Ontario Tundra Swan Season

Dear Fellow Waterfowlers:

I have posted a cover letter that is addressed to Mr. Toby Barrett (MPP, Haldimand-Norfolk) dated March 08, 2022 regarding the establishment of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season for the Province of Ontario which is self-explanatory. The subsequent eight (8) parts, four (4) addendums and one (1) side bar were submitted to Mr. Toby Barrett (who has retired since then) as well as to the other individuals (including the new MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk) identified under the c.c. list of this letter.

The subsequent eight (8) parts are:

Part 1 - History of Swan Hunting in Ontario

Part 2 - Introduction of Tundra Swan Seasons

Part 3 - Tundra Swan Population Dynamics

Part 4 - Trumpeter Swan Population Dynamics

Part 5 - Allotment of Tundra Swan Tags

Part 6 - Distribution of Tundra Swan Tags

Part 7 - Subsistence Harvest of Tundra Swans

Part 8 - Who is Stopping a Tundra Swan Season

I based the contents of these eight (8) parts on some historical facts regarding swan hunting, the Migratory Birds Convention Act (Canada), the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (United States), the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans, the Management Plan for the Western Population of Tundra Swans, the overall Management Plan for Trumpeter Swans and information published in several waterfowl magazines.

The subsequent four (4) addendums and one (1) side bar are:

Addendum A - The CWS Contribution to a Tundra Swan Season

Addendum B - The Delta Waterfowl Contribution to a Tundra Swan Season

Addendum C - The OFAH Contribution to a Tundra Swan Season

Addendum D - An Introduction to Swan Identification

Side Bar - The Ducks Unlimited Canada Position

I will post one of the eight (8) parts, four (4) addendums and one (1) side bar each week following my cover letter. Please respond with your comments on my separate thread "Comments - Ontario Tundra Swan Season" so that the cover letter, eight (8) parts, four (4) addedums and one (1) side bar can be accessed quickly by others to read. Thank you for your continued support regarding this issue.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

798 Highway 59
Port Rowan, Ontario
N0E 1M0

March 08, 2022

Mr. T. Barrett
MPP, Haldimand-Norfolk
Post Office Box 91
Simcoe, Ontario
N3Y 4K8

Re: Ontario Tundra Swan Season

Dear Mr. T. Barrett:

I am writing to advise you that I have recently prepared an eight (8) part presentation with additional explanatory addendums for the immediate establishment of a Tundra Swan season for the Province of Ontario in accordance with the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans that was revised in 2007.

I will attempt to send these eight (8) parts with the additional explanatory addendums to you by e-mail over the next two (2) weeks which should (hopefully) provide you an opportunity to review and "digest" the contents of one (1) part per day. I request that you forward these eight (8) parts with the additional explanatory addendums to whomever you feel should be aware of their contents.

I would like to thank you for the time and support that you have provided to me in the past be it listening to my concerns or reviewing my numerous letters to various individuals regarding this issue but the time has come for a decision to be made ... either by the Province of Ontario or by myself. I am therefore requesting the implementation of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season by the fall of 2024.

I recognize that the Canadian Wildlife Service will not be reviewing our waterfowl seasons again until the fall of 2023 which will provide the Province of Ontario sufficient time to prepare a request for such a season ... a season that the Canadian Wildlife Service has assured me would be granted if the Province of Ontario requested such a season.

Sincerely,



Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

c.c.

Dr. L. Lewis, Member of Parliament, Haldimand-Norfolk
Mr. J. Hughes, Manager, Wildlife & Habitat Assessment, Ontario Region, CWS
Dr. J. Leafloor, Acting Head, Aquatic Unit, Prairie Region, CWS
Mr. J. Fisher, Vice-President of Canadian Policy, Delta Waterfowl
Mr. S. McGuigan, Development Director, Delta Waterfowl
Mr. A. Lombardo, Executive Director, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Mr. M. Ryckman, Manager of Policy, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Mr. J. Stewart, Acting Manager, Wildlife Section, Conservation Policy, NDMNRF

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Part 1)

History of Swan Hunting in Ontario

The idea of having a Tundra Swan season in Ontario should not be controversial as the hunting of Tundra Swans has been part of our historical waterfowling past.

Our Indigenous Peoples have been hunting Tundra Swans since they first settled North America and they continue to do so under a specific amendment in 1994 to our then current "migratory birds" regulations that permitted a regulated traditional harvest of the birds as well as their eggs ... more on this later.

