Bands and Collars and the research information that they provide have been a wonderful tool that has helped all of us that enjoy the outdoors as much as we do. Sometimes we are all "selfish" for our own end (taking photos for most of us and we would prefer to not to see the collars, transmitters etc).
That being said, if you will yourself do some research you will see that the information that has been provided by collaring of wolves and Elk and the continued tracking is what has helped get approval to release these animals back into the wild, and helped to rebuild some of those populations where we can access these wonderful animals in the wild and have the "opportunity" to shoot them at all.
The researchers are "thrilled more than you can imagine" when photograpers like us can provide them with actual proof of a trackable sighting that can be documented and the animal is left in the wild to continue to be tracked. If you recieve a letter back when you have called in the information, make sure that you include a photo, and or link to your site letting them know you have photos of that animal, the same with the wolves and Elk, let the DNR or Game and fish know of your sighting and you have shots of those animals with the collars. You just might be surprised and get some of those published.
One last note, waterfowlers as a whole look at the bands collected on a duck or goose they harvest as a real trophy and wear them proudly with there duck calls and dog whistles. Look at the bands as another challenge for yourself as a photographer, capturing a visible band on a duck or goose leg while the bird is in flight and in focus, Is a trophy and also the kind of shot that waterfowl hunters really take note of and are published in waterfowl and outdoor publications.
Sorry for my long winded "rambling"!!!
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