real good chance of gettin away when the net fires. The biologist have learned over the years that some birds at the halfway point get caught, but a lot get away out that far. The net itself has skirt to it. After the rocket fires everyone races out to fold that skirt portion under so ducks trying to work out to the ends stand on the net and can't get under it.

Other tidbits....they bait a site for a few days before netting it. They also leave a "dummy" net and rockets at the feed site so the birds are familiar with its presence. On net day they replace them with the real thing and the birds are none the wiser. Several of their sites are located in or near public hunting areas. so they stop baiting a few weeks befor ethe season starts.
 
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