Furthermore Samuel de Champlain and his surveyor crew documented that they "lived off the land" harvesting ducks, geese and swans (Trumpeter Swans and Tundra Swans) as well as other wildlife starting in 1620 as they surveyed the frontier (south western Ontario) of what was known as Upper Canada back then. It was common knowledge at the time that settlers in the established areas of Upper Canada (eastern Ontario) were also harvesting ducks, geese and swans (Trumpeter Swans and Tundra Swans) as well as other wildlife. With the exception of these two (2) species of swans this practice has continued to this day.

Unfortunately the ever-expanding growth of the human population in Upper Canada and subsequently in Ontario after Confederation in 1867 along with unregulated hunting (especially the commercial "market hunting" of the day) decimated our swan populations to the point where drastic and urgent action was required to save these two (2) waterfowl species ... especially the larger Trumpeter Swan.

The "Convention (Treaty) for the Protection of Migratory Birds" was signed by Great Britain (on the behalf of Canada) and the United States of America in 1916. The Canadian Government subsequently passed the "Migratory Birds Convention Act" in 1917 and the American Government subsequently passed the "Migratory Bird Treaty Act" in 1918 effectively ending the harvest of Trumpeter Swans and Tundra Swans until such time that their respective populations could sustain a regulated and controlled harvest.

The regulated and controlled harvests of Tundra Swans from their respective populations were eventually possible by the implementation of the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans starting in 1983 and the Management Plan for the Western Population of Tundra Swans starting in 1962.

Please refer to Part 2 regarding "Introduction of Tundra Swan Seasons" in North America for further information on the seasons that are currently available to waterfowlers.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Part 2)

Introduction of Tundra Swan Seasons

The introduction of Tundra Swans seasons in North America was based upon the guidelines established by the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans and the Western Population of Tundra Swans under their respective management plans.

The following states introduced a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in accordance with the provisions within the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans.

Eastern Population:

Montana 1983
North Carolina 1984
North Dakota 1988
Virginia 1988
South Dakota 1990
New Jersey 2007*
Delaware 2019**
Maryland 2019**

Note: New Jersey* had a "standing authorization" for a season in 2007 but a wildlife biologist for the Canadian Wildlife Service confirmed that New Jersey had subsequently established a season in his Tundra Swan Season Assessment that was released in 2013.

Note: Delaware** was reported to have been granted a season and Maryland** was reported to have been offered a season by the USFWS in 2019 as published in Wildfowl Magazine.

The following states introduced a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in accordance with the provisions within the Management Plan for the Western Population of Tundra Swans.

Western Population:

Utah 1962
Nevada 1969
Montana 1970
Alaska 1988

Note: Montana harvests birds from the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans as well as from the Western Population of Tundra Swans.

Note: The USFWS introduced an experimental five (5) year "General Swan Season" for Utah, Nevada and Montana (western harvest) in 1995 that permitted the incidental harvest of Trumpeter Swans while the Tundra Swan season for Alaska remained the same. This experimental "General Swan Season" became established in 2000 due to the low incidental harvest of Trumpeter Swans during that five (5) year period.

Please refer to Part 3 regarding "Tundra Swan Population Dynamics" for further information on the current Tundra Swan populations.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Part 3)

Tundra Swan Population Dynamics

The two (2) distinct populations of Tundra Swans are managed separately under their respective management plans.

The Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans (2007) provides for maintaining a population goal of 80,000 birds based upon a mid-winter survey. The eastern population of Tundra Swans was estimated to be 100,000 birds in 2010 ... an excess of 25% over the population goal of 80,000 birds.

Note: The current ten-year (2007-2017) population average is approximately 103,400 birds.

The Management Plan for the Western Population of Tundra Swans (2001) provides for maintaining a population goal of 60,000 birds based upon a mid-winter survey. The western population of Tundra Swans was estimated to be 80,000 birds in 2010 ... an excess of 33 1/3% over the population goal of 60,000 birds.

Note: The current ten-year (2007-2017) population average is approximately 86,300 birds.

The two (2) distinct populations of Tundra Swans have continued to increase and in 2012 the continental population of Tundra Swans (eastern and western populations combined) was reported to be approximately 228,000 birds ... up from 180,000 birds in 2010.

Note: The current ten-year (2007-2017) population average is approximately 189,700 birds.

The continual increase in the number of Tundra Swans prompted the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 2017 to recommend increasing the current number of 9,600 tags available for the eastern population of Tundra Swans to 12,000 tags. This recommendation was subject to an environmental assessment ... results are pending.

Note: The current number of 5,000 tags available for the western population of Tundra Swans remain the same since fewer than that number of tags are actually distributed at this time ... more on this later.

