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Adam Eakle and the KSL Outdoor Show are in the marshes this week bringing some good duck hunting and a few swans.
This year's breeding duck population in southern Alberta, which is extremely important to Utah as we are in the Pacific Flyway. Several species posted significant increases; pintails are up 170 percent, green-winged teal, 112 percent. The forecast looked good before the season and after a slow start in Utah, things have picked up considerably.
Rob Friedel of FriedFeathers.com met up with the KSL Outdoor crew he said, "If you take your kids hunting you don't have to hunt for your kids and I truly believe that ...they have a basis for what they want to do and a lot of the good morals, characters that we teach out in the field they carry through the rest of their lives, so we are pretty fortunate to take a lot of them out.
"The biggest thing about having success is get out and scout before you go. You can't expect to shoot birds in the same spot that you've been shooting since you were eight." Said Friedel, "You know the water conditions have changed, you've got to get out there and get away from the pressure. Anytime you've got a wind, take advantage of it, because the birds that are sitting here stagnant on the sheet water or the resting areas, as soon as they get a little bit of wind, it makes them move and look for places to set."
Utah only issues 2000 swan permits, you have to apply for the permit. There are around 4500 people that apply for a permit, and if you don't draw you get a preference points. So the following year you've got preference over the guys that drew before. If you have a fair amount of luck, you should draw a swan tag every other year.
Utah is one of three states in the Pacific Flyway that have hunts for Tundra Swans. Tags are given through a drawing that is held every September. Before you can even apply for a swan tag, you must complete a one-time Swan Hunter Orientation course. The DWR has hunters take the course to help them distinguish the difference between a Tundra Swan and the less abundant Trumpeter Swan.
