# Bird Camp



## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

Heading to the Yoop for birdcamp weekend!


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## T Baker (Aug 12, 2018)

ab5228 said:


> Heading to the Yoop for birdcamp weekend!


Good luck!! Let us know how it went. I’ll be heading up myself in 11 more days. I can’t wait!


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## Kevin Moeller (May 24, 2018)

My group is going Oct 19-26


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## T Baker (Aug 12, 2018)

Kevin Moeller said:


> My group is going Oct 19-26


What part are you heading to?


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## T Baker (Aug 12, 2018)

T Baker said:


> What part are you heading to?


What part of the U.P. are you going is what I meant.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

T Baker said:


> What part are you heading to?





T Baker said:


> What part of the U.P. are you going is what I meant.


Central UP


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## T Baker (Aug 12, 2018)

That’s where I’m going as well, did you have any luck this weekend?


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

We had a nice Friday-Sunday I leave Gladstone in the morning. Stopping on the way home for one more hunt. 








Typical setters







Basic Brittany


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## T Baker (Aug 12, 2018)

Looks like a real good weekend!! I’m staying a little northeast of Gladstone.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

Thought the birds might respect a mustache so we gave it a try.








Fresh Woodcock and this spring’s morels








Camp couldn’t get better








No birds here somehow








Elite wingshooters....


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## mjargs (Sep 4, 2012)

How were the grouse numbers? I’ve heard they were down.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

mjargs said:


> How were the grouse numbers? I’ve heard they were down.


You were there, so you should know.


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## mjargs (Sep 4, 2012)

Grouse numbers were steady. Weren’t grouped up like previous years but also two weeks early. Seemed like birds were around berry trees and not the usual cover. If you can hit 10% you should be able to get limit with minimal effort tho.


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## Stand By (Jan 23, 2015)

How old is the pup? What's in the glass?


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## Kevin Moeller (May 24, 2018)

T Baker said:


> What part are you heading to?


 We are staying in McMillan, but will venture 2+ hours either way to hunt if it like any other trip we take. By the end of the day, we usually have a LONG drive back to camp.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

Stand By said:


> How old is the pup? What's in the glass?


The pup, Bella will be 3 in December and that is Woodford in the glass.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

T Baker said:


> Looks like a real good weekend!! I’m staying a little northeast of Gladstone.


It was a great weekend! We only stayed in Gladstone last night at my buddy’s house. Their camp is in Marquette county which is where we spent most of our time hunting Fri-Sunday. We did flush less grouse than last year. But we also did this a week earlier than last year. There is a lot of cover up and food everywhere.... I stopped today in Roscommon county for a quick hunt this afternoon. It was warm, dry, and windy. We put up 3 grouse that flushed wild and 4 woodcock. Capped the trip with a nice point and retrieve on a woodcock 100 yards before we got back to the vehicle.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

Part deuce! Heading to the Yoop for two days to chase the elusive ruffled grouse. Delta county this time. Here we go!!!


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## michiganmaniac (Dec 9, 2008)

ab5228 said:


> Part deuce! Heading to the Yoop for two days to chase the elusive ruffled grouse. Delta county this time. Here we go!!!


Good luck! The weather is going to be beautiful this weekend.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

michiganmaniac said:


> Good luck! The weather is going to be beautiful this weekend.


Thanks the weather was great.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

Made it home, Bella is a little beat up. She’s got a torn nail, happened on the last hunt of the trip. Plus when I tried pilling her (flea/tick med) tonight she squealed and started coughing. Then coughed up this. I think she had it lodged in there since Saturday. She was a little slobbery since then and that’s abnormal for her. She seemed more beat than she normally does for that amount of hunting as well.








Well earned evening nap.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

ab5228 said:


> Made it home, Bella is a little beat up. She’s got a torn nail, happened on the last hunt of the trip. Plus when I tried pilling her (flea/tick med) tonight she squealed and started coughing. Then coughed up this. I think she had it lodged in there since Saturday. She was a little slobbery since then and that’s abnormal for her. She seemed more beat than she normally does for that amount of hunting as well.
> View attachment 587495
> 
> Well earned evening nap.
> View attachment 587501


I'd think objects get in there more often than we know especially when its warm out as they hold their mouths open and that's what also leads to bleeding tongues.Almost all the dogs had cut a tongue this weekend.
Annie bleed like a sive and skipped two meals.She locked up on a pair of grouse and when we came in I saw her staunch as a statue but she was solid red from face to feet.She was benched after friday.I think she pierced it.
When dogs hunt they hunt!


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## Expert (Sep 16, 2017)

birdhntr said:


> 3 second points?


What I am saying is grouse would flush after 3 second point. No good chance to see the point and get ready for a bird. I think they would hear us walking, crunching branches and take off. I am sure many here are sharp shooters and would have bagged many that we missed but I am a 50% shooter at the skeet range when I know when and where it is coming from.

Weather was great except it was really windy day one and maybe on the warm side another day. It was the most comfortable hunting weather for grouse I have experienced in years. I have had much better luck with grouse holding in more miserable conditions, cold rain seems to keep them in place a bit longer.

