First Swan!

Zombie

Old Mossy Horns
Well, I never really had a desire to hunt waterfowl, but year before last after watching vids and talking to people at Conman's get-together I decided to apply. Me and my cousin applied as a group, and sadly did not get drawn that year. Applied again last year and got our permit!

I had the idea that I really wanted to try swan with a bow. And that's exactly what I did. I practiced from Sept until the day I left for the hunt. If I had help, it was thrown up targets, if not it was swinging drink bottles. So with my bow and a quiver full of arrows(and a back up shotgun :) ) off we went.

Got to Conmans on Sunday afternoon where we met with everyone, and Mike fired up the grill and cooked some of the best chicken wings I have ever had...I mean like slap-your-mama good, lol. But anyway, with a belly full of food, we turned in for the night.

6am monday morning- we all met up at the new shelter/mess hall/hang out barn, lol, and packed up the trucks and headed out. We got to the fields right as it was getting light and we all helped Andy and the guys get the decoys set up. We were in a big green(Wheat maybe?) field with a couple ponds a ways off. We could hear the birds on the lake when it was quiet. We were sitting in a drainage ditch in the field, as you can see below:
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So we all started getting set up, everyone loading up, Kevin Lawler and his son josh were setting up their cameras, Andy was explaining to everyone about how the hunt should go and what to expect, me and helium were getting our bows all set up and we were ready!

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The birds however, were not ready...they liked the pond a lot, and didn't seem to want to leave..but after a little while the birds started flying, giving me and helium a few shots. My first shot did in fact hit the bird! Granted, it only hit the tips of the wing feathers....but I count it as a hit,lol

Got 3 really good shots at swans, but I didn't do My part and missed. I think the swans were laughing as they flew away...the best shot I had of the day, I passed up..I thought it was too high, but it wasn't...but too late to do anything by the time I realized it..But with 5 arrows launched and and empty quiver, I decided it was boomstick time.

Right about now is when my cousin got his. Pretty bird came flying straight in to the decoys, and with one shot he buckled it! The bird almost hit him. It landed in the ditch right beside him

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Then my first shot came by. Boom....Boom....Boom! Never saw so much as a feather fly, lol...yes...I suck with a shotgun...second shot come up not 5 minutes later...Boom! Boom!....the bird flinched a little but it flew all the way out of sight without ever even thinking of going down...so on to the next one! A pair comes flying by, and I pick the one on the right as they fly in from behind..boom! It flinched and banks right a bit and boom! The shot patter catches it under the wing and in the neck. Broke the wing, hit the neck and buckled the bird! It hit the ground with a thunderous thud. And the giant was dead.

By now several others had gotten their swan, and I watched everyone else tag out. So now off to tag my bird!
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Now the fun part! We get everything packed up and back to the truck. I find one arrow, but see no others....odd...so Andy was kind enough to get binos out and find them for me...it's amazing how far a 50lb recurve shoots! So after cussing myself silently for ever thinking of bringing a damn bow, I started my trek ...in waders....across a muddy field...with deep ditches...to retrieve the two arrows Andy saw...luckily I found the others on the way...looked up several times to see everyone watching me...I'm sure they had a good laugh while I was dying in the field, lol...after several stops, and like 30 minutes I was finally back at the truck! I need to walk more, lol.

But that was the end of my hunt. Once back and on the cleaning table we measured it out at 86". :)

Huge thanks to Mike and Andy for one of the best hunts of my life! I hope so much that I get drawn again next year.

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genesis27:3

Old Mossy Horns
So, do you think you're going to start hunting other waterfowl now? If you do, just keep in mind that a duck is a little more challenging than a swan.:D

I don't know alot about swans, but have hunted them once in '92, but I have to say that yours is the biggest that I've seen. That thing is huge!
 

Zombie

Old Mossy Horns
So, do you think you're going to start hunting other waterfowl now? If you do, just keep in mind that a duck is a little more challenging than a swan.

I think so..still not 100% on ducks..but I could see my self LOVING goose hunting in a field.



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Jlewis74

Old Mossy Horns
Like I said on facebook, that is a big swan. I understand the hard to bring down thing. took me a few shots to figure out to lead a little more and wrap up the head.
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
congrats on a nice bird! Since trying last year I am fully committed to getting one with my bow. If you decided to try again make up some flu flus. I tried with a compound and was able to pick them up a few times to try again. They are deceptively fast and challenging to hit!
 

skydog

Guest
Nice going! And I would second that is one of the biggest swans I've ever seen
 

Smitty010203

Twelve Pointer
That swan is a stud. I wouldnt recommend getting into duck hunting. Youll only go broke and become miserable in this state. There is 2 weeks of the season left and its friggin 60 degrees. Its just depressing hunting here!

And dont forget to fill out your survey!!!
 

Zombie

Old Mossy Horns
That swan is a stud. I wouldnt recommend getting into duck hunting. Youll only go broke and become miserable in this state.
That's what I'm hearing from a lot of people...the duck hunting I'm still on the fence about..I like the field hunting aspect of goose and swan. Just gotta figure out the best way to go about it...thinking I might just accept only hunting them two or three times a year and going guided...its hard enough trying to find a place to deer hunt, I'm sure goose or waterfowl is even worse.


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Jlewis74

Old Mossy Horns
Be glad to have you come down to the club next year and duck hunt with me, we will be hitting a swamp and killing wood chickens but its fun!
 

Jlewis74

Old Mossy Horns
Ohh and FYI those RIO Blue Steel that DSG carries are a great duck load. Yall sometimes run them buy one get one half off and I will stock up when I find them like that !
 

Zombie

Old Mossy Horns
Sweet! Thanks for the offer!

And yeah, those are what we took swan hunting. They seemed to do pretty good

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Zombie

Old Mossy Horns
Congrats, any idea on how much it weighed?
Not sure..not good with guessing weight. They are lighter than I expected looking at their size..maybe 18lbs...maybe more/less...shot several Turkey over 20, and it didn't seem to be that heavy

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