Duck Hunters Kill Rare Trumpeter Swan

MERMET, Ill. -- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials say hunters thought they were shooting at a snow goose but actually killed a rare trumpeter swan at a conservation area in far southern Illinois.

Supervisor Chris McGinness says the bird was shot when it flew over two duck blinds in a public hunting area at the Mermet Lake Conservation Area.

McGinness says three duck hunters -- two in one blind and one in another -- shot at the swan that they misidentified as a snow goose. He says all three men have expressed remorse.

Federal investigators will determine which of the three is responsible for the swan's death.

Officials said after a 2005 survey that about 34,800 trumpeter swans live in three populations, including one along the Mississippi Flyway.

Comments

[flytyer]

06:01 AM on 01/16/2009

There are 34,000 or them. Not like this one accident is going to kill them off and if the hunters are sorry and pay a fine than thats fine. As to the notion that they look different. You try identifying two white birds 30 feet in the air flying.

[TTSSED]

04:34 PM on 01/21/2009

There have been a rash of illegal shootings of Trumpeter Swans in recent weeks. In Washington State, Missouri, and Illinois. I am a waterfowl hunter and I firmly believe that there is no excuse for mistaking a goose for a swan. There is much information on Trumpeter Swans including how to identify them on the web site of The Trumpeter Swan Society (trumpeterswansociety.org). All waterfowl hunters should be experts in waterfowl ID. In most States, shooting a Trumpeter Swan is a violation of State Law and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The federal law is one that does not require proof of intent for conviction. Hunters and anglers started the conservation movement before the Civil War and lobbied for the first game laws. Hunters and anglers are still at the forefront of wildlife conservation and should set a good example for the general public.

[jodicia]

09:04 PM on 01/04/2009

I'm not crazy about hunting, but I don't understand why hunters are not required to be able to ID specific birds and animals before getting a license. A Snow Goose and a Trumpeter Swan are very different.

[SKOC211]

11:57 PM on 01/03/2009

Killing an innocent living creature for fun is abhorrent.

[lccooler]

07:13 PM on 01/03/2009

Besides both birds being white they look nothing alike.

[humble liberty]

07:06 PM on 01/03/2009

Stopping hunting won't solve nature's problems.

[Aquarius]

05:22 PM on 01/05/2009

Learning how to identify one bird from another before pulling the trigger would be a good start.

[Copperhead]

05:35 PM on 01/03/2009

Gee, how nice they expressed regret. Bastards.

[RealPlumber]

03:58 PM on 01/03/2009

Sitting in a Duck blind and blasting anything that moves is not hunting.

[ThomasMc]

03:05 PM on 01/03/2009

People who get their recreation out of killing things aren't even really human.

[flytyer]

06:03 AM on 01/16/2009

I'll try to remember that next time i'm in the woods w/ my deer rifle.

[Dolmance]

02:59 PM on 01/03/2009

I wish the animals could shoot back. Hopefully in the next life, they'll all be reborn as Zacky chickens - over and over and over again.

[tlgeiger62]

02:12 PM on 01/03/2009

I once worked for a lawyer (here in the South) that had stuffed birds all over his office. It was like walking into a morgue. Just a disgusting sport.