Do swans scare off ducks?

[skiinglady]

My husband and I had a pair of swans land just outside our decoy spread Saturday morning. They hung out for maybe 20 or 30 minutes all the while making a soft honking/bugling sound. It was cool to experience for about 5 minutes until I started to wonder if the swans were scaring the ducks away. While the swans were hanging out we had a flock of mallards work us but they set down in the next opening 100 yards over in the rice. My husband stood up and waved his arms to try to get the swans to leave. The dog was even growling at them. They finally left when I shot at (and dropped) a lone mallard that skirted the edge of the decoys.

So, did the flock of mallards get scared off by the swans??? Anyone have any experience with swans messing up your hunt?

BTW - I've heard that swans and geese are mortal enemies. These swans came right in even though I was calling on my goose call and had 4 flocked floater geese in the spread. Swans aint afraid of geese as best I can tell. Maybe geese are afraid of swans.

[Mr.Seaguar]

I would say no, I have seen swans with geese many times and seen swans in with ducks also. I have had swans come into duck and goose decoys. North Carolina hunters would be the ones to ask, its a much more important issue for them with so many swans. I wish I could buy 3 dozen pelican decoys.

[bobbymalone]

Swan decoys are sold as methods to keep ducks and geese away.

Not sure how well they work.

[Ufatz]

If anything swans will serve as "confidence decoys" when they are placed near your spread. It is highly unlikely they would scare ducks and geese away.

But an angry swan will scare ME away every time. Them buggers are nasty tempered!!

[BLACKJACK]

Last week I watched some wood ducks swimming among some feeding swans, grabbing any leftovers that the swans kicked up and missed.

[fishuhalik]

When we lived by Monticello, there were thousands of mallards, honkers & swans that stayed all year round in the open water & they wee always mixed in with each other. I spent many a day bird watching down there

[strait-meat]

swans are mean!

[mrg]

Was out scouting this a.m. And seen swans, geese, and mallards mixed in the same stretch of river. The one thing they dont get along with is use hunters!