IronBands.com

You know you are a waterfowler. It's at your core. You find an indescribable joy in getting up early, scouting, getting dirty, and ultimately having killer hunts.

But what about the waterfowler across town? Or across the State or Province? Or the waterfowler across the Country?

They are right here. Meet your National Field Staff (NFS).

Here we feature one successful waterfowler from each of the States and Provinces of North America. These proven duck and goose hunters share their unique backgrounds, stories and tips. Check them out.

Are you the next National Field Staff?

Think you have the background and experience? Think you have the track record? Think you have the insight that makes you a good waterfowler? 

Think you would represent your area well? Then we would love to hear from you. Give us a shout.     This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Welcome Gene Carter from California.

He is third generation from the Yuba City area where waterfowl hunting like rice farming is an important aspect of life. His interest in duck hunting began at the age of ten on a nearby rice farm and hunting club that he still hunts to this day.

Put your hands together for Gene.

First Experiences

The first duck I killed was a hen mallard. We were hunting a creek that we knew had about 20 mallards in it that had been using it all summer as their home. We jumped and shot five out of that group, and it was the start of what has got me hooked for life.

The first banded bird I got was a hen mallard too. I shot it off of Two Mile Road in Colusa, CA in the mid 1980s. The duck was banded at Lower Klamath NWR.

IronBands.com introduces Brian Bright from Illinois.

He's been hunting waterfowl a little over seven years, and when he was bitten by the waterfowl bug, he was bitten bad.

Since then, he spends approximately 45-50 days a year hunting waterfowl which is the most addictive thing he's ever done.

A big Ironbands welcome to Brian.

First Goose

Please welcome Matt Leonard who was born and raised in southeast Iowa.

He grew up hunting mallards and Canada geese on the Des Moines River.

Now he does most of his hunting on the Chariton River around Lake Rathbun, but when the weather freezes the shallow water, he heads back to the Des Moines River.

The water there doesn't freeze up until about mid January, usually after the season has closed.

Please welcome Brock Perry, your National Field Staff member from Nevada.

He has been hunting for about 25 years on mostly public lands, and with a good success rate favors challenging days, roughing it out, and lots of pre-hunt homework. From using existing public blinds to making his own, he loves to hunt ducks. 

Put your hands together for Brock.

Hawk Tale

My first duck I ever shot was a drake pintail. I was jump shooting a field of them, and knocked one down, but he was crippled and ended up in the middle of an alfalfa field.

As I set out to retrieve the bird, the excitement was unbearable.

IronBands.com is pleased to introduce Mark DesRoches from Ontario, Canada.

He is not only a skilled and dedicated waterfowler, he is also approaching 20 years of senior volunteer service with Ducks Unlimited. Mark's taxidermy collection and harvested bands experiences are impressive too.

Mark works for the Canadian Army, but you will find him in the field during his spare time, dropping plump ducks and geese. He is simply duck and goose, through and through.

Meet Davis Walker from Texas.

Some of his first memories as a child are of being out in the fields, marshes, and bays of the Texas coast.

What has spurred his hunting aspirations from those early years were the little things, such as hunting with his Dad and Grandfather, the ride in the boat, and the beauty of the birds.