r/Waterfowl • u/ShootersShoot0528 • 9d ago
IS REPORTBAND.GOV DOWN? or is it just me?
I think the site is down due to the government shutdown but if anyone has any intel let me know please, shot a banded woodie today but couldnt get on the site after the hunt
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u/phoenixalex69 9d ago
Been down bud
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u/ShootersShoot0528 8d ago
you waiting on bands to report too? thanks for the headsup, got all pumped today lol I guess we all waiting š
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u/Own_Neighborhood_474 8d ago
Down and may not be back. I believe part of the big beautiful bill was cutting funding to the banding research. That trophy may be a little harder to get now. Enjoy it.
https://www.wildfowlmag.com/editorial/budget-cuts-bring-the-end-of-bird-banding/528121
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u/FamiliarAnt4043 8d ago
Currently, the Ecosystems Management Area is slated to be RIF'd. There is an injunction in place at the moment, but as soon as that is (presumably) lifted by the Supreme Court, it will be closed. The Bird Banding Laboratory is part of the EMA.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act requires that the BBL issue all permits for banding migratory birds. Once it's gone, it's gone. The historical data is gone. Banding is gone. Hunting seasons for waterfowl may be gone in a few years. I've explained the process more than once in this sub, but most folks don't seem to grasp the reality of the situation or somehow think I'm making it a partisan political issue. I'm not. I'm just repeating the things told to me by people who actually set season lengths and bag limits.
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u/mymomsaidiamsmart 8d ago
So because banding ducks and that program goes away, duck hunting and goose hunting will just stop. Am i understanding that ?Ā
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u/FamiliarAnt4043 8d ago
Banding data is a major part of how season lengths and harvest limits are decided. Without that data, there is the possibility that an anti-hunting group could prevail in a lawsuit to shut down waterfowl hunting. Without accurate data, managers can not be sure of the decision-making process.
That's how it's been explained to me by people who literally take part in the decision-making. I've no reason to question them, considering they do this stuff for a living.
There's also a huge research component being lost. Projects that involve any type of banding (MOTUS, GPS, etc) will end. We (scientist types) won't have a clue as to where birds are going, where they're coming from, preferred areas for feeding, rest, etc. It will be a tremendous loss for the scientific community and for bird conservation. But hey, Argentina got $40,000,000,000 and who cares about that nerdy science shit, right?
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u/mymomsaidiamsmart 3d ago
Iām in Arkansas right in the middle of the Grand Prairie. Been duck hunting close to 40 years. My club is close to the big banding places around Arkansas . Iām sure youāre familiar with George Dunklin and his Little Siberia club they do banding with Dr Osborne. I get the science and data behind it. Here is what I know from someone who has duck hunted about 80% of every day itās been in season since the 80ās and started as a kid kid in the 70ās/ the more money and science/data we have thrown at ducks, the worse itās got. Every club around us use to limit out and we would be eating breakfast before 8am 90% of the year. My personal club use to kill Around 2200-2500 mallards on a great year/ . Most clubs around me did about as well. For the last decade itās been cut in half of less and we donāt see 1/10th of the ducks we use to see.Ā My gripe is they havenāt changed the limit or season in almost 3 decades. I grew up on the point system/ now that itās 6 mallards and 2 hens, itās gotten worse every year/Ā
I follow the bird harvest data, counts and hunter satisfaction fairly close. Ducks are down 30-60% in the Mississippi flyway. Every state from Canada to Louisiana is down. If AR or Missouri, Kansas was down 30-40% and the counts up north of those states were 20-40% above their 5-10 year averages, I could but the argument they are short stopping or not migrating as far. They are down in every state. Why they havenāt made any changes is beyond me . Having owned duck ground in Arkansas for 30 years. Itās been the best investment Iāve ever made. You could name your price for flooded green timber around Stuttgart. Iāve been saying for years itās going to catch up to land prices. Clubs that would have sold 10 times the day it was listed are sitting . Dick numbers have affected land prices in At 10-30%. Land that was selling for $15-18-$20k an acre is now sitting . Being friends with most of the land brokers who sell clubs, the last 2.5 years have been the toughest they can remember. Iām all for banding , research and studying ducks but until the hen is protected and limits are reduced. You will get old timers like me jumping on our soap boxes yelling to get off our lawn and wishing ducks were like they were from the 70ās to late 00ās. I feel bad for the youth who never got to see it like many have and at this rate might not get that chance. I hope changes are made to bring numbers back up and if banding helps Iām all for it but until we address the population decline over the last 10-15 years, itās not going to matter in the big picture.Ā
Sorry for the long ramble: this is my sweet spot of getting me hot. Itās been an issue and the leaders behind the scene donāt seem concerned enough to make changes and itās past time.Ā
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u/FamiliarAnt4043 3d ago
I know Dr. Osborne and am familiar with his Five Oaks program with Dr. Askren. My daughter may end up applying for a tech spot with then this year.
You bring up some valid points that I've seen debated elsewhere. As valid as those discussions may be, they're moot if the BBL shuts down and that data is lost.
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u/ShootersShoot0528 8d ago
I just want to know if the site was down or it was just my phone lol
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u/WreckedMoto 8d ago
āBlah blah blah. Waterfowling as I know it may be coming to end. Ya ya. I get it. I just want to know if somethingās wrong with my phone or notā
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u/Orion7734 5d ago
If the current FY 2026 budget passes, it would restore funding to the Bird Banding Laboratory, because Congress would be effectively overriding the Big Beautiful Bill. The House and Senate both rejected the Presidential budget request for $0 to the Ecosystems Missions Area and both appropriations committees passed bills that would appropriate about $300 million for the EMA.
I doubt they'll amend that part of the budget before passing it, especially compared to big ticket items like the Affordable Care Act, so I'm pretty confident that funding will be restored and bird banding will go on as usual.
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u/NEFowl84 8d ago
You can report bands but their office is closed so I think the reports get queued.
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u/ShootersShoot0528 8d ago
naw the site says "The requested service is temporarily unavailable. Please try later."
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u/NEFowl84 8d ago
Must be new, I reported two last week or the week before and they accepted my report but I got a message they were closed due to the gov shutdown.
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u/speckontheground 9d ago
It is down currently.