CPAjeff
Well-known member
Had a great morning in the marsh with my son and a close friend. Plenty of birds around and I was able to punch my swan tag. This year I tried some TSS out of a 20 gauge - I’m impressed!!
Utah Swan Success
- Thread starter CPAjeff
- Start date
Had a great morning in the marsh with my son and a close friend. Plenty of birds around and I was able to punch my swan tag. This year I tried some TSS out of a 20 gauge - I’m impressed!!
Sask hunter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2016
- Messages
- 2,980
Congrats on my bucket list!
Nick87
Well-known member
Yup on my list too. Congrats!
Adam in Ohio
Active member
That looks like some serious fun. I'm glad you got to experience it with your son.
CPAjeff
Well-known member
For anyone that wants to experience a swan hunt, put in for a tag in Utah and I’ll be happy to help you! Shooting decoying swans is a blast!
CPAjeff
Well-known member
This one was pretty average sized and tipped the scale at 17 pounds. They make one heck of a splash when they hit the water!!
Nick87
Well-known member
Usually pretty easy to draw? Something I've wondered about but never dug much into it.
CPAjeff
Well-known member
Yes, it is usually an easy draw. Utah utilizes a point system, so it seems like a person is able to draw a tag every other year.
Hunting Wife
Well-known member
Great pics, and looks like a great morning. Congrats!
JShane
Well-known member
Next question, how do they fare on the table?
CPAjeff
Well-known member
In my opinion, swans are some of the best tasting waterfowl. During the fall migration the birds get a 'nutty' flavor from living on the rhizomes of the Sago Pondweed. A swan tongue is even designed to rake off the pondweed rhizomes (some call them seeds) from the plant.
I’ll usually do pastrami with the swan breasts, and slow cook the thighs (bone out) in brown gravy.
MarvB
Well-known member
Damn way cool…that’s be like shooting down a plane lol, what loads are you using for those beasts?
elkantlers
Well-known member
My Daughter and I did that hunt last year and it was a blast. I'm not a water fowl hunter and so I don't have a boat or decoys or anything really and I live 3 hours away from the area so I hired a guide for the first time in my life. It was well worth it to have someone that knows what they are doing and has all the equipment.
CPAjeff
Well-known member
Thanks! In my experience, swans don’t have a strongest will to live. In the past, I’ve used the same loads to kill swans as I have used to kill ducks. The key is getting them close and then shoot for the head/neck area. I’m not a sky buster and will pass on marginal shots all day long to get one in the decoys.
This swan as killed with a 20 gauge 3” shell loaded with TSS #9 shot. At the sound of the shot, this bird crumpled and hit the water stone dead.
MarvB
Well-known member
Wow
I saw in your original post the 20ga and you were using TSS but I would have NOT even imagined #9 shot! Well done sir and I’m impressed on your patience for waiting to get them right on the deck!
I saw in your original post the 20ga and you were using TSS but I would have NOT even imagined #9 shot! Well done sir and I’m impressed on your patience for waiting to get them right on the deck!
