Why would a band make anything a trophy? Almost 3 million doves have been banded for research. 20 million ducks and geese have been banded. Seems like something being banded would make it an easier kill as it was captured before.
Well, for one, there are guys that hunt 50+ years, thousands of ducks harvested, and never killed a band. It is truly the "drop tine" of the duck world. Read a little bit about Jack Minor, the father of the duck band. I have been duck hunting about 38 years and only have a few bands. I killed a goose that had a leg band and a neck band but my trophy is a drake mallard that was 14 years old when I killed it. Also, if an area has a history of banded birds killed, it will likely stay that way. Or, it USED to be that way.