Abstract:
North Carolina generally has the largest wintering East Coast population of tundra swans. Only five states have hunting seasons for the eastern population, and North Carolina usually has the largest harvest. The first tundra swan hunting season in the state took place in 1984-1985 and 867 birds were killed. The 2004-2005 season produced the second-lowest harvest on record with 1,745 birds taken. Wilson discusses this decline in the harvest.