More Purple Swamphens

Dani

Dani

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I had the chance to chase more purple swamphens, and this is the result. Also, saw some purple Gallinules so you can see the difference between the two. These are such neat looking birds!

Purple_Gallinule-2.jpg

Purple Gallinule

SLOB-1.jpg

Purple Swamphen

SLOBS-2.jpg


SLOBS-3.jpg


I hope that I get to chase these birds again this season....we shall see! What fun they are though

Dani
 
Dani,
I don't know anything about a purple swamp hen. Have you
ate one yet, and if so how was it? Anything you can compare
it to?
Best,
William
 
Toby's in Coupeville??...I was there today for lunch, Mussels of course. Not a single Swamphen in sight.....
 
Those are so cool. I hope someday you are able to keep a few because I'd love to try a few flank feathers on some flies.

Tim
 
William-

We're not allowed to keep the birds for personal consumption. We're supposed to hand them over to the check station attendant at the end of the hunt. Perhaps they'll open a season on them so that we can eat them though.

Someday

And yup...Toby's in Coupeville....it was yummmmmmmm and they have good beer...

Well Tim, if I ever get to keep one of the birds I'll send you some feathers....

Dani
 
You're racking up on those swamp hens! I don't know if you've eaten Gallinules before but at least in Louisiana those make a better gumbo than any other bird.

Ed.
 
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William-

We're not allowed to keep the birds for personal consumption. We're supposed to hand them over to the check station attendant at the end of the hunt. Perhaps they'll open a season on them so that we can eat them though.

Someday

And yup...Toby's in Coupeville....it was yummmmmmmm and they have good beer...

Well Tim, if I ever get to keep one of the birds I'll send you some feathers....

Dani
Click to expand...

Let me get this straight . . . you can KILL them, but you can't KEEP them? That is just weird . . .

By the way, they really are cool looking birds!! Thanks for sharing!
 
I am going to say.. "beautiful birds" but they really aren't beautiful so much as exotic... with the flashy colors... kinda like an 80's flashback! I hear the theme to "Miami Vice" playing in my mind...
 
William-

We're not allowed to keep the birds for personal consumption. We're supposed to hand them over to the check station attendant at the end of the hunt. Perhaps they'll open a season on them so that we can eat them though.

Someday

And yup...Toby's in Coupeville....it was yummmmmmmm and they have good beer...

Well Tim, if I ever get to keep one of the birds I'll send you some feathers....

Dani
Click to expand...


I sure hope they put them to good use.

T
 
dhooting, just so some gov group can take them seem just like wanton waste, to me--If they are not contracting you do to their shooting for them, or at least giving you shells to manage THEIR problem. then perhaps you all need to quit doing stuff for free!
Good difference pics between the biggies and others
 
I was going to ask how you cook them up/taste but if you don't get to keep them..... Another question how are you hunting them? Do they decoy well?
 
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] I'll bet there's not a rule saying you can't pull off a bunch of fly tieing feathers before you turn the birds in.[/font]
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Especially if you blamed the dog - Works for homework yes?

Bogs used to like to pluck my birds for me when I wasn't watching. Then he's start trying to skin them D'oh!
Click to expand...
 
George-

I don't hate the Government so much that I begrudge the cost of a few measly shotgun shells to help control the spread of an invasive, and destructive to native wildlife, species...

Dani
 
I hunted them like I do clapper rail.....just walk em up...I could've sat down and waited for them to come back and they would've as well. I've heard that some folk pole through the grasses like you do clapper rail as well and they've done well that way too. I'm sure they probably would decoy well....they always seemed eager to kick eachothers butts....

Dani
 
neither do i, BUT, they could at least provide you all with some sort of bounty--even the carcasses after they simply i d that one has been dispatched.
Hell, guys were paid over in maryland to eradicate nutria, who were destroying Blackwater.
They are just asking you guys to do something for them and pay for it, too--That, young lady, is NOT right, and considering they are likely going to dispose of such interesting looking critters withough even giving them away to folks who might even consume them.;...well, i rest my case!
 
This was a pilot program, by special permit only, to determine if it was possible for people to harvest the Swamphens without mistaking them as Moorhens and Purple Gallinules in the process....as such it was "my" choice to apply and I knew the terms when I applied.....and I'm as good with not being compensated for the very marginal cost as I am with the fact that the birds are turned over to the State for whatever disposal they deem fitting.....

If the pilot program is successful then the bird will be open to anyone who wants to hunt them and do with as they wish. Based on that I'm happy to be a part of the program regardless of whether you think it flawed or not.....

Dani
 
by all appearances, there is certainly a sharp difference between the two. I am assuming that this is a state derived program? if so, what the heck, they need all they can save!
 
Dani,
I have really enjoyed this thread, it takes me back to the years I got to explore and fish on the Fellsmere Stick Marsh.Even if you don't get to keep the Swamp Hens this year,maybe next year you will be able to report on them as table fare.After studying the first two pictures, I can see why the state is doing the study. It would be tough to ID between the Purple Gallinule and the Purple Swamp Hen, sure we want to get rid of the envasive specie but not at the expense of hurting the native one. IMO its win-win you get to hunt them this year and maybe in a year or two eveyone will.
Best,
William
PS really liked the pics of the Red Fish a few months back (man I miss Fla at this time of the year)
 
Thanks for posting this thread Dani - I've found it quite interesting. Fascinating birds and neat that you're part of the pilot study - keep us posted about how things turn out!
 
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