Please refer to Part 4 regarding "Trumpeter Swan Population Dynamics" for further information on the current Trumpeter Swan populations.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

I guess we are giving up on a Sandhill hunt so we are now on the Tundra Swan song.After we exhaust all avenues on this one we can try for a loon hunt.They eat fish.Giving you an A for effort

Nice try but if you thought the cormorant cull was controversial a swan hunt would be many times more contentious. Fighting an emotional battle with science is generally a losing proposition.

Hello Guys,

I will respond to the comments made by Couliewalker and Badenoch under my "Comments - Ontario Tundra Swan Season" thread.

Please respond with your comments under my "Comments - Ontario Tundra Swan Season" thread so that the cover letter, eight (8) parts, four (4) addedums and one (1) side bar can be accessed quickly by others to read.

I have already posted my entire presentation ("Ontario Tundra Swan Season") on the Stomp's Long Point Page (Channel 68) "waterfowl" forum if you would like to read everything at once.

Posting weekly installments every Friday will ensure that this thread remains current for the duration of this "waterfowl" season.

Jerome

PS The term "waterfowl" includes ducks, geese and swans.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Part 4)

Trumpeter Swan Population Dynamics

The implementation of an additional Tundra Swan season in Canada would require due consideration for the potential incidental harvest of a Trumpeter Swan during that Tundra Swan season as an additional Tundra Swan season in the United States would require. This legitimate concern regarding a Tundra Swan season in Canada has already been addressed by the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) in its Tundra Swan Season Assessment that was released in August of 2013.

An international (Canada and the United States) range-wide (Continental Population) survey of Trumpeter Swans is conducted every five (5) years during the summer months as part of the overall Trumpeter Swan Management Plan. There are however three (3) sub-populations of Trumpeter Swans in North America. These are the Pacific Coast Population, the Rocky Mountain Population and the Interior Population (which includes the resident birds in the Province of Ontario).

The following Continental Population totals includes both adults (white swans) and cygnets (grey swans).

1968 - 3,722 1985 - 10,908 2000 - 23,647 2015 - 63,016*
1975 - 5,085 1990 - 15,625 2005 - 34,803 2020 - Canceled
1980 - 8,847 1995 - 19,756 2010 - 46,225

Note: The Continental Population nearly doubled between 2000 and 2010. The 2010 total included 34,249 adults and 11,976 cygnets.

I do not have the actual numbers for the 2005 sub-populations but they were approximately:

Pacific Coast Population at 24,000 birds
Rockey Mountain Population at 5,000 birds
Interior Population at 5,000 birds

I do not have the actual numbers for the 2010 sub-populations but they were approximately:

Pacific Coast Population at 25,000 birds
Rockey Mountain Population at 10,000 birds
Interior Population at 11,000 birds

Note: The Interior Population more than doubled in size between 2005 and 2010.

The range-wide (Continental Population) survey of Trumpeter Swans conducted in 2015 was a little different in that only "white swans" (adults and sub-adults) were counted. The 2015 total was 63,016 "white swans" which would probably be more than doubled the 2005 total if the 2015 cygnets were counted in the total.

There was a dramatic shift in the sub-populations that was observed in this survey.

Pacific Coast Population at 24,240 "white swans"
Rockey Mountain Population at 11,721 "white swans"
Interior Population at 27,055 "white swans"

The continual increase in the number of Trumpeter Swans (especially within the Interior Population) prompted the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 2017 to recommend a "General Swan Season" for the eastern portion of the United States that would permit the incidental harvest of Trumpeter Swans during the established Tundra Swan seasons. This recommendation was subject to an environmental assessment ... results are pending.

As stated in Part 2 the USFWS introduced an experimental five (5) year "General Swan Season" for Utah, Nevada and Montana (western harvest) in 1995 that permitted the incidental harvest of Trumpeter Swans while the Tundra Swan season for Alaska remained the same. This experimental "General Swan Season" became established in 2000 due to the low incidental harvest of Trumpeter Swans during that five (5) year period. An average of 9.6 Trumpeter Swans has been harvested per year between 1995 and 2016.

The range-wide (Continental Population) survey of Trumpeter Swans was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic however I participated in The Trumpeter Swan Society's bird count that was conducted on February 01, 2020. I counted four (4) Trumpeter Swans in Coletta Bay that day.

Please refer to Part 5 regarding the "Allotment of Tundra Swan Tags" for Canada and the United States including how these tags would be redistributed to accommodate the implementation of an additional Tundra Swan season in Canada.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Part 5)

Allotment of Tundra Swan Tags

The allotment of tags for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans and the Western Population of Tundra Swans is based upon the provisions within their respective management plans.

