Mute Swan

[jbeaumont21]

I know this topic has been on here before but I still don't have any real evidence that it is legal to shoot one in WA state?    Can anyone confirm?  Had one land in my spread today and had to watch it fly away. 

[Tbar]

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=61434.0

https://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=220-640-200
Looks like you notify the department.

[Special T]

Cant shoot swans in the Pacific Flyway... Got to go to the central flyway to do so.

[Stein]

Cant shoot swans in the Pacific Flyway... Got to go to the central flyway to do so.

What's the reference for that?

WDFW has them in the unclassified category which I believe allows hunting all year with a big or small game license - similar to coyotes.

[Night goat]

um aint they federally protected and subject to federal law which is basically unspoken compared to state law?

gotta taste good if theyre protected.....

[Stein]

Feds declared them non-native unprotected in 2005.

[Tbar]

Feds declared them non-native unprotected in 2005.

Are they still protected by WAC?

( 8 ) Escaped animals:

(a) Escaped deleterious exotic wildlife, including Fallow deer (Dama dama) and reindeer (all members of the genus Rangifer, except Rangifer tarandus caribou) will be considered a public nuisance. The department or any peace officer may seize, capture, or destroy deleterious exotic wildlife that have escaped the possessor's control. The former possessor shall be responsible for costs incurred by the department in recovering, maintaining, or disposing of such animals, as well as any damage to the state's wildlife or habitat.

(b) Escapes of deleterious exotic wildlife must be reported immediately to the department.

(c) The recapture or death of escaped deleterious exotic wildlife must be reported immediately to the department.

[Stein]

That's if you are keeping them as pets.  If they escape you need to notify WDFW so the can address it as they are considered a nuisance and compete with native birds.

[Night goat]

um aint they federally protected and subject to federal law which is basically unspoken compared to state law?

gotta taste good if theyre protected.....

Ok quoting myself here.... For me this thread is an ornithology lesson.... I knew about the trumpeter and tundra swans but wasnt aware of the 3rd genus.... So I retract my prior statements

[Special T]

Cant shoot swans in the Pacific Flyway... Got to go to the central flyway to do so.

What's the reference for that?

WDFW has them in the unclassified category which I believe allows hunting all year with a big or small game license - similar to coyotes.

I thought you were at the Washington Waterfowl Association  NW chapter Meeting when Kyle Spragens Waterfowl section MGR talked about this?

They are worried about "accidental harvest" not unlike the the Dusky situation in the SW part of the state... but one of the swans "cant remember which one" is endangered and the accidental killing of those cannot be risked.

[wadu1]

um aint they federally protected and subject to federal law which is basically unspoken compared to state law?

gotta taste good if theyre protected.....

I've had trumpeter swan from Utah a few years ago, it was fantastic. The meat was very pale, like cougar. A friend applied for a permit and drew one of the few that year. I think they still have a hunt for them?

[Stein]

Cant shoot swans in the Pacific Flyway... Got to go to the central flyway to do so.

What's the reference for that?

WDFW has them in the unclassified category which I believe allows hunting all year with a big or small game license - similar to coyotes.

I thought you were at the Washington Waterfowl Association  NW chapter Meeting when Kyle Spragens Waterfowl section MGR talked about this?

They are worried about "accidental harvest" not unlike the the Dusky situation in the SW part of the state... but one of the swans "cant remember which one" is endangered and the accidental killing of those cannot be risked.

No, must have missed that one but it does make sense.  I couldn’t find it in the regs or wacs, could be another phantom dept rule.


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[Stein]

um aint they federally protected and subject to federal law which is basically unspoken compared to state law?

gotta taste good if theyre protected.....

I've had trumpeter swan from Utah a few years ago, it was fantastic. The meat was very pale, like cougar. A friend applied for a permit and drew one of the few that year. I think they still have a hunt for them?

You probably had tundra swan?


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[Special T]

um aint they federally protected and subject to federal law which is basically unspoken compared to state law?

gotta taste good if theyre protected.....

I've had trumpeter swan from Utah a few years ago, it was fantastic. The meat was very pale, like cougar. A friend applied for a permit and drew one of the few that year. I think they still have a hunt for them?

You probably had tundra swan?


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At that meeting we were told it was more likely we would get a swan season than a second bag limit for Mergansers... (both were low so he said)

[callturner]

In a nutshell it says they are not federally protected but you need permission from wdfw