# Aerial Swan survey



## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

One of my weekly rituals this time of year is to check the swan survey to make myself feel like I know something about waterfowl hunting. Have they stopped doing this? I don't see any current info.


----------



## LukeS (May 27, 2017)

They still do the survey. The swans haven't started moving down yet. They will probably start doing the survey in the first part of November.


----------



## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

I believe they're still doing it, but back when I was watching the counts religiously the reporting was somewhat random at best. Im sure they will be getting on it soon now that a few are starting to show up.


----------



## sketch21 (Jul 11, 2013)

A little early still. Give it a few more weeks and they should start it. 

Last Saturday at BRBR, we heard a few in distance on the clubs.


----------



## pdogger (Nov 12, 2008)

Counts usually start mid October.


----------



## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

They should start posting survey results any day now. On the Bear River Refuge facebook site they just posted that they have several hundred swans in now.... Anyone want to buy a 10 gauge BPS?


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

10 Trumpeter Swans have been shot and checked in at BRBR. The season is now CLOSED!


----------



## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

I have seen more Swans up here in Canada than all the past years combined.


----------



## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

There are roughly 200+ swan on the refuge as of last Wednesday. I follow some bird watchers. 

Sent from my SPH-L710T using Tapatalk


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Here you go. Looks like over 5,000 counted this week.
https://wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl/swan/swansurvey.php


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

26,000 this week


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

61,000


----------



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Fowlmouth said:


> 61,000


Wow... I don't think I've ever seen the count that high before. Looks like this cold snap brought a few more down. Or maybe the population is just growing. I wonder if we'll ever see a day when more tags are offered.

By the way, how do you know all this before the rest of the world gets to find out? :-?


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Clarq said:


> Wow... I don't think I've ever seen the count that high before. Looks like this cold snap brought a few more down. Or maybe the population is just growing. I wonder if we'll ever see a day when more tags are offered.
> 
> By the way, how do you know all this before the rest of the world gets to find out? :-?


It's top secret! I hear it's record numbers though.


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Clarq said:


> By the way, how do you know all this before the rest of the world gets to find out? :-?


I read it on my friends facebook page.


----------



## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

Fowlmouth said:


> I read it on my friends facebook page.


Then it MUST be true!
:O--O:


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

dubob said:


> Then it MUST be true!
> :O--O:


Oh, it's true. 61,097 to be exact.:mrgreen:


----------



## quackaddict35 (Sep 25, 2015)

What shot size do you guys use for swan? First year with a swan tag and just curious to know what you would all suggest 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

quackaddict35 said:


> What shot size do you guys use for swan? First year with a swan tag and just curious to know what you would all suggest
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


BB, #1 or #2


----------



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

quackaddict35 said:


> What shot size do you guys use for swan? First year with a swan tag and just curious to know what you would all suggest


I've taken two with Hevi-shot 3 1/2" B and one with 3 1/2" Black Cloud BBB. Both loads worked great.

I'm sure someone will come along in a minute and say that's overkill, but I'm a firm believer in overkill when it comes to swans. They're very tough birds, and I'm always saddened at how many I see that are wounded and never retrieved.

I personally wouldn't head afield with anything lighter than a 3" load of BB. That, in my limited experience, seems to be enough to get good penetration in the body cavity at distances of 35-40 yards.

The other school of thought that's sometimes used in swan hunting is to use a denser pattern and put a bunch of pellets on the head/neck. That works great... if you hit the head/neck. If you hit the body with 2s or smaller, it had better be within about 30 yards IMO, or it will probably make for a difficult retrieve if it comes down at all.

Other opinions will certainly vary, but my philosophy is to hit them with as much momentum (at an adequate pattern density) as possible. I don't mind buying expensive ammo for a bird I only shoot at every 2-3 years.


----------



## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

quackaddict35 said:


> What shot size do you guys use for swan? First year with a swan tag and just curious to know what you would all suggest
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


What does your gun shoot best? Use that. I have shot two with 3 1/2" Hevi Shot and have shot three with 3" #2 - all have been close and not required a follow-up shot. If you look at a swan, just their head and neck region is longer than a mallard from beak to butt, so if a person can hit a mallard, they should be able to hit the head and neck region of a swan simply by establishing that as the target. When you go swan hunting try and extend what you think you should lead them by a couple feet and I think you'll do just fine!


----------



## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Looks like Fowlmouth has a great source, 61,000 it is

https://wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl/swan/swansurvey.php


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> Looks like Fowlmouth has a great source, 61,000 it is
> 
> https://wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl/swan/swansurvey.php


61,097 to be exact! Heck of a guess huh?:mrgreen:


----------



## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

quackaddict35 said:


> What shot size do you guys use for swan? First year with a swan tag and just curious to know what you would all suggest
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Back when there wasn't any shot shells except steel, I shot all 7 or 8 of my swans with 2 3/4" duck load shells loaded with #4 steel at 1200 plus fps. Of course, they were all wings cupped and feet down just over the decoys. I saw 3 killed over my spread with a 20 GA loaded with #6 steel. I have a friend that killed his with a 28 GA loaded with #6 bismuth. BUT I AM NOT RECOMMENDING ANY OF THESE TO YOU.

If you are a novice, I would recommend you buy a box (10 shells) of HeviSHot #2s or larger. They will kill your swan at any reasonable distance. And 2 3/4" shells will work just as well as the more expensive 3" or 3 1/2" shells. Yes, they ARE expensive, but if you only use them on swans, one box should be good for 3 to 5 birds minimum.


----------



## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

For a long time I hunted with an old Remington Wingmaster that would only shoot 2 3/4" shells. I killed swans with it several times. A few years ago one of my sons drew a tag and he really wanted to kill a swan. He was having trouble getting it done so I bit the bullet and bought 10 Hevishot shells hoping it would help. Next trip out we both killed swans from the same flock. My son was so excited and that made the extra cost worth every cent.

You can kill them just fine with 2 3/4" #2's You can kill them easier with Hevishot or something other than steel shot in my opinion.


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

49,601.....They are leaving.-O,-


----------



## Slap That Quack (Mar 2, 2017)

Booooooo! I need to get back out again.


----------



## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

I'll be out tomorrow & Saturday. Hopefully I can lasso one on the way by. If I can I'm going to do a little wind/swan surfing out on the pond.....:grin:


----------



## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Got'er done


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

44,390 still time to get r done......8)8)


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

21,610


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Truelife said:


> Got'er done


Congratulations!!


----------

