My son and I drew a Swan permit for North Carolina this year, so we went 19 Dec in the wind and rain. We got set up and a the first 4 came by, looked at the decoys and turned, we took a shot but they kept on flying. about 8:30 a single came just out side the decoys and my son shot it. a hard lung shot, that Sway locked its wings and sailed about 300 yards and landed in a ditch by the road. The field we hunted had ditches every 100 yards and it was two ditches over and darn near at the road which was aabout 300 yards from us. I sent Max and got a little over 200 yards and started hunting it. I stopped him and handled him over the the bird. This is the pick of him getting back with the bird. 

My bird came about an hour and a half later another lone bird one shot and down he came. broke its right wing. that was a 100 yard retieve out of the ditch for Max. That was alot of fun, and cannot wait to eat some for Christmas dinner.

Very very cool for sure.



.

Congrats, very cool. Bet that was about like shooting down your plane. Nice to see Max is getting to hunt. I got to see him develop when I was over at K and L when I was there. I actually went over today to hang out with Mike and I told him about your post. Take care and good hunting.

They are a tough bird. the pic there of Max with the Swan was a 300 yard retrieve. Max marked it, but got about 225-250 yards to where he thought the bird landed and from that distance it looked like it did. Two right casts and he had the bird. But boy was he out there. Max is doing great. got Pheasant (preserve) Thursday then two days of ducks.

I have been keeping Mike up what Max is doing, as Mike will see Max back in Feb or March so he can get Max his MPR and maybe finish up his SH in AKC.

I can not imagine that a swan with a broken wing was a willing participant to being retrieved!!!!! Max musta had his wheaties for breakfast!

What did you use for Decoys?

Max did have his wheaties, but that bird didn't put up a fight. it also has a leg broke, might have been the one thing that made it not fight.
It was funny watching Max bring it back sideways, as the right wing kept getting in the way and he would step on it.

For decoys, they were Swan half shell decoys, but I did not get a look at the brand name.

Can't imagine Sammie going after a "green" swan, I know she has had a butt whoppin by some of the geese we shoot here in Jersey. Hopefully tomorrow we will get that chance at the geese again. We have swans around here but no season for them.