The first thing I did this morning is go on a "swan looking at himself in the reflecting window" call. Well, I missed him with the

net. ( I used a northern net, when I should have had the musky net ) Then the chase was on. He headed for a busy street and the

next thing you know, this cute blond comes running out of a clinic and stops traffic so the swan can safely get across the street.

Did you know that a mute swan can easily outrun a 72 year old? He and I then trespassed over at least three properties and I

cornered him in a wooded fencerow. I ended up crawling in on my hands and knees and used my hands for the capture. Then I put his

ugly butt in a cage and took him back to show the people that were paying the bill that I really caught him. And, of course, I

had to show the blond too. Passed out lots of business cards. So now I've got this goofy swan in the back of my truck, pooping up

the place. What's the next step? I don't want to bump him off because too many people know I've got him, including the cops, who

recommended me in the first place. If I can't find out who owns him, maybe I can sell him. Who's dumb enough to pay for a lawn

full of swan poop?

Depending on the species, you may have Fed laws to deal with too. Was it me, I'd take it WAAAAY far and dump it, maybe a park or refuge?

Dinner

Put it up for sale. Do not release it the are an envasive species

Personally I think they should all be sent back to the queen

Not sure about your state but if it's a Mute and you relocate it YOU might be in violation by relocating an invasive non native species. I know some New England states they are to be killed on site. I put a bow around his neck and call up the fed warden or your USDA contact and tell them you have a present for all their hard work..LOL

Exactly what he said. We used to have lots of them feral in the Chesapeake and tributaries. Md. DNR has just about wiped them out. They outlawed private ownership and have confiscated quite a few. They are nasty birds that will bite you like a dog. I would put it in a bag alive and deliver it to the USDA office.

I read where they have actually drowned people swimming and have a nasty habit of attacking people in boats.

That is true. Iirc, they are also considered a migratory bird and are protected as such. Remember to hug your nearest animal rights activist!

In Wisconsin all swans are protected, and permit required to keep one. The Migratory Bird Treaty ACT does not protect Mute Swan's. In Virginia they are a nuisance and a depredation permit is not required. If you read Wisconsin's req's its the state that protects them not the fed's.

Kurt Temple

I don't claim to be an expert but this is my fourth swan job and I have never seen anything that size so easy to handle. No hissing,

no biting, grab it by the neck and support its weight with your other arm and walk anywhere you want. We have swans everywhere and

they really haven't lived up to their reputation here. The guy that owns the swan is shipping it to Illinois tomorrow and replacing

it with one that doesn't feel the need to explore every other week. I figure Jim Bethell and his boys can chase the old one around Illinois.

As far as cost per swan...around here I was told they run as high as 10gs a pair....did several adc predation jobs involving swans and nests. To me they are WORTHLESS...they were brought in by the golf courses in an attempt to harass the nuisance geese....wrong. They crap like a horse and create just another nuisance for walkers, golfers and....adc trappers attempting to catch muskrats..lol

I got carried away by my own question. You can buy a breeding pair of mute swans on-line for $2,730.00. A pair of breeding

trumpeters is $4,620.00. Since Mrs. Trumpeter raised all eight babies successfully, that means that the ten of them are worth in the

neighborhood of $24,000.00. No wonder I'm paid to protect them. Trumpeters are well named. I would guess those loud blasts are the

reason that somebody invented the mute swan.

Got several trumpeters around here, they often land I my goose deciys when I'm goose hunting in grain fields. Don't mind them a bit

But the mute swans are on a couple of bodies of water that I goose/duck hunt. And they will sometimes come I to decoys and try to drive them off, quite funny sometimes, as they are not sure how to handle the "bold and very tough skinned (feathered) decoys" that ingnor them

But. They do sometimes prevent my intended targets from coming in.

Good luck with that thing, and maybe you should not post the final destination of said swan

Sorry my fat fingers always make in into I as the n is near space bar

I assume he's going back to wherever he was originally purchased. Since there are swans all over the place, I assume that either

these people have permits or else nobody cares. Either way, it's fine with me. I've been attacked in the spring by males after the

young are hatched ( After all, that's his job ) but if you stand your ground and start talking to him in a soothing voice, they never

complete the attack. They probably figure I'm a wuss and no threat to their family.