Eastern Population of Tundra Swans

In 1988 a Sport Hunting Plan was developed for the allotment of tags for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans that became part of its management plan. This Sport Hunting Plan allotted the tags for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans based upon the provinces and states where the birds are produced, migrate through and overwinter.

Consequently the tags were evenly distributed to the production area (33%), the migration area (33%) and the wintering area (34%) with a further distribution within each of these areas to specific jurisdictions as indicated below:

Production Area:

Alaska 3%, Yukon 2%, Northwest Territories 28% for a total of 33%.

Note: About 4% of the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans breed in Alaska ... specifically in the area known as the "north slope". The Western Population of Tundra Swans breed along the west coast of Alaska.

Note: The territory of Nunavut (previously part of the Northwest Territories) was established in 1999 so its tags would obviously come from a portion of those tags originally allotted to the Northwest Territories.

Migration Area:

Canada (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario) 11%, Central Flyway States 11%, Mississippi Flyway States 11% for a total of 33%.

Note: The Eastern Population of Tundra Swans migrate through Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario as well as eastern Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York.

Wintering Area:

Atlantic Flyway States 34%.

Note: The Eastern Population of Tundra Swans winters in Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland Virginia and North Carolina.

I hope that this explains why Canada is only allocated 41% of the tags while the United States is allocated 59% of the tags. The Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans was last updated in 2007 and provides for a total of 9,600 tags to be distributed according to the demand for them. Consequently the tags originally allotted to Canada (currently without any Tundra Swan seasons) are being utilized by American waterfowlers as permitted by the management plan. The recipient of a tag permits the individual to harvest one (1) Tundra Swan during the season but the individual may apply for a second tag should some tags remain available after the start of the season.

Note: As stated in Part 3 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has now recommended increasing the current number of 9,600 tags available for the eastern population of Tundra Swans to 12,000 tags.

Western Population of Tundra Swans

The allotment of tags for the Western Population of Tundra Swans is different than for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans since there are currently only a few jurisdictions (none in Canada) with a relatively low demand for the tags. The Management Plan for the Western Population of Tundra Swans was updated in 2001 and then again in 2017 but without any significant changes.

The management plan provides for a total of 5,000 tags to be distributed according to the demand for them however only 3,150 tags for the "General Swan Season" in Utah, Nevada and Montana have been made available since 2000 with a one (1) bird per permit and another 900 tags for the Tundra Swan season in Alaska with a three (3) bird per permit. Individuals may apply for a second tag should some tags remain available after the start of the season.

Note: An implementation of a Tundra Swan season in Canada would simply result in a return of the appropriate number of tags to that Canadian jurisdiction as originally described in the Sport Hunting Plan that was developed in 1988.

Please refer to Part 6 regarding the current "Distribution of Tundra Swan Tags" in the United States including how many of these tags could be redistributed back to Canada.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Part 6)

Distribution of Tundra Swan Tags

The distribution of tags for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans and the Western Population of Tundra Swans is based upon the provisions within their respective management plans ... which is currently demand driven.

Eastern Population of Tundra Swans

Migration Area (42% of 9,600 tags)

Montana - 500 tags
North Dakota - 2,000 tags
South Dakota - 1,500 tags

Wintering Area (58% of 9,600 tags)

North Carolina - 5,000 tags
Virginia - 600 tags
New Jersey - Standing Authorization in 2007 ... current update is not available.

Additional Jurisdictions:

Delaware - 84 tags starting in 2019
Maryland - Standing Authorization in 2019 ... current update is not available.

Western Population of Tundra Swans

There are currently 3,150 "General Swan" tags available.

Utah - 2,000 tags
Nevada - 650 tags
Montana - 500 tags

There are also 900 (3 bird) Tundra Swan permits available.

Alaska - 900 (3 bird) permits

A redistribution of up to 41% of the tags for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans could be (should be) brought back to Canada as per the Sport Hunting Plan developed in 1988.

Additional tags could be made available for the Western Population of Tundra Swans to be harvested in Canada since not all of the 5,000 available tags are currently being distributed in the United States.

Please refer to Part 7 regarding the current "Subsistence Harvest of Tundra Swans" and their eggs in Canada and the United States.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Part 7)

Subsistence Harvest of Tundra Swans

The annual sustainable total harvest of birds from the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans and the Western Population of Tundra Swans has been established at 10% of the mid-winter survey for each population.

Eastern Population of Tundra Swans

The Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans (2007) has allocated a subsistence harvest rate of 5% most of which would take place in the Canadian high arctic since only about 4% of the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans breed in the area known as the "north slope" of Alaska which is sparsely populated by the Indigenous Peoples there.

It was estimated that the subsistence harvest rate from the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans in 2007 was approximately 3.5% ... well below the allocated 5% harvest rate.

The Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans (2007) has allocated a sport harvest rate of 5% with the distribution of 9,600 tags based upon a harvest success rate of 50% but the actual average long-term harvest success rate is only 37% ... providing an additional buffer to prevent an over harvest of Tundra Swans.

It would appear that a 50:50 split between the subsistence harvest and the sport harvest is an equitable and sustainable part of the management plan.

Western Population of Tundra Swans

The Management Plan for the Western Population of Tundra Swans (2001) has allocated a subsistence harvest rate of 5% most of which would take place in the Y-K Delta of Alaska with the remaining from areas along the rest of the west coast of Alaska.

In 2001 there were 5,399 Tundra Swans reported harvested from the Y-K Delta of Alaska and only 401 Tundra Swans reported harvested from areas along the rest of the west coast of Alaska for a total of 5,800 Tundra Swans reported harvested in that year.

In 2015 there were 3,663 Tundra Swans reported harvested from the Y-K Delta of Alaska and no Tundra Swans reported harvested from areas along the rest of the west coast of Alaska.

The Management Plan for the Western Population of Tundra Swans (2001) has allocated a sport harvest rate of 5% with the distribution of 3,150 tags based upon the actual average long-term harvest success rate of only 36% ... providing an additional buffer to prevent an over harvest of Tundra Swans. There are however an additional 900 (3 bird) permits for Alaska but most of these permits are not utilized by hunters.

It would appear (based upon the 2015 harvest data) that the split between the subsistence harvest and the sport harvest was 3,663 birds to 1,125 birds but the distribution of the tags for the sport harvest was based upon the fact that the hunters in Utah, Nevada and Montana collectively would have a harvest success rate of only 36%. If all of the sport hunters had harvested a bird then both harvests would have been about the same. The sport harvest in Alaska (generally rather low) for 2015 was not available.

Note: The reporting of harvested Tundra Swans in the spring and in the fall as well as the collection of their eggs by the Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the United States is based upon their cooperation with the Canadian Wildlife Service and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) respectively rather than by an obligation to do so.

The Management Plan for the Western Population of Tundra Swans (2017) acknowledged that the annual subsistence harvest combined with the annual sport harvest will not be able to prevent the continual increase in the number of Tundra Swans in that population ... a good reason for the Province of Alberta to request a Tundra Swan season at this time.

Please refer to Part 8 regarding "Who is Stopping a Tundra Swan Season" in Canada and what you can do to correct that from continuing in the future.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Part 8)

Who is Stopping a Tundra Swan Season

I thought that a brief review of some numbers would be beneficial for those individuals who may not know the number of active waterfowlers in both Canada and the United States as well as the number of ducks, geese and swans that are currently harvested every year.

The following approximate numbers are for demonstration purposes only since the number of active waterfowlers reported in both Canada and the United States have increased over the last two (2) years.

Recently published reports for the previous hunting seasons would indicate that the number of active waterfowlers in the United States have fluctuated from a little less than 1,000,000 to a little more than 1,000,000 and that the number of active waterfowlers in Canada have fluctuated from a little less than 100,000 to a little more than 100,000 ... so about 1,100,000 waterfowlers in total.

Considering that there were a total of 9,600 tags available for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans (at the time) and that there were a total of 3,150 tags plus 900 3-bird permits in Alaska available for the Western Population of Tundra Swans the total number of active waterfowlers who hunted Tundra Swans was probably less than 13,650 since not all of the tags and 3-bird permits may have been used.

Note: The total number of active Tundra Swan hunters in the United States in any given year could only have been 13,650 out of an average of about 1,000,000 active waterfowlers ... about 1.36% of active waterfowlers.

Recently published reports for the previous hunting seasons would indicate that the number of ducks harvested average about 12,000,000 per year and the number of geese harvested average about 3,000,000 per year ... so a little less than 12 ducks per waterfowler and a little less than 3 geese per waterfowler.

Considering that there were a total of 9,600 tags available for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans (at the time) with an average success rate of 37% and that there were a total of 3,150 tags plus 900 3-bird permits in Alaska available for the Western Population of Tundra Swans with an average success rate of 36% the total number of swans harvested would have been about 5,000 per year.

Note: The hunting of Tundra Swans is not and will not be for every "waterfowler" just as the hunting of Moose is not and will not be for every "big game" hunter who may be satisfied just hunting deer.

It will be the responsibility for those Canadian "waterfowlers" who want to be able to hunt Tundra Swans (without travelling to the United States to hunt our birds) to get involved by joining a local hunting club, becoming a member of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters as well as Delta Waterfowl and speak up in support of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season at this time.

