# Cormorant Harassement Project Lower Au Sable



## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

Krull said:


> Sling shots with M80's. Maybe we can give them heart attacks.


M-80`s are illegal unfortunately


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## walleyeman2006 (Sep 12, 2006)

after they have the meeting and she emials me ill know what they are gonna let us do lol.......honestly i hope they let us use dogs my pup needs a work out....lol id like to use a bazooka but those are illegal too right stinger? lol


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## Reel_Screamer86 (Mar 22, 2007)

walleyeman2006 said:


> i know exactly what you mean walleyehunter....im just interested to see what they are going to try...that and it will give me an excuse to go up there for day even if its pointless...but if theres enough people to keep them harrassed long enough it may not be pointless....I guess we will know what the plan is tommorow night


I got a email from Kelly personally and he said that nobody knows what type of harrassment there is going to be, because the MI DNR and the Feds have
the come to a reasoning with this problem, so as of last night he does'nt even know what is going to take place, so the meeting will tell all. I told him to shoot the s#^t out of them their useless to the sportfishing, and i asked him why not plant a night (his quote form the DNR) it doesnt matter the birds will find the fish the next day because of such a high population of the birds...........


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

put dye in the river like on St.Patricks day, I like blue.


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## WalleyeHunter811 (Feb 26, 2007)

Any word yet on how we get to mess with these pests?


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## walleyeman2006 (Sep 12, 2006)

no word yet...


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## osoma yo mama (Feb 10, 2007)

i talked to lynn earlier and he had mentioned somthing about cap guns.


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## ScavengerMan (Sep 6, 2006)

Come on, harassment project with cap guns???  

I've never heard anything so silly. That isn't going to solve the problem and everybody knows it. Why aren't the powers at hand seeking a depredation permit and gathering some volunteers to help shoot them instead of wasting every ones time "harassing" a fish eating nuisance at their dinner table?


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## RiverRanger (Aug 23, 2006)

ScavengerMan said:


> Come on, harassment project with cap guns???
> 
> I've never heard anything so silly. That isn't going to solve the problem and everybody knows it. Why aren't the powers at hand seeking a depredation permit and gathering some volunteers to help shoot them instead of wasting every ones time "harassing" a fish eating nuisance at their dinner table?


Amen to that, all that is will be a band-aid on the problem,. . . . . DEATH to every damn one of those birds.


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## HemlockNailer (Dec 22, 2000)

The meeting was held in Oscoda last night despite the weather. The first plant of fish will take place this afternoon at The River Store and continue into next week until 150,000 steelhead at delivered. As expected the volunteers will be limited to harrassment means and devises (pyrotecnics). The state and feds are still looking at eradication, but on the river it will probably not happen. Input from individuals last night that had experience with last years programs on Long Lake and Van Etten suggest that harrassment has helped to control the cormorants. It may not be the best solution but it is a start. Anyone that would like to help as a volunteer can contact Lynn Davis at The AuSable River Store (989 739-5332).


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## blk82072 (Feb 10, 2007)

They are just making it hard on themselves. How many people are going to volunteer to do something that is not really going to make a difference?


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## WalleyeHunter811 (Feb 26, 2007)

Hey blk. i know where we can get some pyrotecnics that should work LOL


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## Krull (Mar 29, 2005)

The letter I received seemed very positive. For one, they are releasing the steelhead from the Bridge on River road. The steelhead will only need to navigate a mile of river and should be into the Lake in less than 10 days, plus as everyone knows the water is much deeper. They are also releasing these much earlier in the season, so there should be less birds. I do not understand some of the negativity about this project, doing something is better than sitting around complaining about it. Obviously they were never going to let people just come out and blast the birds.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I think it is good that the DNR is changing their tactics for planting Steelhead Smolts @ the Ausable. I would say that the downside is that now those fish will all be concentrated in the lowest mile of river, and it won't take too long for the Cormorants to figure that out and exploit the situation. And who can say that these planted Smolts will actually smolt in 10 days? I would be willing to bet that some will migrate upstream, and will still end up at Foote Dam until the water warms in later Spring; and they are forced out by high temps. If not, we might actually be able to fish for Steelhead with bait for the rest of the Spring run. That would be very cool. 

Everyone familiar with the Cormorant problem agrees that the numbers are too great for the balance of nature. It seems logical that if you plant a bunch of food for them (Steelhead Smolts, just as an example) that you should be able to HUNT the Cormorants which are attracted to this food. A dead Cormorant cannot lay anymore eggs, and will not eat anymore fish. I don't think that they could be wiped out, even with heavy hunting pressure for a few years. There just are too many of them, and some will always find a more remote place to live in peace. So any major hunting effort would lead toward the desired result, which is fewer Cormorants to eat gamefish. I cannot imagine any logical argument to that is. The USFWS and DNR should just establish a temporary season on Cormorants for a few years, and let sportsmen and women reduce their numbers.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I think it's all positive, atleast the DNR is trying something for the Au Sable. I'll be helping, and I think this will atleast help alittle. I don't think the whole 150,000 smolt plant will migrate downstream in 10 days, but quite a few probably will. Highwater may help flush them down quicker and safer, but could also send a bunch upriver.


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## osoma yo mama (Feb 10, 2007)

the birds are gonna be there due to laws. however you can nag about it all you want we're not gonna be able to kill the dam things. but they do need boaters mainly. they need volunteers to help. id love to kill the dam birds but this is at least some sort of sollution. im open for anything,but the majorty of the people that are gonna hollar about how they are gonna go about this are probably the ones who dont want to help. im not tryin to make enemies but we need help not problems.


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## HemlockNailer (Dec 22, 2000)

Went to Oscoda this afternoon and watched the first truck unload 30,000 steelhead. The fish looked to be an average of 8'' and very happy to be in their new home. Some went up, some went downstream and some hid under the River Rd. bridge. Almost on cue we saw two cormorants land just upstream as the fish were being released. Volunteers will be on the river today until dark. I will be joining the effort in the morning. A second truck was to unload today with the balance of the 150,000 to arrive next week. Wish us luck.


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## osoma yo mama (Feb 10, 2007)

if any of you guys get a chance could you post pics of the fish being released? just thought it would be cool to see. ill be up saturday but doubt ill be there at the right time. should be good fishin around the ausable store.lol. just like the saginaw river with walleye this winter. ill be at the east branch and the ausable this sat. anyone sees a p.o.s. corsica with missin paint,stop and say hi and help me get some fish.lol.
thanx,josh


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## jim84 (Mar 14, 2005)

I was also their during the fish release. avery big tanker brought them , kind of neat to see, their was a guy taking some pictures didnt know him. hope to see some of the weekend guys this weekend. the next release is tuesday. ill be baby setting tomarrow after noon till dark. some place on the lower river. cul jim


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## Liv4Huntin' (May 24, 2000)

All along the river where they're releasing ..... kites could be flown THAT LOOK LIKE EAGLES AND HAWKS! :yikes: 
~ m ~


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