Mansfield Man Cited and Fined for Shooting Protected Trumpeter Swan
Ashland County, OH – A Mansfield man has been found guilty and fined after unlawfully killing a protected trumpeter swan during the early teal and goose hunting season last fall.
According to a March 4, 2025, field report from the Ohio Division of Wildlife, the case dates back to September 8, 2024, when State Wildlife Officer Evan Huegel received a Wildlife Turn-In-A-Poacher (TIP) call about a hunter shooting a trumpeter swan in Black Fork Bottoms hunting area. A witness reported seeing a group of trumpeter swans flying overhead, followed by multiple gunshots. One swan was observed falling into the water.
Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Huegel identified the only hunter in the area as Jeffrey E. Cline of Mansfield, Ohio. Surveillance showed Cline retrieving a dead goose while a dead swan lay approximately 10 yards away, which he did not attempt to recover.
When questioned, Cline admitted to shooting the swan, stating he had misidentified it as a goose. Though he possessed all required hunting permits and stamps, he was cited for unlawful take of a certain non-game bird, a first-degree misdemeanor under Ohio law.
Court Ruling and Fine
Cline appeared in Ashland Municipal Court on September 20, 2024, where Magistrate Fred Oxley accepted his no-contest plea and found him guilty. He was fined $350 plus court costs, bringing the total to $437.
Protected Status of Trumpeter Swans
The Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) is North America’s largest native waterfowl species and was recently removed from Ohio’s endangered species list. However, it remains a protected species, and hunting them is strictly prohibited.
Speaking on the case, Andy Chow, Chief of the Office of Communications for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, emphasized the importance of proper species identification to prevent unlawful killings of protected wildlife.
Legal and Conservation Efforts
Violating Ohio’s wildlife protection laws can result in fines, license suspensions, and even jail time. The Ohio Division of Wildlife continues to urge hunters to carefully identify their targets before shooting.
Report Wildlife Violations
Residents can report illegal hunting activities through Ohio’s Turn-In-A-Poacher (TIP) hotline at 1-800-POACHER.Photo credit: Matt Platz
Photo credit: Matt Platz
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