# Swan hunt in North Carolina



## boomstick (Aug 31, 2010)

I purchased a Swan hunt last weekend at the Detroit Chapter SCI fund raiser. 97% chance of drawing a license. 100% harvest history. Shot size, weather conditions, any input from anyone thats done this would b appreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## nowicki2005 (Oct 6, 2008)

why would you want to hunt a swan? let alone pay to hunt a swan?


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## boomstick (Aug 31, 2010)

Because I can!


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## Westoakland (J. Vorro) (Nov 27, 2010)

Years ago, my son and I pulled swan permits and had a great hunt & great time with Booger Harris.
He was a riot and ran a top-notch outfit.
I don't know much since then.
Here's Bugger's info

*Pungo Acres Hunting Retreat*
Street: 676 A Canal Road
Pantego, nc 27860-
Phone: (252) 935-5415

If this doesn't work, I'd use the internet to find an outfitter.
Good luck.


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## Bearblade (Dec 30, 2005)

nowicki2005 said:


> why would you want to hunt a swan? let alone pay to hunt a swan?


I have the same sentiment, but if you want to blast a swan, good for you I guess


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

Asking why do you want to hunt swans is not one little bit different than asking why do you want to hunt mourning doves...

Because they are legal game, they are great fun to hunt, and very good to eat. Because their numbers need to be managed. 

We are not talking about bathtub swans, the mutes you see in most areas of Michigan, nor are we talking about trumpeter swans, which are endangered but making a slow comeback. 

We are talking about Tundra swans, which migrate in huge flocks down both American coasts, (they call them whistlers out west) that are a blast when hunted in the seaboard marshes...they are small swans, not much bigger than a goose. 

I've hunted swans in North Carolina...go...


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

I'd pay to BLAST one,,,, purely for the years of frustration they've caused me during duck season. :rant:


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## KLR (Sep 2, 2006)

I have taken 3 swans in NC....it's addicting!

If you are hunting with a guide, you can be reasonably assured of good opportunities inside 30 yards.
They are big birds and can soak up a lot of body hits- you have to pull your lead off the head/neck. I have killed all 3 of mine with 1 3/4oz loads of Hevi 4's- out of a 3" mod choked 12 gauge.
Permit application is usually August 1st-October 1st and the drawing is usually Oct.15. You can apply as a party of up to 5, in the event that you have friends that want to go- you will have to have you licenses bought PRIOR to the drawing (they do that to keep the bunny buggers from getting permits they'll never use)...I strongly suggest making a call to the NCWRC (very helpful-great attitude towards tourism).

If you are into waterfowl- it's a great place to go. You can tag a Sea Duck or Impoundment hunt on and make a fun inexpensive [relatively] trip.

















[ame="http://s478.photobucket.com/albums/rr149/dvill_photo/?action=view&current=SwanDan.flv"]SwanDan.flv video by dvill_photo - [email protected]@[email protected]@http://vid478.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid478.photobucket.com/albums/rr149/dvill_photo/[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@rr149/dvill_photo/SwanDan[/ame]


Pretty sure we are going again in Jan. 2012....Sounds like you are all set with a guide for swan (assuming you bought a hunt package) let me know if you are interested in contacts for ducks.


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## GaryFisherman (Jan 9, 2009)

how hard is it to shoot a bird that flys that slow? I will take a pass and stick to Ruffed Grouse...


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## Neal (Mar 20, 2001)

Some of you guys might want to stick to the fishing forums.


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## triplelunger (Dec 21, 2009)

Sounds like a ton of fun to me!


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## tadmdad (Sep 18, 2006)

boomstick said:


> Because I can!


Sounds like good logic to me!

Add 1 to the "bucketlist"


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

It's a blast. Most hunting is done around Lake Mattamuskeet.

