POLL: Swans

[Kola16]

Well I was at a pheasant meeting last Aug. And I heard DFW staffer allude to fact a season had been talked about.

I would like to see my dog's face when I sent her for one of those buggers.

A live one on the ground 

[PatoLoco]

I ve heard that a big stumbling block would be the inability to distinguish tundras from trumpeters in flight.

[BiggLuke]

Come on guys.... those things were practically extict just a few years ago.
Do some research online, you will see why humans could never hope to hunt them again with out endangering their extinction.
In 2008, a study was conducted amongst researchers from alaska to mexico, and they estimated the trumpeter swan population for the Pacific flyway to number less than 30,000.
Plus there was research done to show only ruoghly a 4% growth in population every year for the last decade.

In other words, if you let us hunters take 1201 birds a year, the population will decline... dramatically. Hell it takes a swan something like 5 years just to mature to breed.

Just saying..... they do have reasons.

That being said, you bet your ass I'd love having a Trumpeter Swan mounted on my wall with wings spread.

[pianoman9701]

Hunting swans would turn off a great many non-hunters who presently support us. I would be be vehemently opposed to opening up a swan season without irrefutable proof that they're causing severe economic damage and need to be culled.

[baldopepper]

They've had limited hunting on them in Utah for years. (draw permit basis usually around 2,000 permits) . Eat only sego pond lilly there (whistlers) and they congregate in the thousands there depleting the available food supply.  I've shot several when I lived there (you don't want to be under one when they come down!!)  Very, very dark meat and very hard to pick..  Usually want to try to get one that was still grey (young bird) as the pure white ones are very tough eating.  Some days the hunting units there (Ogden Bay, Farmington Bay and Bear River Bird Refuge) are literally white with them. 

[92xj]

NC has a season, lottery draw, 5000 permits I believe.  The population is amazing and seems to be growing every year. 

[boneaddict]

Hunting swans would turn off a great many non-hunters who presently support us. I would be be vehemently opposed to opening up a swan season without irrefutable proof that they're causing severe economic damage and need to be culled.

I agree!  Hell I am a hunter and think I would be turned off at fellow hunters. 

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Never saw them as a game bird, like owls and crows, I wouldn't shoot them even if they were legal, even though  others may.

[jackmaster]

  i wouldnt hunt them if it was legal but if the numbers are there idk why they dont let ya hunt them like turkeys or somethn

[bobcat]

There's just not enough of them. If the population was so high that it needed to be reduced, I could see it. Using a limited permit system might work, but why bother? Who would really want to hunt them anyway? Especially since I'm sure they don't taste any better than ducks.   

[jackmaster]

There's just not enough of them. If the population was so high that it needed to be reduced, I could see it. Using a limited permit system might work, but why bother? Who would really want to hunt them anyway? Especially since I'm sure they don't taste any better than ducks.   

ya got that right, idk why anyone would want to eat a nasty ole duck, i have tried a bunch of ways and it just dont taste good, or maybe i dont have those fancy ass rich type taste buds that make it good, i have seen some prices in resteruants for roast duck or braised duck or whatever it is and i damn near *censored* myself 

[Special T]

North Carlolina and TX have Tundra swan hunts. I would say that if we cannot get a seperate bag limit for MERGANSERS we are going to get nothing pursuing this. 

[boneaddict]

Its too bad people don't take a more vested interest in shooting starlings or English sparrows.   More sporting and probably taste better

[pianoman9701]

Its too bad people don't take a more vested interest in shooting starlings or English sparrows.   More sporting and probably taste better

And let me have a collective "yuk" from the audience! 

[Curly]

Could you even get enough meat from a dozen english sparrows to have a meal?