No jail for swan shooting

PALMER — An active-duty soldier who shot two swans this summer will not serve any jail time for his offense.

Mathhew VanSyckle, 22, of Fort Richardson, pleaded guilty Aug. 5 to illegally taking tundra swans, Alaska State Troopers announced Tuesday.

In return for his plea, VanSyckle had to forfeit two guns worth a combined $2,500, lose his hunting privileges for a year, pay a $1,000 fine and complete 80 hours of community service.

He will be on probation for a year, during which time he could be liable for another $1,000 fine if he gets in trouble again.

At the time of the slayings, troopers said the case came together fairly quickly because the swans were shot on the first sunny day of the year. The weather brought out a lot of people who witnessed the shootings and reported what they saw to authorities.

Troopers also had help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — brought in because swans fall under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act — and Fort Richardson military police — brought in because of VanSycle’s status as a serviceman.

VanSyckle, who was at Jim Lake fresh off a long deployment overseas, maintained then that he had no idea the birds he was aiming at were swans.

VanSyckle told state troopers he thought they were geese or ducks and that they were so far away he didn’t think he could hit them, but if he did they would make a nice breakfast.

Troopers say Alaska law allows for the hunting of swans, but not at Jim Lake and not in early May.

—Andrew Wellner