Representatives of the Canadian Wildlife Service have done their part (details to follow) and representatives of Delta Waterfowl are doing their part (details to follow) to implement a Tundra Swan season in Canada but "waterfowlers" must support their efforts at this time or continue to limit their waterfowling experience to ducks and geese. Remember that the term "waterfowl" includes ducks, geese and swans.

Please refer to my Addendum A regarding what the Canadian Wildlife Service has done to facilitate the implementation of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan Season in Canada.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

Who cares man seriously...

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Addendum A)

The Canadian Wildlife Service Contribution

I have included this Addendum A to reflect upon what the Canadian Wildlife Service has contributed (from my personal perspective) to implement a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in Canada.

In September of 1990 I asked an enforcement officer for the Canadian Wildlife Service about the possibility of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season while attending the Hunting Show at the International Center in Mississauga. He told me (on no uncertain terms) that the Tundra Swan population could certainly sustain such a season in Canada but he thought that there was no "political desire" to implement one at that time.

I patiently waited twenty (20) years before I would ask the question again in September of 2010 but this time I had obtained a copy of the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans (2007). The representative of the CWS management (Ontario Region) that I talked to told me (on no uncertain terms) that "we will never have a Tundra Swan season in Canada until someone like you asks for one" and then assured me that he looked forward to reviewing my written proposal. I then carefully reviewed the Management Plan again prior to preparing and submitting my "Proposal for a Limited (Tag Only) Tundra Swan Season in Ontario" to the CWS for consideration in October of 2010. I subsequently provided this representative of the CWS management (Ontario Region) with some additional information regarding the implementation of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in February of 2011.

Note: I also talked to a representative of the CWS management (Prairie Region) in the fall of 2010 when I attempted to contact our Canadian representative who was the current member of the international committee that had revised the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans in 2007 and he told me (on no uncertain terms) that if the Province of Ontario asked for a Tundra Swan season then the CWS would grant such a season.

In April of 2011 the CWS announced that it had decided to conduct a Tundra Swan Season Assessment that would involve Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan with an additional special provision for Quebec. I received a copy of this Tundra Swan Season Assessment after it was completed in August of 2013 and it fully supported a sustainable limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season for these three (3) provinces (as per the management plan) with a special provision for Quebec.

I contacted the representative of the CWS management (Ontario Region) in September of 2014 to see if there had been any progress towards the implementation of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season since the completion of the Tundra Swan Season Assessment in August of 2013. After consulting with his co-workers he advised me in December of 2014 that the CWS needed to review and update the wording of the Migratory Birds Regulations since there was currently no provision for a "tag only" season for any migratory species but that this review would take approximately three (3) years ... to the end of 2017.

Note: I was able to obtain letters of support for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season from the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (December of 2017), Delta Waterfowl (February of 2018) and the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (August of 2018) regarding the prairie provinces. This was prior to my financial partnership with Delta Waterfowl to conduct an Ontario "waterfowl survey" regarding the potential interest with Ontario waterfowlers for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season.

Based upon the extensive cooperation that I have experienced with the representatives of the CWS management (as noted above) as well as more recent correspondence with them in January of 2020 it would appear that the problem now lies with the individual provinces and the waterfowling community.

Please refer to my Addendum B regarding what Delta Waterfowl has done to facilitate the implementation of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in Canada.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Addendum B)

The Delta Waterfowl Contribution

I have included this Addendum B to reflect upon what Delta Waterfowl has contributed (from my personal perspective) to implement a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in Canada.

In January of 2011 (having submitted my proposal to the Canadian Wildlife Service in October of 2010) I wrote to the President to ask if Delta Waterfowl would support my proposal for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in Ontario since Delta Waterfowl had repeatedly requested suggestions from its members. He told me (during a rather lengthy telephone conversation) that he was very interested in my proposal but would like to discuss the issue with the Vice President Policy for Canada to obtain his perspective on a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season. The President then contacted me to advise me of two (2) concerns that had been raised ... the level of membership support for such a season (which was unknown) and the potential public opposition to such a season. Consequently he had to advise me that Delta Waterfowl could not support my proposal at that time.

I then waited for over five (5) years before I resubmitted my proposal to the new President in August of 2016 requesting their support based upon the provisions for several Canadian hunting opportunities within the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans (2007) and the results of the Tundra Swan Season Assessment conducted by the Canadian Wildlife Service between April of 2011 and August of 2013. The new President unfortunately had to advise me (however politely) that Delta Waterfowl would "remain silent" regarding Tundra Swan hunting in Canada essentially for the same reasons that had previously been provided to me. I nevertheless continued to provide the new President with periodic updates regarding Tundra Swan issues.