A grouse even flushed from 10 -15 yards off of two track when I was taking a break at the car with the dog and my hunting buddy was walking up the track a bit farther to take a leak. He managed in his surprise to get a few shots off but missed.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

Expert said:


> What I am saying is grouse would flush after 3 second point. No good chance to see the point and get ready for a bird. I think they would hear us walking, crunching branches and take off. I am sure many here are sharp shooters and would have bagged many that we missed but I am a 50% shooter at the skeet range when I know when and where it is coming from.
> 
> Weather was great except it was really windy day one and maybe on the warm side another day. It was the most comfortable hunting weather for grouse I have experienced in years. I have had much better luck with grouse holding in more miserable conditions, cold rain seems to keep them in place a bit longer.
> 
> A grouse even flushed from 10 -15 yards off of two track when I was taking a break at the car with the dog and my hunting buddy was walking up the track a bit farther to take a leak. He managed in his surprise to get a few shots off but missed.


I here ya.I am probably 20% on grouse this year.I have been letting birds go with the new pup that would be nice shots.She has to be steady the whole way through to flush.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

ab5228 said:


> Made it home, Bella is a little beat up. She’s got a torn nail, happened on the last hunt of the trip. Plus when I tried pilling her (flea/tick med) tonight she squealed and started coughing. Then coughed up this. I think she had it lodged in there since Saturday. She was a little slobbery since then and that’s abnormal for her. She seemed more beat than she normally does for that amount of hunting as well.
> View attachment 587495
> 
> Well earned evening nap.
> View attachment 587501


Them dogs are ruined so you might as well give them to me!lol.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

birdhntr said:


> Them dogs are ruined so you might as well give them to me!lol.


Ha, nice try


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

Heading to Kansas!


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

ab5228 said:


> Heading to Kansas!


Good luck Andy!


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)




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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)




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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Awesome pictures! I have the first week of january off and my son and I are considering our first out of state bird trip and hitting Kansas. We will be newbies but we always have a good time.

Can you tell me what the covid rules are like there at the moment? Are restaraunts closed?


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

DirtySteve said:


> Awesome pictures! I have the first week of january off and my son and I are considering our first out of state bird trip and hitting Kansas. We will be newbies but we always have a good time.
> 
> Can you tell me what the covid rules are like there at the moment? Are restaraunts closed?


Restaurants are open. We stayed in two Airbnb’s and a hotel in Lincoln on the way home and had no issues.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

DirtySteve said:


> Awesome pictures! I have the first week of january off and my son and I are considering our first out of state bird trip and hitting Kansas. We will be newbies but we always have a good time.
> 
> Can you tell me what the covid rules are like there at the moment? Are restaraunts closed?


Locals are telling me there is speculation that after the Christmas and New year's that more restrictions may occur. We will be there for hunting from dec 27 through January 3.
You will be able to hunt for sure but may want to bring food supplies and feed yourself if necessary.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

birdhntr said:


> Locals are telling me there is speculation that after the Christmas and New year's that more restrictions may occur. We will be there for hunting from dec 27 through January 3.
> You will be able to hunt for sure but may want to bring food supplies and feed yourself if necessary.


This is what I kind of figured might happen. I had read that Kansas had a real upswing in covid cases recently. Thanks for the info.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

birdhntr said:


> Locals are telling me there is speculation that after the Christmas and New year's that more restrictions may occur. We will be there for hunting from dec 27 through January 3.
> You will be able to hunt for sure but may want to bring food supplies and feed yourself if necessary.


Well how has the hunting been? We havent seen any pictures!


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

DirtySteve said:


> Well how has the hunting been? We havent seen any pictures!


No response, he must be stuck on a back road somewhere.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

ab5228 said:


> No response, he must be stuck on a back road somewhere.


He messaged me last night. Sounded like he is having a good time. Weather messed things up a little so they had to move south to save the dogs feet from the ice. More to come when he gets home I am sure.


My son and I are headed out early tomorrow morning. It will be our first trip. I will di ky best to keep the thread going with some pictures and details.


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## ab5228 (Nov 13, 2009)

DirtySteve said:


> He messaged me last night. Sounded like he is having a good time. Weather messed things up a little so they had to move south to save the dogs feet from the ice. More to come when he gets home I am sure.
> 
> 
> My son and I are headed out early tomorrow morning. It will be our first trip. I will di ky best to keep the thread going with some pictures and details.


Good luck, drive safe.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

One prairie chicken, 5 roosters, 9 quail so far.Took a double on roosters over a point from Dixie yesterday.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

Well we found some action on the last day.4 roosters and a quail.
We came across prairie chickens 3 times but only managed one.
What we also learned is that thin covers of grass hold pheasants but we kept searching for thicker cover and overlooked quite a few locations.
One area we went to we were edging an are that a local from across the street kindly gave us an area to work.
He had hunted for 8 days with spanieler's club guys and did real well.(Gundoggy ) I thought you would enjoy this part.
They had 32 dogs from pups to senior dogs.
We had a tough go at it but I believe that we managed 11 roosters,10 quail,and 1 prairie chicken.
We had quite a few missed opportunities especially on quail then pheasants and prairie chicken.
















Penny had one rooster,and a very nice hen point for a long stand.Then another nice stand on quail.She looked good and poised with a 12 o'clock tail.
I was happy to see her run free and get some bird work.Her drive was stronger as she is starting to age.

Dixie was on the ground a ton and after seven days she is racing in the yard with penny.SMH.
As long as she doesn't get cold/froze she would hunt every day.
Annie never got into one bird on her time.Bad luck.
Georgie was on the ground the entire time and it is amazing to see her stamina.
Booner was slow and steady and managed to get into a lot of birds.
Kate was very staunch on her birds and Backwoods is right.You need the mini tt15 collar and it will fit all dogs.
Many dogs hit the bell or regular tt15 with there feet and due to gate so why go big if you don't have to and create a sore.
Hat tip to the dogs for making the best out of a hard trip.


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