My First Banded Duck!

I know that some hunters go their entire lives without ever killing a banded duck. But I didn't want to be one of them. I was sick of being the only Fowl Talk Guide with out one and I wanted my lanyard loaded with pink duck calls to have a shiny piece of bling on it as well.

It was the beginning of season and Billy and I had drove out the property in Danbury one evening to check water level in the back 40s. As we pulled up at the middle levy we watch 5 mottled ducks get up and one more try it's hardest to fly away but just flapped around in the water, obviously wounded. Now I love slaughtering ducks as much as the next fellow but I'm still a little girl at heart and decided at that moment that I wanted a pet duck. Now in my mind this wasn't going to be just any pet duck this pet duck was going to live happily ever after in the back yard with our two labs as it's best friends. Come on let me have a happily ever after!

As I raced across the pond in the shin deep water with my barely shin high rubber boots across the most sticky gumbo mud I've ever endured to catch this duck, that was obviously not wounded in the swimming department, my mind raced with how fun it was going to be to have a pet duck. Half way across this 40 acre pond diagonally I realized that I didn't really want a pet duck all that bad when ever he was already to other side and out of the water. I puffed and panted to finish my trek across the pond no longer running on the adrenaline of having a pet duck.

I pulled myself in the truck when I finally reached the other side barely having the breath to tell Billy to "Be Quiet!" as he made fun of my for actually thinking I could catch a duck. As we drove past the next levy I spotted out of the corner of my eye my pet duck waddling through the weeds! I had suddenly regained all the energy I once had and then some to jump out of the moving truck and run 100 yards and then some in my muddy rubber boots and soaking wet jeans to my beloved pet duck! As I arrived at where I saw him I examined the water carefully for sign of the tinest ripple to see if my duck has once again got away but did not see the even the faintest swell. He had to be in the bushes!!

I searched over grown weeds carefully trying to not make any sudden movements when I saw him cuddled up tightly a mere two feet from my grasp underneath a small shrub. Then I suddenly became scared of the duck! Yes ladies and gentlemen I was scared of the pet duck that I had been dreaming of this whole time! What if his tiny webbed feet scratched me? What if his beak with no teeth bit me? Why I was scared I have no idea but I was too scared to grab him! Then his beady little eye met with mine and I guess he sensed my fear because he took a run for it. That's when I saw it. The slight sparkle in the sunlight on his leg. I dove and tackled that duck like I was making a sac in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl! I rose to my feet to see it clearly for the first time.

MY VERY FIRST BAND! I had CAUGHT my very first banded duck! I jumped and screamed the shrillest scream that it couldn't even be compared to a kid on Christmas because I was more excited than that! Billy was laughing so hard at my excitement that he didn't have a chance to be in shock of my luck. But the duck was in enough shock for the both of us having been jumped around and screamed at and kissed on the head and hugged on more than all the ducks in world in a mere 30 seconds. I carried him back to the truck in one of the most proud moments of life where I put him the dog kennel (no dogs in there) with some pond water and rice seed. And drove back to the house calling everyone from San Marcos to College Station and back to Alvin to tell them about the catch of my life time!

Then after having my pet duck, which I seemingly named Motts, for two days and realizing that ducks are actually mean and they hiss and DO bite! I left him go safely at a local park with lots of other ducks so he could heal. I wanted to get him mounted but after naming him and the past we experienced together I could bring my self to kill him. But as far as his family goes.... Beware of the Duck Diva!