Craig, I have never eaten one before, but I will be able to tell you tomorrow night. I got some mixed opinions on how good they were and how to cook them. Looking forward to finding out...

There’s a guy here that I preserve hunt with a couple times a year . Seems to me he and his ex wife went to NC and killed a pair around five years ago , just don’t remember how he said they were at the table .

If you don’t mind saying who’s guide service did you use ?

I had a swan fly over while hunting on the Altamaha River several years ago. It was too high and I was not sure if they were in season, so I passed. Was a cool experience though.

ITX is softer than steel but is harder than Bismuth and I suppose with larger shot could possibly be a problem with tight chokes. Ballistic Products is probably being extra cautious with what they recommend through damascus and twist steel barrels.

Jay,

Congratulations on your hunt. I hunted the same area about 14 years ago. I was hunting with a college buddy and his wife. Both he and I got swans, his wife wasn't lucky that trip.
He and I were using Ithaca 37'S, his wife was using a semi-auto. All were 12 ga 3" using T shot. My wife cooked mine with wine. It was really good.
I've been wanting to get back down there and do it again this time with my 10 ga zero grade, 3 frame 1888 hammer Parker. I am thinking about using IMR 7625 with bismuth, however you got me thinking about using IXT shot.
Again - Congratulations

Jack Kuzepski

FWIW , for web foot creatures I load 1 1/4 weighed ounces of Bismuth in an SP-10 wad pushed with 30 grains of SR7625 and it patterns well in all my 10’s I’ve tried it in , almost forgot I do put a 16 gauge overshot wad on top to keep the crimp flatter .

Craig, I will send you the guide information. I don't have it, but I asked my friend for it. I was along for the ride on this trip and just showed up with my 10 gauge Parker and black powder shells.

You do have to apply for a tundra swan permit, which works on a lottery system. Some guide services may already have permits they can let their clients use. From what my friend told me the chances a very good for a permit. He has applied and received his permit the last 4 years in a row.

By the way I didn't get to cook anything last night, but I will tonight. I will let you know how it turns out.

On the ITX BB shot, I probably would not have used it had I know that it wasn't recommended. However, after patterning it and hunting with it using black powder I would use the same load again if I was swan or goose hunting(black powder only). Balistic Products may have been overly cautious, which I certainly understand. I did some searching and I can't find any BB sized bismuth sold in loose shot. So if you want softer than steel BBs or even BBBs, ITX may be the only option(please correct me if I am wrong on this).

Thanks ! A high school/ Parker friend stopped by the shop today and as I was showing him a Parker at my truck I asked him if he was intrested in going next year for a swan hunt and he told me he was headed down next week I believe he said ! Told me he went two years ago and got one didn’t draw a tag last year and got another this time . As to loose Bismuth I got all I have from Precision Reloading #1’s and BPI #2’s and #4’s . Seems to me Precision also had Bismuth in BB’s .

I shot one a year ago along with my 2 nephews and son in law. My son in law is in USMC while he was at Camp Pendleton in California. He meet a chef there we cut the Breast in 3/8 inch strips and fried them in butter. We cooked them like you would a steak. Do not over cook them. They were very good Loren