# Jack Miner Band



## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

This past weekend I shot a banded snow. The band was a Jack Miner and it was banded in '98. If the band looks big to you, it is. It's actually one of their Canada bands because they don't get snow geese at the sanctuary. The verse is "Be Not Afraid Only Believe" Mark 5:36.

After contacting them with the info Kirk Miner told me that in his lifetime there have been only 3 snow geese banded at the sanctuary, and he is 60 years old. He said they rarely ever see a snow or blue, let alone tag one. He said that to his knowledge this is the only snow goose band recovery they have.

Needless to say I was pretty excited. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to shoot a Miner band...let alone one that was this one of a kind.


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## Prarie Hunter (Jul 11, 2008)

Nice Jones! you got to bring that to one of the meetings I need to see that thing :beer: How did you end up doing last weekend?


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

Wow, good job on such a unique band. :beer:


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

I never made it out really. I put on a few hundred miles scouting looking for somewhere to decoy later in the week and didn't see much. I found a few smaller flocks but they were all in flooded fields that they were also roosting in that would have been impossible to hunt. On my way back I saw a small group that I figured I could sneak if I had my gear...but then I figured screw it and did it anyway. The sneak took close to an hour and it included belling crawling a half section of CRP and wading balls-deep through a slough, all while wearing a hoodie, sweat pants and tennis shoes...I got close enough to them to dump 6. One was banded.

And there you have it, the glamourous tale of how the first and only jack miner banded snow was shot.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

I would get the bird mounted.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

This has to be one of the rarest bands out there, given they've only banded a handful of snows up there EVER.

So dang cool


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## smokinberetta (Jul 12, 2007)

That is awesome! Buddies of mine got to know the Miner family due to their years in the hunting industry here in Canada and used to hunt down on the sacturary with the family after the tourists went home. 

They actually have a box of unused Miner bands as presents and I can tell you that Snows are pretty rare here in Ontario. I shot one a couple of years ago the day before heading to Saskatchewan for my annual trip and may only see one around here every couple of years. Needless to say that your bird is a trophy! Best of all it's Canadian through and through!

(That should really stir the pot) 

Way to go!


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

headshot said:


> I would get the bird mounted.


I have it in the freezer. The bad news is that I rung the neck on it before noticing it was banded. I've dabbled in taxidermy so I'll try it myself...if it doesn't work out I can throw the bird in the trash and keep the band and just be out the supplies and time. :roll:


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## Madison (Mar 1, 2002)

Dude!! 

Way to go Jones, truly a great prize indeed..

I only ask one thing, please put it back on my honker mount before you give it back to me.


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## arpple (Oct 13, 2008)

Outstanding! That is literally like a 1 in 20 million chance of it occuring.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Fantastic!!!!


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## J.D. (Oct 14, 2002)

Congrats! I dont know what the odds are on how rare that band/bird is but its 1 in the millions.  :beer:


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Damn... Consider me extremely envious.

Congrats.


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## Neck Collar (Sep 19, 2006)

That's incredible!
Congrats!


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

Speechless.


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## Canuck (Nov 10, 2004)

That is cool. What I find even better is that you got 'em sneakin!
Sorry for stirring the pot. I'm a firm believer that all hunters are the same and we need to stick together. Besides, no lay-out blind, decoyin' field hunter has the equipment it takes to wade nut-deep through a slough in April. :beer: 
Canuck


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## desert setter (Oct 15, 2005)

Congrats! That is truely a trophy of a lifetime.


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## Goose Guy350 (Nov 29, 2004)

congrats :beer:


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

Incredibly ironic Matt, I'm not going to judge your beliefs but looking at the message on the band and the rarity of it I'm wondering if maybe you will think about it...


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## crewhunting (Mar 29, 2007)

congrats!


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

congrats on the band :beer: . You should probably go buy some lottery tickets now :lol:


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## huntingdude16 (Jul 17, 2007)

Congrats you lucky SOB....


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## ND_duckman (Feb 17, 2006)

Congratulations! What a true waterfowlers trophy.

I think some Aldo Leopold quotes would be appropriate for this occasion...

"But to the old-timer the banding of new birds becomes merely pleasant routine; the real thrill lies in the recapture of some bird banded long ago, some bird whose age, adventures, and previous condition of appetite are perhaps better known to you than to the bird himself."
Aldo Leopold. 1949. A Sand County Almanac.

"To band a bird is to hold a ticket in a great lottery"
-Aldo Leopold. 1949. A Sand County Almanac.


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## dosch (May 20, 2003)

Cool band. Even cooler that you admitted to "sneaking" on it.


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## Snow Hunter (Nov 16, 2004)

You are one Lucky SOB Joneser!!! I think that you need to send this tale into wildfowl and have it immortalized. Didn't you have a similar set of events lead you to your Blue Phase Ross? It is better to be lucky than good!


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## bluebird (Feb 28, 2008)

LUCKY :beer:


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## Almomatic (May 6, 2006)

J1S!!!! Nice work! :beer:


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

You are one lucky man. You should have bought some lotto tickets that night.


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## take'em down (Jan 8, 2009)

Thats insane!! Congratulations


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## benelliguyusa85 (Sep 3, 2008)

that really is about the sweetest trophy ever, that even beats a neck collar by a long shot. Congrats!


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Awesome story Jonsey! :beer:


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## Save Hens (Mar 15, 2008)

Nice one of a kind, im super jealous


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## Gyllen35 (Mar 24, 2009)

Thats prolly one of.. If not the sexiest band i've ever seen.


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## Blueman (Feb 13, 2008)

Awesome......what a real trophy!


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Matt Jones said:


> it included belling crawling a half section of CRP and wading balls-deep through a slough, all while wearing a hoodie, sweat pants and tennis shoes..


You are freaking nuts.


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## chris lillehoff (Jan 9, 2006)

i touched that band with my fingers. i know have the juju to get one.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

chris lillehoff said:


> i touched that band with my fingers. i know have the juju to get one.


So if someone touches you do they have the juju too???

8)


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## JuvyPimp (Mar 1, 2005)

Thats the coolest band on a snow I have heard of. Congrats on a true trophy and you definately earned it with that sneak. Awesome no mater how you get it. :beer: :beer: :beer:


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## makin it rain (Apr 2, 2009)

True prize thats for sure


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## DodgeLynn (Aug 28, 2008)

Thats awesome Matt!!! I see the Jack Minor sanctuary every night when I cook dinner! Its right across the road! Kingsville Ontario. That band is rather local lore around here my friend, mentioned many times and on many minds when in the fields. I am absolutely happy you harvested that bird..albeit a tad envious :wink:. In fact, I was with a few guys after gobblers this a.m. and it was mentioned! Cool eh.

Congrats... :beer:


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