POLL: Swans

[Kola16]

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

It would be harder than doves 

[Stilly bay]

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.

I believe its the Tundra swan that they are talking about opening a season on. the Trumpeter as you mentioned is still in trouble.

if you see the two flying side by side there is no mistaking one for the other - when one is alone it gets a lot tougher to figure out which is which.

[baldopepper]

Utah now requires an identifcation course be taken before you can apply.  They get vitually no trumpters thru there but do get literally thousands of whistlers (a subspecies of tundras I beleive).  As you can imagne, Utah has very limited waterfowl areas and these swans literally decimate the available areas.  Some years in the past it was estimated that as many as 150,000 -200,000 were stopping over in those limited areas.  The hunt is supposedly as much to get them to move on as anything else.  (Havent hunted there in over 20 years now, so can't say what the reasoning is now or what the population is estimated to be)  Used to be quite a sight when they'd get up  en masse and head out onto the great salt lake from the various refuges, they were so noisy you had difficulty carrying on a conversation.  They really arent that bad to eat, but don't think I'd blast one now days.  To much trouble carrying them back in and picking.   

[fethrduster]

I'll pass.   I just don't see the point, especially since they don't taste that great.   They have an intrinsic value all their own without them having to be viewed as a game bird.  Just enjoy them and appreciate them for being there.  Those moments when they fly over low like bombers with their melancholy swan song have been high points of my hunts, no matter how many other ducks/geese I killed.  Awesome birds.

[Stilly bay]

I'll pass.   I just don't see the point, especially since they don't taste that great.   They have an intrinsic value all their own without them having to be viewed as a game bird.  Just enjoy them and appreciate them for being there.  Those moments when they fly over low like bombers with their melancholy swan song have been high points of my hunts, no matter how many other ducks/geese I killed.  Awesome birds.

but if you shoot a giant swan everyone will think you must have a giant shwanz.

[Kola16]

Ducks aren't great to eat if you don't cook them right.

[AWS]

It's one of the highlights of a hunt to be able to see swans cruising over the blind, even if it were legal don't think I'd take the shot.  I know I'd never put in for a limited tag.

[Kola16]

Do you hunt on the East side AWS  Where I hunt in Snoho and Skagit County, they are thicker than Canadiens. They are constantly flying over.

[Tealer]

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.

Do the research again, then attend a flyway meeting. Swans are currently ABOVE their management goal.

[Oldguy]

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

I did see the look on my Lab's face when told to "fetch" and pointed at a live, but ill swan. I was capturing sick swan as part of the team collecting them and trying to figure out where they were ingesting lead that was killing them. My dog looked and me and I knew that puzzled look meant, "Are you kidding!" The swan was on dry land and was running for the water when the dog headed for the confrontation. Smart dog; he just laid on top of the bird with his front legs extended like he was applying a full-nelson. It worked.

 

[Curly]

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

I did see the look on my Lab's face when told to "fetch" and pointed at a live, but ill swan. I was capturing sick swan as part of the team collecting them and trying to figure out where they were ingesting lead that was killing them. My dog looked and me and I knew that puzzled look meant, "Are you kidding!" The swan was on dry land and was running for the water when the dog headed for the confrontation. Smart dog; he just laid on top of the bird with his front legs extended like he was applying a full-nelson. It worked.

Great story.

[Turner89]

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.

[Fishnclifff]

I would apply for a limited tag, if I could afford it.

Tired of those flying rump-roasts comin in right over the dekes when ducks are working.
Scares em off.
Then they come back in 3's, split up and come from different directions.

 

[206]

Why would you want to shoot something that there are very few of?

My Dad came from North Dakota and shot'em years ago and told me there was no meat on'em.

Some sailed my place a week ago and my first was GEESE.  Then I recognized they were swans and were sailing like a flock of seagulls.  No wonder they don't have no meat. They are not Flappers.

Save a Swan.  Eat a Seagull!

[Kola16]

Ha! You guys are funny. So few of them......