In December of 2017 (having recently obtained a letter of support for a Tundra Swan season from the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation) I wrote a series of additional letters to the Board of Directors that extended into the new year. Delta Waterfowl subsequently submitted a letter to the Canadian Wildlife Service requesting consideration for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season for our western provinces ... this was finally a step in the right direction.

I then received an invitation in June of 2018 to meet with a representative of Delta Waterfowl to discuss the possibility of me becoming a "partner" with Delta Waterfowl to pursue my proposal for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in Ontario by financially sponsoring a "waterfowl survey" of its Ontario members ... something that I had previously suggested. During this meeting I agreed to provide a grant from The Dr. Jerome Katchin Waterfowl Foundation to Delta Waterfowl for the purpose of conducting this "waterfowl survey" that subsequently demonstrated a very strong level of support by Ontario waterfowlers (members as well as non-members) for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season.

Note: Several additional grants have subsequently been made to Delta Waterfowl for their advocacy work regarding the results of this survey (with a priority for a Sandhill Crane Season, Delisting the Mute Swan from the List of Protected Species and a Tundra Swan Season) along with additional annual grants for their Great Lakes Initiative and their Hunting Heritage and Conservation Center.

Based upon the extensive cooperation that I have recently experienced with representatives of Delta Waterfowl (as noted above) as well as the support that I have obtained from them it would appear that the problem now lies with the individual provinces and their respective waterfowling community.

Please refer to my Addendum C regarding what the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) has contributed to facilitate the implementation of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in Ontario.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Addendum C)

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Contribution

I have included this Addendum C to reflect upon what the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) has contributed (from my personal perspective) to implement a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in Ontario.

In January of 2010 before I had even considered submitting a proposal for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season to the Canadian Wildlife Service an individual told me (on no uncertain terms) that I would not receive any support from the OFAH for such a season ... not then not ever. However this same individual also told me that if I submitted a proposal for a Mourning Dove season that the OFAH would definitely support my proposal since they already had prepared a "position statement" regarding such a season.

I consequently submitted a proposal for a Mourning Dove season in September of 2010 before submitting my proposal for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season and my proposal to remove the Mute Swan from the List of Protected Species in October of 2010. Although all three (3) of my proposals were discussed at the Ontario Waterfowl Advisory Committee (OWAC) meeting in November of 2010 only my proposal for a Mourning Dove season received the support required to proceed with such a season. This was the start of a long hard struggle to convince the individuals involved that a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season was warranted in Ontario but at least a Mourning Dove season would be forthcoming in the near future.

In April of 2011 the Board of Directors for the Long Point Waterfowlers' Association (an OFAH affiliated club) permitted me to present my proposal for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season at our Annual General Meeting and 20% of the members in attendance completed the survey included in my informative handout with 85% of the respondents fully supporting my proposal.

I applied to serve on the OFAH "waterfowl and wetlands" committee in January of 2018 (after having received a letter from them in September of 2017 stating that my Tundra Swan proposal had merit) with the hope of contributing what I had learned about the current Tundra Swan seasons in the United States but my application was placed on "hold" until the new president elect took office ... unfortunately nothing ever became of my application. A representative of the OFAH advised me however that they were now considering a potential Sandhill Crane season since there appeared to be more interest in hunting this species and so I agreed to support such a season.

In June of 2018 a representative of the OFAH reassured me in a letter that my Tundra Swan proposal had merit but that their current priority continued to be for a Sandhill Crane season and thanked me for my continued support with this issue. In the spring of 2019 Delta Waterfowl provided the OFAH with the results of the "waterfowl survey" of Ontario hunters that was conducted in the fall of 2018 (refer to Addendum B for more information). The Canadian Wildlife Service subsequently declined a request from the OFAH in the fall of 2019 for a Sandhill Crane season (refer to Ontario Out of Doors, January/February 2020, page 16).

I eventually established an understanding with the OFAH in March of 2021 that included my financial support for their current advocacy work regarding Sandhill Cranes and Mute Swans as well as for Tundra Swans in the future.

Based upon the cooperation and understanding that I have established with several representatives of the OFAH (as noted above) as well as their recent advocacy work in establishing a Sandhill Crane season and delisting the Mute Swan from the List of Protected Species it is now time for those Ontario waterfowlers who have not yet expressed their desire for a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season to let their local OFAH affiliated club know of their support for such a season.

Please refer to my Addendum D regarding how you can prepare for the implementation of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in Ontario.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

Hello Guys,

I am having a problem posting my "Addendum D" here ... tried several times yesterday and today without success.

