Hello swans have become very over populated here . Once they raised 1 or 2 young per year now seems there broods are 10 or more . The state is lifting the protection on them here opening a open hunting season so no reason not to think ill be able to get permits to do some control work because there's surely call for that . Has anybuddy done any swan control jobs before and would like to talk about it and how they went about it .

Hey Pesky, it's me. Your old buddy Paul. I'm afraid that although I wrote an article on swans, my job is now protecting them. We don't have the problem that you're talking about.

My swans are trumpeters and probably cost 6 grand a pair. ( And a coyote got the male last year. Boy did I hear about that! ) I will be watching this post to see how others handle your problem though. Good luck.

The lakes are just coverd in swans . I've kinda noticed it before but after hearing the top DNR guys talking about open season I really started to notice just how many there is . The swan is still a game animal hear so not sure if that's a bad or good thing as fare as control work but wouldn't mind stepping up to the chalange of swan control . Is there states wishing to have Michigan birds relocated there like are geese get stocked out of state . Seen a swan that had been killed by a coyote last dec looked like the swan exploded

Be sure to know the difference between Mute Swans and Trumpeter Swans.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10370_12145_59132_59333-263418--,00.html
Details-
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/2012_Mute_Swan_Policy_378701_7.pdf

Looks like you can just go get a permit not a problem I didn't realize it . I've been telling people go get a federal permit call me back . Not a problem them telling them apart been hunting waterfowl all my life easy compaired to a red head hen over a blue bill hen . Think they all have orange bills around here . Wonder if they were to inbreed years ago reason for small broods but now the things really kick them out . Love how there invasive part . Yup time to Oder some swan decoys

Mute swans sell for $1200.00 to $1500.00 a pair in Ohio. I wonder what the legality is of catching mute swans and selling them.

Keith

Kieth looks like in the rules you can't take them out of state . These are some very powerful big birds not so sure what the out come would be me trying to get one in a shipping box anyway . There also mean birds don't ever run out of bread with out a escape route planned if your feeding them learn that at young age . They hate jet skiers so they do have a positive side

I guess with all the problems that mute swans have been credited with, I'm shocked that they aren't illegal everywhere. I know the one that I wrote the story about in WCT, should have been turned into SLTs ( swan, lettuce, and tomatoes, ) at a much earlier age.

Will get you locked up here.

There were several thousand feral mute swans here on the Bay. Key word is were. Md DNR finally got tired of them and went to war on em. The animal lovers even had a standing offer of $1,000.00 for video of the DNR in action but no takers.
No captive permits here and if you have them they will confiscate them.

They look nice but are the most obnoxious birds you have ever seen. I don't miss them.

bad karma ain't wrong. They will attack people, boats, anything at all. And for no known reason!

Paul is right that bad karma is right some get so mean they will fly across the lake to attack a jet skier . I've just a guy in row boat some times . One comes when your walking along shore you will see very few people not run . They will need to import antis for this hunt coming . Can't wait to see the hunting rules . Thinking T shot out of my 10ga should do the job . Then make swan brats for the grill . Just seen some mute swan plant holders at menards I was eye balling to funny .

Swans can be nasty. We have dealt with several pairs, both egg addling and capture and removal.

Last year, an operator doing Canada goose hazing was killed by his mute swans. He had placed them in a pond for goose management and they were not doing the job. Went into the pond to chase the geese with a kayak, swans attacked and held him under until he drowned. I believe this was in the Chicago area.

SWANS ARE NOT AN EFFECTIVE CANADA GEESE MANAGEMENT TOOL AND CAN KILL YOU!!!!!

Can you imagine your liability if you were the one who placed some swans and they killed a child swimming or wading in a pond?

Interesting topic Pesky. I never gave it much thought that the mute swan is not protected and so dangerous . Thank you Dirk I never considered the Mute Swan that dangerous and did a little reading online and put a few thoughts together. One thing is for sure that the Mute Swan is not the answer to any Canada Goose Work.
http://www.uswildlifecontrol.com/2013/06/differences-between-mute-swans-and.html

I'll work on video this week showing just how many of these mute swans we have around here . There brood size has gotten larger over the past few years . Before they would have one or two . Then they had 4 or 5 and now it's a dozen seems . Yes they will surly attack kids been there before after feeding them off the end of dock then ran out of bread big mistake I took a few bites and got smacked around a bit to . I would think a Egyptian goose would work better for keeping Canadian geese and ducks away . I haven't seen them attacking people ether . these mute swans will take over prime marsh areas driving off nested geese I've seen that over and over .

Mutes are an invasive species and we're allowed to kill them on site, 24/7/365 around here. We're basically only cautioned to make sure they're not someone's pet.

The ones we are having problems with here are mutes. They are invasive. I haven't heard of a season proposed here yet.

However, Michigan does have a management program in place. Nuisance animal control firms and agencies can participate in the program. Of course, I have no idea of how the program is actually managed. It may be that the administration and rules make it unprofitable for NWCOs. See- Mute Swan Management and Control Program Policy and Procedures. Check into it; it might be an additional service to add to your web site.

Blue bill was watching that show on PBS meet the DNR they had the top DNR guys on it and they were talking about a open season on mute swans was one of the things on there , they talked about the wolves and they were also talking about testing the bow mag system to see if it do what they say it would . That's what got me thinking because I do get swan calls . The past I told them to get the federal permit . I had no idea they were invasive to LAtrapper posted that at the top . Come to find out we just need state approved permit . I would be happy to take on these none native mute swans and get the permit needed . That bow mag system out of a cross bow might be great tool just for that if that gets approved for use

I know the DNR has been shooting them and shaking their eggs in Newago county. They did a big shoot last year on Reyerson lake. My friend who lives on the lake and is a big DU donor got to help. I have a cottage on Brooks lake. A mute had a nest their that didn't hatch. I suspect the DNR shook them. Glad to see something done about it. Just wish they were more clear on their policy, but with the way people think nowdays. I can see them wanting to keep it quiet. Maybe if they get rid of the mutes the trumeters will come back. They are a beutiful bird that belongs here

Thanks for the link LA.

In Minnesota a Mute Swan is unprotected and can be taken at any time, including using lights and rifles. Article in the paper there has been a pair up the North Shore (Lake Superior) and panick is in the air! Last pair there was in the 1970s.

We also now have a tremendous population of Trumpeter Swans (both summer & winter residents) and Tundra Swans (migrators). They are easy to tell from the Mute, but extremely difficult from each other unless they vocalize. That speck of color and beak "V" is great in a spotting scope at the municipal park, not so much in a duckboat. I hope they open a season, even if token $25 permit, one per person.