Swan-hunting season under way

If you drew a permit to hunt tundra swans in Utah, this might be a good time to grab your gun and head to the marshlands.

Tom Aldrich, migratory-game-bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, counted 23,606 swans in marshes along the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake during his latest survey on Nov. 3.

Most of the swans Aldrich spotted that day were on Unit 1 at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, located about 15 miles west of Brigham City, where he saw more than 16,000 swans.

Though hunting is prohibited on Unit 1, Aldrich pointed out that many of those swans might fly over various other units which are currently open to hunting.

"Swans should continue to migrate into Utah this fall, but there are enough swans in the marshes now that it's a great time to head into the marsh to see if you can take one," Aldrich said.

Utah's swan-hunting season ends Dec. 13.