It is now over. I shot a mature tundra tonight at brbr unit 1a. I only had 1 flock of 8 birds fly over within range and i made the new Federal Black Cloud shells prove their power. The first 2 shots i noticed the feet shuttering and thought MORE lead. Another 3 feet and it folded like a bad poker hand! My son was with me and watched the whole thing and all i can say is i will never forget that moment and the look in his eyes as that bird fell to the ground. If you were anywhere near brbr you probably heard him(and me) hootin and hollerin!
Don't forget if you hunt that unit or 2c(i think) you can only have 10 shells within 50' of the center of the main dike. I talked with a co out there tonight and he said that every year approx. 300 swans die on the rest area from fatal(but not instant) wounds from people shooting at birds that are too high. Please take shots you are sure you can make and kill cleanly.
P.S. Give it another foot or two of lead. Those are big birds and they really are moving fast...
There's a bonus pic of a nice drake buffy i shot a couple weeks ago too.
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Nice Swan Brody... that is awesome having your kid with you...
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We had to make 4 stops on the way home so he could show it off. Did you draw? I can't remember. We need to get out again. Pray for ice...
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[black][size 3]You referred to your swan as a Trumpeter, and again as a Tundra Swan. I was under the impression that only Whistling swans were available for hunting.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]Aren't the other two swans protected?[/size]
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[size 3]BTW Congrats on the hunt, and good you had your son with you. It can be liking downing a 747.[/size]
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Brody would you put some clothes on that little girl/
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You are most correct. I fixed it in my post headline. It is indeed a tundra and not a trumpeter. Wishful thinking i guess. As for the whistling swans, i think you can shoot them but they are very rare.
I have never had to shoot any swan more than twice and kill it stone dead. In fact i only had to shoot one of 7 more than once and the one tonight. The other night and the first 2 shots tonight were lack of action on the bigger birds. After so long i get used to shooting ducks and forget how to lead the bigguns.
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If you can keep her from tearing them off i will put some on her. We think she might be allergic to cotton. She always has a rash on her skin when she has cloths on.[crazy]
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[black][size 3]I just got a little education on swans from the Internet. Thought that I would share it.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]The Tundra swan (formerly called the Whistling swan) is the only swan available for hunting in the country. Utah is the only state with permits available.[/size]
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[size 3]I guess that we should consider ourselves lucky to have such a bird to hunt.[/size]
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[size 3]Being large in size, and faster than they appear, it is a good practice to shoot at the head only, giving them plenty of lead. This applies both to swan and geese. [/size]
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Good info. I figured it was the mute swan i was thinking of. Here is some info i found. Now i am not sure which one i was thinking of.
[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistling_Swan"]Whistling Swan[/url], Cygnus columbianus is a small swan which breeds on the North American tundra, further north than other swans. It winters in the USA.
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This is a stupid question and I'm not judging, but what do you do with a swan once it's down. Do you eat them? I've heard of people eating sandhill cranes, but never swans.
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Nice work Brody. Those birds are so big, and their flight speed is tricky! You really need to lead them more than you think.
Trumpeter Swans are protected, and normally Utah is not in their flyway, however the environmentalists, in all of their infinite wisdom, fed them for years up north, and pretty soon, they forgot how the migrate! The USFWS then started sneaking Trumpeter eggs into Tundra (whistler) nests to try to teach them how to fly south again. There are some here in Utah, and you can technically shoot one. It is not illegal to keep it either, but they strongly encourage you (by education) to ID your bird before you pull the trigger. I don't remember the exact number, but if there are X number confirmed shot in Utah, they shut the hunt down early.
Once again Brody, nice work!
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Congrats on the Tundra Brody! I can't wait to take my boy out!
I am sure that there is a east coast state that hunts swans also.
North Carolina I think.
It is 10 Trumpeters and then they will decide to shut the season down.
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[font "Lucida Console"][#ff4040]Nice work man!![/#ff4040][/font]
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Nice bird. Great that your boy got to be there with you.
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Awesome!! I am trying for mine on Sunday.
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Yes i do eat them. As a matter o fact i just got done picking off the last tasty morsels from it. MMGOOD! Soaked it in beer and oj all last night and then cooked it in a turkey bag and some seasonings. They are very good.[cool]
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I didn't draw for a swan, I am still hoping for my turkey next spring... I am ready to hit the geese and ducks again, just let me know when... I am thinking about sunday because the weather is supposed to be bad... AJ
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What's the best way to cook a older swan?
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Sorry just read your recipe. I like soy sauce and garlic wrapped in bacon on the spit.
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[black][size 3]If you get a fully mature swan or goose for that matter, you had better be prepared to enjoy the flavor and not the texture. Swans can get to be well over 50 yrs old, and geese very near that age.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]I have cleaned both swans and geese, where it was necessary to stand on both wings, and with all my might, pull with my back to remove the internal organs.[/size]
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[size 3]It's hard to tell the age of geese when hunting them, but after taking home fully white, large swans, you will start shooting at the immature birds for table fare.[/size]
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[size 3]I've used several marinates to change the flavor, but never found one that will tenderize the meat of a mature bird.[/size]
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[size 3]One swan I cooked, I cooked it low and slow in a crock pot, and that seemed to make it much better eating. A crock pot will usually make old shoe leather palatable.[/size]
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