Canadian Wildlife Services is collecting public feedback on two new proposed migratory bird hunting seasons.

Biologist Blake Bartzen says based on a population assessment of both tundra swans and mourning doves, potential hunting seasons for both species would be sustainable.

“Tundra swans, for the Eastern population, the population is estimated to be 80,000 individuals… for mourning doves, mourning doves are actually a very highly abundant species here in North America…Based on surveys, we believe there are 2.1 million breeding adults here in Saskatchewan.”

Canadian Wildlife Services is now looking to the public for feedback. Bartzen acknowledges what might be a common concern among the public: tundra swans look similar to trumpeter swans, which are a protected species in Canada.

“Trumpeter swans do look like tundra swans, but they do have some differences in bill characteristics. they’re slightly larger. Admittedly, those differences can be hard to differences.”

However, Bartzen says although they look similar, trumpeter swans have a very distinctive call, and there are very few of them in Saskatchewan, so he anticipates accidental harvest of trumpeter swans to be quite low.

“There are tundra swan seasons in the U.S. in the presence of trumpeter swans, and, admittedly, there is some accidental harvest that occurs down there. Based on all available date, the estimated accidental harvest of trumpeter swans is about two per cent in those regions.”

There are currently 9600 tundra swan permits issued in the U.S. each year. If the local hunting season is approved, 600 of them would be reallocated to Saskatchewan, meaning no additional harvest. Canadian Wildlife Services is suggesting a daily limit of 15 mourning doves per hunter, as well.

Once public feedback in collected, it will be reviewed and the proposal will be revised if need be. If approved, the hunting seasons could be established as early as fall of 2028.

To provide feedback, send an email to MbregsReports-Rapports-Omregs@ec.gc.ca