Killer Swan Blamed for Man’s Drowning

[MechAg94]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/04/killer-swan-blamed-for-mans-drowning/

An angry swan is being blamed for knocking a man out of his kayak in a Chicago pond and then continuing to attack until the man drowned.

A swan!?  Sometimes I wonder how the hell the human race got to where it is now.  I can only assume people like this didn't last long back in the hunter/gatherer days.

Somehow I think it was his reactions to the attack and not the attack that led to the drowning.  

I like this gem from the comments:

Swans are very dangerous animals that we would be wise to stay clear of, especially when nesting. They use their necks like battering rams and are forceful enough to break your leg with a hard hit.
My condolences to the family. What an unexpected tragedy.

Really?  Break your leg with the kung fu neck jab?  

My experience with geese is you just grab their neck or just step on their head as they try to snap at your ankle.  Running is the wrong reaction.

[41magsnub]

Another swan fatality.  This is why I carry a shotgun (steel shot of course) with me everywhere I go!

[MechAg94]

I guess I was thinking that you really don't need a weapon to deal with a goose or swan, though it does simplify things.

[Ron]

My guess is he didn't want to damage his investment in the swan(s) thereby short circuiting his survival instinct.

Considering he owned the nesting swans he must have known how to handle them.


A friend of mine went to high school with this guy. I saw a R.I.P facebook post from him about this when it first happened.

[41magsnub]

I guess I was thinking that you really don't need a weapon to deal with a goose or swan, though it does simplify things.

It's a war man.   

[Jamisjockey]

There is a small flock of geese that owns one of the neighborhood ponds (there are about 4500 homes in the subdivsion and about 10 retention ponds).  They like to sit on the sidewalk instead of down on the bank.
I started expanding my runs and it takes me past thier pond on the 2 mile leg to the gym.
Yeah, the geese forgot their place in the food chain and have come at me a few times.  First time they all came, hard.  When I was inches from snatching one by the neck they figured it out.
Next time, they didn't come so hard.
Now, its just the dominate male, and he barely gets his wings up before I get after him with either my hands or my foot.
I am not above killing me a goose.

[Tallpine]

We were taking care of the neighbors' birds this weekend, and their geese get pretty aggressive.

I don't care to get attacked from behind while I am filling the waterers, so I turned around and waved my arms and started chasing them instead.  They didn't think that was so funny 

I dunno how they plan to eventually catch and butcher them 

Looks like a .410 load to the head might be in order. 

[230RN]

We had a pair of China Geese and they were pretty intimidating to visitors, who sometimes didn't want to get out of their cars.  Eggs are pretty rubbery when cooked.  Got rid of them, I don't remember how. Probably sold them to a neighbor lady, who probably cooked them.   But not much good as "guard geese" at night. Neither are Guinea Hens, which are good alarmists in the daytime, and whose alarm squawks sounded just like a kid crying "Help! Help!"

[Ben]

I don't care to get attacked from behind while I am filling the waterers, so I turned around and waved my arms and started chasing them instead.  They didn't think that was so funny  

Your post is worthless without a video link.

[AJ Dual]

The Milwaukee Metro is lousy with Canadian Geese. This unusually mild winter, they never even left.

They tend to keep their distance though. I think enough people walking their dogs, and maybe rambunctious kids in the parks chasing them has kept them in line. I suspect the occasional motorist fed up with slowing down for them or swerving for them has done his/her part too. 

Although that does nothing from keeping them from covering the park in their droppings.

[BlueStarLizzard]

Geese and swans are pretty damn agressive, plus their fast. They can really whip those necks around when they want to.

There were some geese that used to nest in this pond where I used to ride. While they were dealing with their gooslings we had an iron clad rule about riding anywhere near that pond, because the damn things would chase the horses.
You don't want to be on the back of a spooked horse with a pissed goose on your tail. You also don't really want to fall off.  

[Tallpine]

There were some geese that used to nest in this pond where I used to ride. While they were dealing with their gooslings we had an iron clad rule about riding anywhere near that pond, because the damn things would chase the horses.
You don't want to be on the back of a spooked horse with a pissed goose on your tail. You also don't really want to fall off.  

