# swans shot



## snag

I saw on the news last night some guy up in the Sandusky area shot and killed two swans and wounded another one. man that guy sure can,t identify a goose from a swan,pretty bad..they said it could be a 1000$ fine per bird and revoke his hunting license, hope he gets the max....


----------



## F1504X4

I watched a guy at killdeer a few years ago kill 2 swans. He said he thought they were snows. Realized after they dropped and had a bigger wingspan than he did that they weren't. 


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## collegekid

I know some swans were killed at pickerel and the wardens were tracking the guy down. Should be a ban for that level of stupidity.


----------



## blue eyeris

I have a friend who tells a story about being at a hunt and a guy walks in to the lodge holding two snow geese he was super jacked about and proud of....and they were swans.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Overwatchmike

I watched some $#@%^& walking around the woods this weekend with his kid, calling geese and then sky busting them. Problem was they don't come into season till this coming up weekend. Some people just have no care about seasons and will play the stupidity card. Funny thing was, my dad had his goose and duck calls for some unknown reason (I think they were in his duck hunting bucket that he took to sit on). LMAO, dad started calling to the guy, what a riot.

Also saw some guys shoot 3 swans a couple years ago out at Mogadore. They thought they were snow geese.........

Sent from my DROID4 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## OrangeMilk

Had 2 swans fly by us last year, a ways down the shorline we heard some shots and few minutes later the swans flew back by us. So at least the idiot that shot at them missed.

Some people are just stupid. a) Snow geese are very rare in Ohio. b) snow geese are about 1/3 the size of a swan.

I've passed up on shots many times because I was not sure of the ID of the bird, of coourse after it's passed i kick myself becasue I could of shot, but I'm a better safe than sorry guy.


----------



## Lewzer

That's interesting. The ODNR has been killing them at Portage Lakes as they are non-native and a nuisance species that are not covered by the federal migratory bird law.

http://www.ohio.com/lifestyle/2.1079/swan-song-for-mute-waterfowl-1.424987


----------



## OrangeMilk

They are killing resident birds though, not migrators, the birds shot over the weekend could easily be residents, but that's not the point.

I think the ODNR has learned for the way htey Handled Geese a few years back that they need to get a handle on reproduction a lot sooner.


----------



## M.Magis

OrangeMilk said:


> They are killing resident birds though, not migrators, the birds shot over the weekend could easily be residents, but that's not the point.
> 
> I think the ODNR has learned for the way htey Handled Geese a few years back that they need to get a handle on reproduction a lot sooner.



Im just curious, then what is the point? If I let my pet goat out during deer season and it gets shot, I probably shouldnt be too surprised. Not disputing the fact that people can and should be better at IDing their target, but as someone who hasnt done much waterfowl hunting, it seems like it could be an honest mistake. I could be wrong though. 
Disclaimer: I do NOT own a goat.


----------



## OrangeMilk

Several things;

Snowshoe Hares are not allowed to be killed in Ohio, so you can't kill one durring rabbit season, even though it is a rabbit. Just like you can't kill swans during Migratory bird season, even though they are a migratory bird. 

Honest mistake/ignorance is no excuse. If you are driving 50 mph and gt pulled over for speeding, you can't say "well i dind't know the speed limit" as a reason, you still broke the law even if you didn't know it or didn't think you were.

ODNR is killing the swans, many communities cull their "in town" deer herds. Usually having police sharp shooters do it. You and I can not go out and shoot deer at that time saying "hey those guys over there are doing it" we would be breaking the law.

My guess is they need to have the guys on Duck Dynasty go hunting on the show, see some swans and then not shoot at them, since thats where a lot of nubs get there hunting education from.


----------



## M.Magis

Is that a fair comparison, considering snowshoe hares are protected, vs. the swans which are non-native? I was thinking these were just feral swans someone shot.


----------



## Minnowhead

When does goat season open? I can't find it any where in the regs?


----------



## fishingful

I am guessing that the swans shot were Trumpeter Swans that are native to Ohio and have been reintroduced. They are protected. They are huge and anyone that mistakes them for snow geese is a idiot. Most of the time they will have a big identification neck band on them.
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/spe...deIndex/trumpeterswan/tabid/6779/Default.aspx

Mute Swans are nonnative and an invasive species. They are being controlled by the ODNR.
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/wil...e/MuteSwanActionPlan/tabid/22967/Default.aspx

Most people are not aware there is a difference.
http://www.trumpeterswansociety.org/swan-identification.html


There are snow geese around I got one in Portage County last year.


----------



## collegekid

Fishingful Thank You for clearing that up! I do believe it is illegal to shoot any swan, but the swans shot up at Pickerel this weekend were Trumpeters. If you do not know the difference and if you think it is possible to mistake a swan for ANY legal bird when they are within 100 yards or especially within range then you have no business hunting without a more experienced hunter....or just someone with common sense.


----------



## Overwatchmike

M.Magis said:


> Im just curious, then what is the point? If I let my pet goat out during deer season and it gets shot, I probably shouldnt be too surprised. Not disputing the fact that people can and should be better at IDing their target, but as someone who hasnt done much waterfowl hunting, it seems like it could be an honest mistake. I could be wrong though.
> Disclaimer: I do NOT own a goat.


You may laugh but when I was at Hocking College I helped run the deer check in station and there was an old timer who had never deer hunted before that brought in a goat that he had shot. He field dressed it and was very proud of how big the horns were!

I will have to dig thru my old pictures because I had one taken with me, the goat, and the old timer. This happened back in '94.....

Sent from my DROID4 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## fishingful

collegekid said:


> Fishingful Thank You for clearing that up! I do believe it is illegal to shoot any swan, but the swans shot up at Pickerel this weekend were Trumpeters. If you do not know the difference and if you think it is possible to mistake a swan for ANY legal bird when they are within 100 yards or especially within range then you have no business hunting without a more experienced hunter....or just someone with common sense.


It is illegal to shoot any swan. I added the pic to my last post of the snow goose and Canada goose I got out of the same flock. Swans are 3-4 times the size of that snow.

Found the story they were Trumpeter Swans

http://www.13abc.com/story/23680389/trumpter-swans-shot


----------



## ducky152000

It is the hunters duty to be able to I.D birds while waterfowling. no if ans or buts about it. Thanks duck commanders, you guys got the idiots out all over trying to kill ducks!


----------



## treytd32

definitely post that goat pic.. nothing like a good billy. Who was it that posted about the guy shooting/shooting at the German Shepherd a couple years ago? Sometimes I wish natural selection applied to us still..


----------



## Overwatchmike

While we are at it...... How many wood ducks get shot during the early teal season? A ton!

Yes duck dynasty is a problem but it is also the individuals responsibility to properly identify the duck you are pulling the trigger on. I showed my girlfriends son some of the original duck commander video's, before they went to the dark side of wally world. Look at how many different shotguns they have changed to being the "BEST?" Started with Browning A5's then the golds, Benaelli, and now Mossbergs. Great for them but it is also creating so called Duck hunters that have no clue.

Take for instance the guy who was wearing duck and goose calls walking thru the woods this past weekend sky busting geese......

I will admit the best I have seen yet is the chia pet duck dynasty things.... 

Sent from my DROID4 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------