I love the genius posts on why would someone shoot one, or how easy it has to be 











*Why?*
Because they are a legal game animal. Why are geese legal to shoot? Why are deer legal to shoot? Why are perch legal to keep? Sorry, really don't have any tolerance for the attitude of "I'm not interested, so I think it is stupid"


*Speed:*
Swans tend to be among the fasting flying waterfowl, although speed tends to be hard to measure as it depends on such variable as whether there is a tailwind. For example, Ely et al. (1997) note a maximum flying speed of 135 k/hr for a tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus, also called Bewick's swan and whistling swan). Other note that these birds (which breed in the Arctic and can fly to 27,000 feet) average 30 mph, but have been clocked at 100 mph with a tailwind while flying in a V-formation (UEN 2007). Atkinson (1968) notes that the migration speed of this swan to be 100 mph. The top speed of a mute swan (Cygnus olor) has been claimed to be 50 to 55 mph (UMMZ 2007), while a study by Alerstam et al. (2007) clocked 10 kilogram swans traveling between 15 and 20 meters per second.

Having shot both, grouse are 10x easier to hit and kill, almost unsporting in comparison to swan.


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## boone nc (Dec 10, 2005)

I have deer hunted with a guy who guides for these big boys and although I havent got to shoot one it looks like a blast. The guide i know has a website you can contact him through if you are looking for contacts

Just google Conmans Hunting in NC and you will find his site. He is good people and will lead you in the right direction. Just tell him Zach from the Boone gang sent you!

Good luck and wack one for us, I cant believe anyone would even take the time to comment on something they have no clue about, especially a negative comment? People never cease to amaze me.


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## Bearblade (Dec 30, 2005)

I'll make this my "swan song" on this post I learned something here and I probably deserve a lump or two for being a little quick to react with a comment. Absolutely right that swans are no different than deer, both beautiful and I do kill deer to be sure, so I think I did not think it through too well. Apologies on my part.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Bearblade said:


> I'll make this my "swan song" on this post I learned something here and I probably deserve a lump or two for being a little quick to react with a comment. Absolutely right that swans are no different than deer, both beautiful and I do kill deer to be sure, so I think I did not think it through too well. Apologies on my part.


No problem. If someone see's one or two swans a year, I'd imagine that it is hard to comprehend the actual population. When you are around Lake Mattamuskeet and have flocks fly over for hours on end, or are on Saginaw Bay when the big flights on Tundra's come through, it is a lot easier to understand how many there really are. They really are just a big white goose and are darn fine table fare.

No doubt esthetics of animals also influences peoples opinions. In reality, if the bird get's eaten and the population can support hunting, there is no reason anything should not be open to hunting. The premise that we use to support deer hunting, fishing, grouse hunting etc... also applies to swans.


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## nesquik (Mar 4, 2011)

hunt swan? hmm i shld try this some time!


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## anon12162011 (Jun 9, 2009)

Looks like an incredible time! That video was great, I definitely want to add that to my list of "things to do"!


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## Jimw (Jul 8, 2009)

We got these two in a field off of Mattamuskeet 2 seasons ago. What a riot!


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## T.J. (Mar 1, 2009)

i hope to be posting swan pics next year. something iv always wonted to do. looks like ill have the coin to do it this year as long as the gas prices dont get way out of hand. awesome pics and video.


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## anon12162011 (Jun 9, 2009)

Someone that has done it, give me a rough estimate/rundown of what it costs if you went and did swan hunting and DIY duckin for say like 5 days


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## Jimw (Jul 8, 2009)

We knew someone that knew someone so the swan hunt was free... Then it was just gas money riding around and hotel money. It was a great trip, kinda cool seeing how people in a different area go about duck hunting. The area is definantly rich in history.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

BigR said:


> Someone that has done it, give me a rough estimate/rundown of what it costs if you went and did swan hunting and DIY duckin for say like 5 days


$500/blind for up to 3 people, so $166 per person and includes one night hotel. 14 hours from Dundee.

Not really a DIY type area. Special rules around Swan Quarter for duck hunting, so you need to know the boundaries and it can get rougher than the Great Lakes in a hurry and a large portion of the days it is too rough to get out so it is a costly chance to drag a boat down. And when I say boat, it better be big.


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## Quack R (Oct 7, 2010)

boomstick said:


> Because I can!


Nicely Put. Why Not?


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