Dept. of Game, Fish & Parks
For immediate release:  Wednesday, October 17, 2001
For more information, call (605) 773-3485      

SWAN HOTLINE ACTIVATED

PIERRE – Tundra Swans are migrating through South Dakota, and hunters seeking current tundra swan migration information can call the S.D. Department of Game, Fish and Parks offices in Watertown, Aberdeen or Webster.

Assistant Regional Game Supervisor Will Morlock of Watertown said the department will be helping swan hunters learn when swans have arrived and where they may be found during their migration through the state.

"Each Monday and Thursday, conservation officers will report concentrations of swans in their area. This information will be placed on office answering machines. Swan hunters can access the information from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. and all day during weekends," he said. 

Morlock added that the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge will assist this year by providing waterfowl migration information 24 hours a day on a South Dakota Hunters Information Line.

"We want to provide information on the swan migration in a way that's convenient for hunters, while giving our field officers a little relief from the telephone. Because we will be operating the hotline from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., hunters can call in the evening after they get off work or in the morning before they go hunting. They can also call during weekends when our offices are closed," Morlock said.

Office numbers to call are : 

• Watertown...(605) 882-5200  
• Aberdeen... (605) 626-2391  
• Webster...(605) 345-3381  
• "South Dakota Hunters Information Line"…(605) 885-6401 (Includes information on all waterfowl migration) 

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