Found a dead swan

[Stéphane]

I was hunting by a small river today hoping to sneak up on some geese. No geese but ducks with very acute vision. There was one that was "shootable" but by the time I decided to go for it, it was gone.
Then I saw a white patch near the shore. When I got closed, I saw it was a trumpeter swan. I pulled it off the water and left. Later, I called Gerry Powers from the Barn Owl Recovery (he also deals with that kind of stuff) and he picked it to have it autopsied. He suspects that was lead poisoning. Apparently, only 4 pellets will kill a swan. Real sad.

I don't understand why lead loaded shells are not banned worldwide.

[Crazy_Farmer]

Even if lead was completely banned it wouldnt solve the complete problem. Most swans are injesting old lead pellets either in a couple lakes on the us/canada border or even the theory about every time the farmers plow the fields over we turn up lead that was in the ground. This problems been around a long time, sucks big time but nobodies got it pinpointed.

[blindman]

I found one today also, but mine is an apparent line strike since it was next to a road and under the phone/power lines. If they are a victim of lead poisoning they'll usually exhibit green around their nostrils and anus areas. Of course the necropsy will tell the story. As Crazy Farmer says the lead that has been taking its toll on swans for the past few years is from way back before the ban on lead in waterfowling. A big drop in mortality has been a result of identifying some of the trouble areas and hazing the swan to keep them away from the source.

[Gateholio]

Is there a season on swans? I know some parts of the US have seasons.

[Marc]

No swan hunting in Canada, Queens birds.

[Crazy_Farmer]

Is there a season on swans? I know some parts of the US have seasons.

None in Canada. A handful of states do have seasons on tundra swans. Whereas we have a higher percentage of trumpeter swans here. One day I'd like a leh on them white buggers. Give out 100 swan tags all mandatory inspection once taken. No different then how the states do it.

[field marshal]

It will never happen ,Trumpeters are like Harbour seals, the darlings of the protectionist groups????
Cheers , Field Marshal.

[Old Crow]

Yeah, I can see the headlines "Bloodthirsty Hunters slaughter Baby Seals of the Skies"".....yeah, I can do without that, thank you very much.

[Everett]

I don't believe us peasents are allowed to kill a Queens bird under any circumstance.

[Gateholio]

Hmm, I'm interested to see how they taste. I bet they are good.