Jerome

Hello Guys,

I am still having a problem posting my Addendum D here ... tried several times yesterday and today without success.

I have just "copy and paste" the parts and addendums in the past but that method is not working now.

Jerome

Testing: "Ontario Tundra Swan Season"

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Addendum D)

An Introduction to Swan Identification

I have included this Addendum D to assist those waterfowlers who would like to know the basic differences between the three (3) swans that we have before we implement a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season in Ontario.

There are two native species of swans in North America.

These are the larger Trumpeter Swan (24 to 27 lbs) and the smaller Tundra Swan (16 to 18 lbs). The exotic Mute Swan was introduced to North America from Europe in the late 1800s.

Although the Trumpeter Swan and the Tundra Swan may look similar to one another there are a few differences that will help the beginner to identify these three species of swans.

1) The Trumpeter Swan is larger ... about 1 1/2 times the size of the Tundra Swan.

Tip: The word "trumpeter" (three syllables and nine letters) is bigger than the word "tundra" (two syllables and six letters). Therefore remember that the Trumpeter Swan is bigger than the Tundra Swan by 1 1/2 times (24 to 27 lbs compared to 16 to 18 lbs).

Tip: Remember that the weight (high end) of a Trumpeter Swan is the product of its three syllables times its nine letters (3 x 9 = 27). The Tundra Swan is 2/3 of that weight (18).

2) The Trumpeter Swan's bill and head are "wedge shaped" whereas the Tundra Swan's bill and head are more "curved and round" in shape.

Tip: Think of the Canvasback Duck (a larger duck with a red "wedge shaped" head) compared to the Redhead Duck (a smaller duck with a red "round shaped" head).

Although the Mute Swan is as large as a Trumpeter Swan it has a distinctly orange bill and as the name implies is silent (for the most part). However the Mute Swan will aggressively "hiss" at humans and other waterfowl in the marsh ... a notable "bully" towards other waterfowl.

Note that both the Greater Snow Goose and the Lesser Snow Goose (white phase) have black wing tips while all of the swans have white wing tips.

For more information on swan identification see The Trumpeter Swan Society's web site and "click" on the Swan Identification Brochure tab.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

An Ontario Tundra Swan Season (Side Bar)

The Ducks Unlimited Canada Position

I had an opportunity to discuss my proposal of a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season, my presentation to the members of the Long Point Waterfowlers' Association and the results of my subsequent survey with the President of Ducks Unlimited Canada at a Fund Raiser Dinner in September of 2011 and again during a subsequent telephone conversation in December of 2011. He told me that my proposal was very interesting but that it was not within the current mandate of Ducks Unlimited Canada. However he also told me that I should be very pleased with the 20% return rate that I had obtained with my survey since it was twice the return rate that Ducks Unlimited Canada would expect to obtain with any of their membership surveys.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

Hello Guys,

I have been asked more than once on this "waterfowl" forum about how to cook a Tundra Swan and how one would taste.

There is a gentleman by the name of Hank Shaw who is an angler, hunter, gardener and cook. He has included his recipe for cooking a Tundra Swan.

I found him on the internet ... search for "Cooking and Eating a Tundra Swan" and his website should appear. It is very informative.

Jerome

PS Contrary to what was posted on his website a Tundra Swan call was (still is) available from DJ Calls for $59.95 US at the time that I bought mine (definitely more now). An instructional CD is included in the cost.

Hello Guys,

I found a "press release" on the internet last fall from July of 2020 that Idaho had been granted a limited (tag only) Tundra Swan season (50 tags) to start in the fall of 2020 ... so 2022 would have been their third Tundra Swan season. These birds will be harvested from the Western Population of Tundra Swans. I apologize for not posting this update last fall when I read about it.

I had previously reported under this thread in Part 2 that both Delaware and Maryland were granted a Tundra Swan season in 2019 to harvest birds from the Eastern Population of Tundra Swans. Consequently three (3) additional states have recently been granted a Tundra Swan season while we continue to watch our Tundra Swan tags being used south of the border.

Jerome

Hello Guys,

The State of Utah has decided to issue only Tundra Swan tags this year after having closed their General Swan Season early over the past four (4) hunting seasons after the limit of twenty (20) Trumpeter Swans had been harvested in that particular state.

There has been a General Swan Season in Montana, Nevada and Utah for over twenty (20) years and it is unforntunate that a few waterfowl hunters obviously had decided to deliberately harvest a Trumpeter Swan with their tag while the provision for a General Swan Season was to account for an incidental (not a deliberate) harvest of a Trumpeter Swan.

The State of Montana and the State of Nevada have not had a similar issue with a General Swan Season in the past ... as I understand.

Jerome