# MDNR planning kill of 1000's of invasives



## Pinefarm (Sep 19, 2000)

http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2012/03/why_michigan_plans_to_kill_tho.html

Why Michigan plans to kill thousands of mute swans

March 01, 2012
By Howard Meyerson | The Grand Rapids Press MLive.com 

Hard as it may be to believe, Michigan has a swan problem. And it is easy to understand why some might ask how that can be, how swans could ever be trouble?

They are, after all, a symbol of love and fidelity, the subject of fairy tales, and the source of countless myths and legends, art and dance and spiritual pursuit.

And yet, in Michigan, they are a problem.

Not just any swan, of course. Only the mute swan is trouble, the one identified by its orange beak and black knob at its base. Mute swans are classified as an invasive species in the United States, the black sheep of swans that were introduced in the 1800s as an ornamental bird.

Its population has grown to the peril of other waterfowl species and marsh vegetation. Its aggressive behavior has made it a social nuisance. Thats the conclusion of state and federal wildlife agencies across the country, conservation groups and ornithologists, the scientists that study birds.

Mute swans are also hindering Michigans efforts to restore its native trumpeter swan population. Thats the bigger swan with the all-black beak, the one that co-exists peacefully with humans and the other marshland species and waterfowl.

Michigan has approximately 15,500 mute swans. That worries a lot of people today. Their populations grow nearly 10 percent annually, according to Michigan wildlife officials. Large concentrations are found in Southwest and Southeast Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay.

"They are a big problem," said Barb Avers, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources waterfowl expert. "We have seen exponential growth. Since 2000 their numbers have nearly tripled."

Give them another 10 years and there could be 30,000 or more, she said. This is why the state has set a goal of having only 2,000 mute swans on the landscape by 2030. The plan calls for eradicating 12,000 or more.

Twelve thousand dead swans is tough to imagine. Its a sight no one wants to see. And yet, their eradication has become a state imperative. Experts say relocation doesnt work.

"That just shifts the problem somewhere else," Avers said.

Oiling eggs and nest destruction helps keep the population in check, but doing that is expensive and a logistical nightmare. Meanwhile, asking for more money is a non-starter in these politically irate times.

Its not hard to understand some folks aversion to killing mute swans. They are beautiful, not like quagga mussels or feral swine or other invasive species. They arent benign-looking plants like garlic mustard or purple loosestrife. No one freaks out about killing those off.

EO Wilson, the father of sociobiology and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, coined the term "biophilia" to refer to the inherent connection that humans feel towards nature and living systems. We feel an affinity with creatures we relate to, whether they are baby-faced mammals or perhaps the swan, a large, graceful bird with a place in our collective psyches. We relate to them better than aggressive, hairy pigs or faceless clams.

Tom Funke, the conservation director for the Michigan Audubon Society, says we need to shift our emotional attachment, not from swans to pigs, but from mute swans to trumpeter swans, the species native to Michigan. MAS, he said, invested heavily in the trumpeter swan restoration effort.

"Were united with hundreds of other groups that support eradication of the mute swan on the landscape," Funke said.

And perhaps Funke is correct.

Jeff Auch, the executive director for the Muskegon Conservation District, plans to hold public meetings in the months ahead about a mute swan cull planned for White Lake in Muskegon County where 1,200 now reside. His organization is restoring wetlands there and the mute swans are hindering that effort. The plan is to kill 1,000 or more over the next five years, a lot of swans.

"Our intent is not to annihilate the population," Auch said. "But we would like just 100 on the lake."

That decision has already upset some, but it is a good one and needed. Its that or dealing with the impact of 2,500 or 3,000 mute swans a decade from now.

Email Howard Meyerson at [email protected] or follow him on Facebook and Twitter at twitter.com/hmeyerson.


