Several Midwestern states are
reintroducing the native Trumpeter
Swan to the region. Some of these birds
are migrating through and wintering
in Illinois. You can help bring
back this magnificent
swan by:
• Learning the difference between
swans and snow geese.
• Reporting observations of marked
swans with wing tags, neck collars,
or legbands.
• Protecting wetland habitat.
• Reporting any harassment
of Trumpeter Swans.
Please report swan sightings to:
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Waterfowl Program
700 South 10th Street
Havana, IL 62644
(309) 543-3065
Don’t Shoot a Swan!
TRUMPETER SWAN
Protected Species
Long neck
Length: 4 ft.
Wingspan: 7 ft.
Weight: 20 - 30 lbs.
SNOW GOOSE
Legally Hunted
Short neck
Length: 1 1/2 ft.
Wingspan: 3 1/2 ft.
Weight: 3 - 6 lbs.
Don’t make a mistake! All wild swans are protected in Illinois.
White plumage, but BLACK WING TIPS.
CAUTION-White Pelicans have black wing
tips, but their wingspan is 8-9 1/2 ft.
FEDERAL BAITING
REGULATIONS DEFINITIONS
Normal agricultural planting, harvesting, or
post-harvest manipulation means a planting or
harvesting under taken for the purpose of pro-ducing
and gathering a crop, or manipulation
after such harvest and removal of grain, that
is conducted in accordance with official rec-ommendations
of State Extension Specialists
of the Cooperative Extension Service of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Normal agricultural operation means a normal
agricultural planting, harvesting, post-harvest
manipulation, or agricultural practice, that is
conducted in accordance with official recom-mendations
of State Extension Specialists of
the Cooperative Extension Service of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Normal soil stabilization practice means a
planting for agricultural soil erosion control or
post-mining land reclamation conducted in
accordance with official recommendations of
State Extension Specialists of the Cooperative
Extension Service of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture for agricultural soil erosion control.
Baited area means any area on which salt,
grain, or other feed has been placed, exposed,
deposited, distributed or scattered, if that salt,
grain or other feed could serve as a lure or at-traction
for migratory game birds to, on or over
areas where hunters are attempting to take
them. Any such area will remain a baited area
for ten days following the complete removal of
all such salt, grain or other feed.
Baiting means the direct or indirect placing,
exposing, depositing, distributing, or scatter-ing
of salt, grain or other feed that could
serve as a lure or attraction for migratory
game birds to, on or over any areas where
hunters are attempting to take them.
Manipulation means the alteration of natural
vegetation or agricultural crops by activi-ties
that include but are not limited to mowing,
shredding, disking, rolling, chopping, tram-pling,
flattening, burning or herbicide treat-ments.
The term manipulation does not
include the distributing or scattering of grain,
seed or other feed after removal from or stor-age
on the field where grown.
Natural vegetation means any non-agricul-tural,
native or naturalized plant species that
grows at a site in response to planting or from
existing seeds or other propagules. The term
natural vegetation does not include planted
millet. However, planted millet that grows on
its own in subsequent years after the year of
planting is considered natural vegetation.
FEDERAL BAITING REGULATIONS
It is unlawful to take migratory game birds ex-cept
crows by the aid of baiting, or on or over
any baited area, where a person knows
or reasonably should know that the area is or
has been baited. However, nothing prohibits:
(1) the taking of any migratory game bird,
including waterfowl, and coots, on or over
the following lands or areas that are not
otherwise baited areas—
(2) The taking of any migratory gamebird,
except waterfowl, and coots, on or over
lands or areas that are not otherwise
baited areas, and where grain or other
feed has been distributed or scattered
solely as the result of manipulation of an
agricultural crop or other feed on the land
where grown, or solely as the result of a
normal agricultural operation. NOTE: This
exception only applies to dove hunting.
(i) Standing crops or flooded standing
crops (including aquatics); standing,
flooded, or manipulated natural vege-tation;
flooded harvested croplands; or
lands or areas where seeds or grains
have been scattered solely as the re-sult
of a normal agricultural planting,
harvesting, post-harvest manipulation
or normal soil stabilization practice;
(ii) From a blind or other place of con-cealment
camouflaged with natural
vegetation;
(iii) From a blind or other place of con-cealment
camouflaged with vegetation
from agricultural crops, as long as
such camouflaging does not result in
the exposing, depositing, distributing
or scattering of grain or other feed; or
(iv) Standing or flooded standing agrigultural
crops where grain is inadvertently scat-tered
solely as a result of a hunter en-tering
or exiting a hunting area, placing
decoys, or retrieving birds.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
24