Could be fun ... my gelding doesn't care much for dogs, and one time we chased the neighbors' guineas back home just for fun.  He's afraid of things until we chase them, and then it is Great Fun.  It took a while to teach him that we are NOT going to chase all the deer that we come across 

Your post is worthless without a video link.

Wild hairy crazy man chasing geese 

Get used to disappointment 

[BlueStarLizzard]

Could be fun ... my gelding doesn't care much for dogs, and one time we chased the neighbors' guineas back home just for fun.  He's afraid of things until we chase them, and then it is Great Fun.  It took a while to teach him that we are NOT going to chase all the deer that we come across 

The main victim was Kim, my riding instructor and her little mare, a pretty thing, but flighty and high strung.

Me and Elastic got a little to close and, well, he usually never got that much pep in his step unless their were foxhounds involved. 

[grampster]

We rid the lake of 99 mute swans a decade ago.  Caught 'em using speedy fishing boats and 10 ft. long rerod that we bent the end into a shepherds crook.  Guy in front snagged 'em around the neck at speed with the crook end, they go docile, grab 'em, Duct tape the beak and feet and put 'em in a box, two to a box.  They don't fly well in the middle of June.
In the years after that, we'd go to the nests and run off the swans with a long handled broom while the other guy shakes the eggs and drills a small hole, then carefully put back the eggs.  By the time the swans figger out the eggs won't hatch, it's too late to lay more.  That way we controled the mute swans at about 4.
Mute swans are mean, aggressive and territorial.  No way one could make you drown though.  Grab it by the neck and kill it.  Then use it for bouyancy.  Dead guy must have been a wimp.

[41magsnub]

a pretty thing, but flighty and high strung.

The mare or the riding instructor?   

[Ron]

In my mind, one of the most embarrassing moments I've had involved running from a goose.

When I was running refrigeration service I was walking along the side of a restaurant back to my truck. All of a sudden a goose comes blasting out of the bushes hissing and flapping at me. Startled and scared the hell out of me! I actually ran from it ha ha!

Once I regained my composure I grabbed a tank of C02 figuring I'd give it a good blast if it came at me when heading back into the store.

No more altercations occurred that day, didn't get a chance to blast him.

The next day when I returned they had the sidewalk roped off.

I hate friggin geese.   

[BlueStarLizzard]

The mare or the riding instructor?   

the mare 

[Perd Hapley]

The mare or the riding instructor?   

This goes here.

[Northwoods]

For the story in the OP, it sounds like he was not at all preparred like he should have been for possible immersion.  No dry-wear and or at least clothes that would be OK to get dunked in (he was wearing heavy boots), and not even a PFD.  Unfortunately that cost him his life.

[MechAg94]

Which is really strange.  He was in a Kayak which I thought were not really made to stay dry.  Of course, the news story could be completely wrong on the type of boat.

[41magsnub]

Which is really strange.  He was in a Kayak which I thought were not really made to stay dry.  Of course, the news story could be completely wrong on the type of boat.

He was tooling around a duck pond, he probably didn't see a need to rig up like he was running whitewater.

[Northwoods]

He was tooling around a duck pond, he probably didn't see a need to rig up like he was running whitewater.

Perhaps it's because I'm a (paraoid) newbie to yakking but I wear my drysuit and PFD all the time when I'm on the water.  That said, had he not worn (apparently) heavy cotton clothing and heavy boots, and instead some synthetics and Teva's, then even without a PFD he'd probably have survived.  But at the very least a PFD would have kept him above water.

[Perd Hapley]

Which caliber for attack swans?

[41magsnub]

I'm in no way saying it was smart!  All I am saying is, right or wrong, it would be easy to say screw it and just go given familiar and non-intimidating water.

[BlueStarLizzard]

I'm in no way saying it was smart!  All I am saying is, right or wrong, it would be easy to say screw it and just go given familiar and non-intimidating water.

I would be one of those people. Duck pond and paddle driven boat, be it kayak or canoe, and i'm not really going to think "hey, I need my vest and river gear."

Not saying dude(or myself) is oh so brilliant, but the thought of getting all rigged out for flat water is going to strike me as overkill.