On October 10, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) conservation officers received a tip about a pair of young trumpeter swans that appeared to have been shot in Hullett Marsh Provincial Wildlife Area.
Conservation officer Drew Pegrum found the two swans near stake 17 at the south end of Bluebill Pool, a wetland area. One swan was dead on arrival, while the second swan was swimming with a broken wing. Pegrum called in Justin Johnson, the marsh manager for the Friends of Hullett, a non-profit group that manages the wildlife area, to catch the swan so that its injuries could be treated.
“It was in bad shape, but it was still able to swim, and it could outmaneuver me in the water,” says Johnson. “Unfortunately, it got away into some thicker reeds, and I couldn’t follow.”
The Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Mount Brydges was prepared to take the injured swan, but the bird succumbed to its injuries and was found dead the next day. A necropsy confirmed that both birds had been shot.
Canada has strict rules around trumpeter swans. They’ve been identified as a priority species for conservation and are protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, making them illegal to hunt. Hullett Marsh also has strict rules around hunting. Hunters are required to stay within 30 metres of a stake.
Yet, conservation officers found bullet shells away from stake 17. Johnson theorizes that the culprit crested a dam overlooking the wetland and, perhaps mistaking the swans as snow geese, started shooting. When the culprit realized the birds were swans, they took off without reporting the incident to the MNRF.
“You’re not supposed to have your gun uncased away from a stake. You’re not supposed to shoot away from a stake in that zone. It’s multiple levels of rule breaking,” says Johnson. “A complete disregard for the rules set out on the property here.”
Friends of Hullett staff took the deaths hard as Hullett Marsh was originally created as a protective space for waterfowl. Completed in 1983, the area was a collaborative project between the MNRF and environmental organization Ducks Unlimited Canada. The goal was to transform a flood plain along the South Maitland River in Huron County into a protected wildlife space. Today, Hullett Marsh spans 5,400 acres—2,100 of which is wetland—with the Friends of Hullett managing day-to-day activities, including the monitoring of waterfowl species.
“The swans have really been a source of pride for us as a staff as we’ve watched them return to the marsh,” says Johnson. “We had one pair hanging out in one of our pools two years ago. This year, we had two pairs in the marsh. So, we were starting to see more swans than we’ve ever seen in the marsh before. And they’re well known in the community. We had people taking photos of them all the time, and it was a great way for people to connect with the space. Then, unfortunately, we have this happen.”
Assuming it was an accident, Johnson says the proper procedure in this circumstance would have been for the hunter to take responsibility and self-report the swans to the MNRF. “We try to, particularly with young hunters, teach about responsible waterfowl hunting and species identification. And we always tell people if you don’t know what you’re shooting at you shouldn’t be shooting at anything,” says Johnson.
Conservation officers are asking the public for any information that may assist with their investigation. The public can contact conservation officers through the ministry’s TIPS line toll free at 1-877-847-7667 or contact their local ministry office. Alternatively, they can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.
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