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## atp500 (Feb 6, 2007)

Great article. I live on an inland that is 257 acres. We have had as many as 50 to 100 Mute Swans on the lake at a time. Each bird eats up to 8 lbs. of vegetation per day. After eating, each bird then leaves behind 5 lbs of feces in the lake. Do the math 50 X 5 = 250 per day X 30 = 7500 per month of feces in the lake. For that reason they need to be controlled.

For the last 2 years we have had permits to remove them. There have been 106 removed form the lake not to return. This fall we had for the first time 25 Tundras and 2 Trumpeter Swans.

They are a "pretty white bird" but they are endangering our native waterfowl. Good for the DNR.
Ken


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## Pinefarm (Sep 19, 2000)

One might ask what swans have to do with wild pigs, but as we can see, this article has everything to do with the pig issue at hand.


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## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

If they taste good and I can shoot them with a rifle, I'll help.


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## poz (Nov 12, 2004)

Pinefarm said:


> One might ask what swans have to do with wild pigs, but as we can see, this article has everything to do with the pig issue at hand.


Keep spinning. The DNR has not issued a shoot on sight. Even though you can see the swans on the lakes. In fact you get in trouble if you. Shoot one

On Sunday, Oct. 9, two adult mute swans were shot and killed by three young men on a private lake in Manchester Twp. (Timber Lake Road). Neighbors confronted the perpetrators and notified the Washtenaw County Sheriff, who apprehended the young men and confiscated their weapons. The young men are being charged. The swans had a cygnet, which is unharmed. Authorities are hopeful that the cygnet is old enough to fend for itself.


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## poz (Nov 12, 2004)

Also you can still privately own mute swans. I have yet to see any thing from the DNR banning the ownership of mute swans .


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Good riddance!, nasty things all around. Bring on the Trumpeters!


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## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

poz said:


> Also you can still privately own mute swans. I have yet to see any thing from the DNR banning the ownership of mute swans .


You can still privately own pigs and Muscovy ducks, so why is banning ownership relevant?


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## mattrowloff (Dec 30, 2010)

Why are we paying the dnr to shoot swans when they are alot of hunters in this state that would pay to shoot them.


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## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

mattrowloff said:


> Why are we paying the dnr to shoot swans when they are alot of hunters in this state that would pay to shoot them.


If they truly are an invasive species, does the DNR even have authority to require a license? How can it be a natural resource if it isn't native to the state? Were they introduced by people or did they migrate here from wherever they were native?


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## atp500 (Feb 6, 2007)

They were introduced here in the 1800s by the rich to adorn their private ponds. Their numbers have skyrocketed in the last few years. Estimated between 15,000 to 20,000 in Michigan alone. Per my conversation with a DNR Biologist, Michigan has become the breeding ground for the Mid-West. 

To get a season on them, the Legislature has to approve that. It is much easier and simpler to do it this way.

I had a permit for 2011 to take up to 100 birds. The shoot had to be accompanied by the DNR to make sure we knew the difference between the species.

Also, there are Wildlife Services available that would shoot for a fee.

Ken


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Actually they are ALL descendents of one pair given to the mayor? of New York in the 1880's.....


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Bambicidal Maniac said:


> If they truly are an invasive species, does the DNR even have authority to require a license? How can it be a natural resource if it isn't native to the state? Were they introduced by people or did they migrate here from wherever they were native?


Shoot one and find out!....


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## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

atp500 said:


> They were introduced here in the 1800s by the rich to adorn their private ponds. Their numbers have skyrocketed in the last few years. Estimated between 15,000 to 20,000 in Michigan alone. Per my conversation with a DNR Biologist, Michigan has become the breeding ground for the Mid-West.
> 
> To get a season on them, the Legislature has to approve that. It is much easier and simpler to do it this way.
> 
> ...


Did you happen to eat any of the meat? I really am interested in how they taste.

It sounds like the easiest thing to do is add them to the list where the starling and pigeon (rock dove) can be taken if they are doing or about to do damage. It sounds like these birds can really make a mess.


