11-08-2007, 08:10 PM
If you drew a permit to hunt tundra swans in Utah this fall, you might want to grab your gun and head to the marsh.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service During a survey flown on Nov. 6, Tom Aldrich counted 30,906 swans in marshes along the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake.
The week before, he counted just over 13,000. "The number of swans coming into Utah's marshes is definitely picking up," says Aldrich, who serves as the migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.
Where the swans are
Most of the swans Aldrich spotted on the morning of Nov. 6 were on Unit 1 at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge west of Brigham City. He spotted almost 14,000 swans on the unit.
"You can't hunt on Unit 1, but the swans that are on the unit may fly over units 2, 1A, 3A and 3B, which are open to hunting," Aldrich says.
Another area where Aldrich saw lots of swans was the Bear River Duck Club east of the refuge. He counted more than 10,300 swans there.
The weekly swan surveys are usually flown on Tuesday mornings. You can stay updated on where the swans are at wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl/swan/swansurvey.php.
Utah's swan hunting season ends Dec. 9. The only hunters who can hunt swans are those who drew a swan hunting permit earlier this fall.
Hunting tips
If you're one of the 2,000 hunters who drew a permit, Aldrich encourages you to spend time watching the swans and learning their flight patterns. Tundra swans are very consistent in the times of day they fly and the routes they take. "If you learn these patterns, you'll up your chance for success," Aldrich says.
Things that can change a swan's flight pattern include hunting pressure, changes in the weather and the availability of food.
Ice-up is another thing to watch for. As the water starts to ice-up, swans fly more as they search for areas with open water. "Being in the marsh when this happens can also increase the chance that you take a swan," Aldrich says.
Aldrich reminds hunters that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has closed all of the areas north of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and north of Forest Street (the road leading from Brigham City to the refuge) to tundra swan hunting.
"The USFWS has restricted tundra swan hunting to try and lessen the number of trumpeter swans that are taken," Aldrich says. "Compared to tundra swans, trumpeter swans are less abundant."
Swan hunting reminders
Swan hunters are reminded about requirements that are designed to help the DWR and the USFWS obtain an accurate count of the number of trumpeter swans that are accidentally taken by hunters.
Within 72 hours of taking a swan, you must get your bird examined and measured at a DWR office, or the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. You must also return your harvest questionnaire within 10 days after the season closes, even if you don't hunt or take a swan.
If you don't do those things, you'll have to pay a $50 late fee if you want to apply for a swan permit in 2008.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service During a survey flown on Nov. 6, Tom Aldrich counted 30,906 swans in marshes along the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake.
The week before, he counted just over 13,000. "The number of swans coming into Utah's marshes is definitely picking up," says Aldrich, who serves as the migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.
Where the swans are
Most of the swans Aldrich spotted on the morning of Nov. 6 were on Unit 1 at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge west of Brigham City. He spotted almost 14,000 swans on the unit.
"You can't hunt on Unit 1, but the swans that are on the unit may fly over units 2, 1A, 3A and 3B, which are open to hunting," Aldrich says.
Another area where Aldrich saw lots of swans was the Bear River Duck Club east of the refuge. He counted more than 10,300 swans there.
The weekly swan surveys are usually flown on Tuesday mornings. You can stay updated on where the swans are at wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl/swan/swansurvey.php.
Utah's swan hunting season ends Dec. 9. The only hunters who can hunt swans are those who drew a swan hunting permit earlier this fall.
Hunting tips
If you're one of the 2,000 hunters who drew a permit, Aldrich encourages you to spend time watching the swans and learning their flight patterns. Tundra swans are very consistent in the times of day they fly and the routes they take. "If you learn these patterns, you'll up your chance for success," Aldrich says.
Things that can change a swan's flight pattern include hunting pressure, changes in the weather and the availability of food.
Ice-up is another thing to watch for. As the water starts to ice-up, swans fly more as they search for areas with open water. "Being in the marsh when this happens can also increase the chance that you take a swan," Aldrich says.
Aldrich reminds hunters that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has closed all of the areas north of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and north of Forest Street (the road leading from Brigham City to the refuge) to tundra swan hunting.
"The USFWS has restricted tundra swan hunting to try and lessen the number of trumpeter swans that are taken," Aldrich says. "Compared to tundra swans, trumpeter swans are less abundant."
Swan hunting reminders
Swan hunters are reminded about requirements that are designed to help the DWR and the USFWS obtain an accurate count of the number of trumpeter swans that are accidentally taken by hunters.
Within 72 hours of taking a swan, you must get your bird examined and measured at a DWR office, or the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. You must also return your harvest questionnaire within 10 days after the season closes, even if you don't hunt or take a swan.
If you don't do those things, you'll have to pay a $50 late fee if you want to apply for a swan permit in 2008.