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## atp500 (Feb 6, 2007)

DNR Biologist said they are nothing but flying Carp and taste the same. One of our residents has shot them in other States and said they weren't that good.

We had to dispose of all that were taken.
Ken


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

The State has allowed them to proliferate because they don't co-habitate with Geese very well. Seems they could just allow harvest of the Geese by hunting, but choose otherwise!


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## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

METTLEFISH said:


> The State has allowed them to proliferate because they don't co-habitate with Geese very well. Seems they could just allow harvest of the Geese by hunting, but choose otherwise!


So it's the keystone in the MIDNR Goose Alienation Program? That's so silly it sounds plausible. :lol:

Goose hunting seasons probably have to be coordinated with the federal government (migratory bird policy), so if Michigan really wanted to get rid of geese, that really could be a way around the feds.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Bambicidal Maniac said:


> So it's the keystone in the MIDNR Goose Alienation Program? That's so silly it sounds plausible. :lol:
> 
> Goose hunting seasons probably have to be coordinated with the federal government (migratory bird policy), so if Michigan really wanted to get rid of geese, that really could be a way around the feds.


That's why the early season is early, before the migration and late season late, after the migration.....


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## sullyxlh (Oct 28, 2004)

> *MDNR planning kill of 1000's of invasives*


Won't be none around if they start too early
They really ought to wait for the start of the picking season to maximize their totals..........


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## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

METTLEFISH said:


> That's why the early season is early, before the migration and late season late, after the migration.....


The resident geese are a big problem in some areas, but if the solution is going to kill off the Trumpeter, I guess they're relying on the general public not knowing the difference or not caring about it.

If they're not good eating, I'll pass on hunting them. Plenty of good things to eat instead.


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

Bambicidal Maniac said:


> If they truly are an invasive species, does the DNR even have authority to require a license? How can it be a natural resource if it isn't native to the state? Were they introduced by people or did they migrate here from wherever they were native?


I wish the Ring Neck Pheasant was more invasive! They also are a non-native species.


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## atp500 (Feb 6, 2007)

Some of you have it wrong---they are killing off the Mute Swans--the Trumpeter and Tundra are our native Swans that we want to help get re-established.
Ken


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## walleye_18 (Mar 2, 2012)

I wanna know why the plan last till 2030 just blast them suckers and get em out now.


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## fisheater (Nov 14, 2010)

It has been a few years, but there was a court decision that stopped the DNR from even destroying eggs of mute swans. The decision was based on that by not being game birds, mute swans were song birds, and hence fully protected by law. If I'm not mistaken the suit was filed by some women in Oakland County that thought the mutes on their lake were pretty. I am not sure, but I think they had help from the humane society (not capitalized on purpose)


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## Gnarf (Jul 24, 2011)

fisheater said:


> It has been a few years, but there was a court decision that stopped the DNR from even destroying eggs of mute swans. The decision was based on that by not being game birds, mute swans were song birds, and hence fully protected by law. If I'm not mistaken the suit was filed by some women in Oakland County that thought the mutes on their lake were pretty. I am not sure, but I think they had help from the humane society (not capitalized on purpose)


sounds similar to what happened with mourning doves


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## bucko12pt (Dec 9, 2004)

I have a friend that manages a very large piece of property (not one of the hunt clubs) in the NLP and the DNR has worked with them to kill hundreds of them last fall from the property. I don't think it was even 
talked about, other than among the DNR and the property owner.


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## search48180 (Feb 11, 2012)

If they are not good eating for us, what about making mute swan jerky for dog treats?

I buy duck dog treats.


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## djones9916 (Mar 21, 2012)

I did a ride along with the Manistee County CO last summer. She was telling me then that they had already started this. It came as a bit of a suprise, because I never knew that they were an invasive species. Certainly sounds like it is warranted though.


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## Rainman68 (Apr 29, 2011)

Ok where do the feral pigs come in play?


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