# Birds, has anyone been seeing birds?



## I'm with Brandy (Aug 5, 2007)

I have only been out twice. The first day I went to my normal early season spot expecting to find a couple family groups in scrub oaks. No acorns none on the ground and none in the trees, and no birds.
I went out today to a different spot did find some acorns but they are very small and very green still. Brandy found a pine tree I can only assume a bird had roosted in as she tried to climb it and stared into the branches like she could smell and see a bird. I finally convinced her to move on. I moved to a spot I normally go to when the leaves are starting to fall and I had three separate flushes within 80 - 100 yards of the truck. All flushes within 10 yards and I never saw the bird, too many leaves. I have not found any birds in family groups. I am not seeing much in the way of food. Berries are gone, no raspberries, no beach nuts, no dogwood berries. The other strange thing is I have not seen a robin since spring. I normally see them in some of the spots I hunt, competing for the food with the grouse.


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

I hunted from 10:15 to 11:15 this morning.
9 grouse flushes 2 dead 3 missed , it was either the one too many cocktails the night before or my big breakfast or extra cup of coffee that caused my shooting to crap out dis morning. 
Was I overloaded with bacon fat making me slow or extra jumpy from the caffeine above and beyond normal? 
Oh well, fun times, more ruffled grouses left for tomorrow.

40 year old wide open aspen stands with good bracken and fruit everywhere.....just filthy with grouse.


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## 7Wings (Jul 24, 2011)

I hunted hard yesterday and had no flushes or birdy behavior at my primary spot. Last year this same area produced between 8-20 grouse flushes every time I hunted it. Usually was more than 12. My Dad and brother had the same experience on opening day and my hunting partner has had the same. This is in NW Newaygo county and I am convinced all of the grouse are gone. We have seen a female bobcat w 2 kits several times ( in the grouse area) and I wonder if they have been feasting. I also hunted all areas within a mile or so where I knew had fruit....found the fruit but no birds. Went back to another spot in northern Lake County (where I really got into them last week) and moved a dozen or so grouse in 2 hours. Very thick and no shooting for the dog handler. But the guys I was with got off some decent shooting but could not connect. I am going to be hunting further North the rest o the year. 


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## All TIME ANGLER (Mar 14, 2008)

2ESRGR8 said:


> Was I overloaded with bacon fat making me slow or extra jumpy from the caffeine above and beyond normal?


Yes, and Yes.

Or was it: 
That you were the guy I saw today, sweating like you were in the movie AIRPLANE! 
Humpin it behind....wait-
.....well behind, some nice looking english stock, 
that were patient enough to let you play catch up for an hour or so until you had enough and callled it a _day_.....

We should all be so lucky, but really I'm glad your off to a bird finding early season and I wish you the best,

ATA

P.S. I agree Scott.
Hunt the food....not the cover


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## FieldWalker (Oct 21, 2003)

We're seeing a lot of birds... and a good percentage of them eating up in the hawthorn trees.... resulting in a lot of unexpected tree flushes from the sides or behind us. Almost alll birds killed the last two weekends were filled with these berries alone (one bird did have a few choke cherries).


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## I'm with Brandy (Aug 5, 2007)

Good to hear some of you are seeing good bird numbers. Last year every time I went out I was bringing home birds. This year it's not happening. 
A lot of people talking about bumper food crops which I am not seeing where I typically hunt. I know one county south of where I hunt I have seen a lot of berries and even acorns. I did a little weather history on line and found that the two counties I have hunted this year are 7" or more below normal rain fall. The lack of rain occurred between Jun and September. Other wise spring temps were close to normal. In late March temps did dip below normal into the low teens for a few days. Rain fall in these two counties was average up until Jun. 
[/COLOR] 
Does anyone know if MI DNR does a mast report?


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## GSP Gal (Nov 12, 2005)

Best start of season for me. Flush rates between 5-10 birds per hour. 

I hit my old favorite covers opening day, and although they had tons of berries, the birds were just not there like in August. 

Found some new covers, found birds. Another member on this board and I agree, just like having a toolbox, you need an assortment of covers. Its easy to go back to the same old spots, and when they are successful, you tend to go back -frequently. Until your food, moisture, hunters, and other variables interfere with finding birds.


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## Rugergundog (May 21, 2008)

Low bird numbers in my usual spots, but a LOT of food. With this rain and wind and cool nights i hope the leaves drop. Few birds i did encounter I had limited sight to get a shot due to thick cover still.


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## dogwhistle (Oct 31, 2004)

you need to take over the forestry dept for the dnr



OTE=Pinefarm;3794355]I'm no longer a bird hunter, but I can give my observations for my area of northern Newaygo county.

I chatted with Bob Gwizdz on friday, who loves to bird hunt, and passed on the same info.

My land has been timbered several times over the last 15 years. We have some great 2nd cut poplar stands, tons of autumn olive, beech, choke cherries, big 2nd cuts that you can hardly walk thru, etc., and my land is in the middle of, and borders, a great chunk of the USFS land that's part of their grouse management program. 

Understanding that, the past few years there's been grouse everywhere. It got to the point where I thought about taking a pellet pistol with me in bow season because I had so many pats walking 10' from me and putting while in my ground bowhunting brush blinds. (I wasn't going to, but it was a thought.) 

The last few years while doing deer habitat work/brush blind building from snowmelt to early September, I heard pats drumming all over and jumped them all the time and saw them from the truck. And I didn't just jump them in 1's and 2's but 5's and 6's, sometimes even more.

However, this year is like the pats completely disappeared. I can't think of the last time I saw or jumped a pat. I can't recall hearing much drumming in the Spring.

Was there a wet, cold Spring that hit some area's?

If a pat hunter saw parts of my land, he'd droll. And normally there's birds everywhere. Last Fall while walking to a bow blind, I jumped 9 out of an autumn olive thicket that flew single file across an abandoned food plot that I'm letting grow feral. They flew off with such delayed timing, that a couple guys standing there with shotguns could have easily killed all of them.
I even chuckled to myself that that only happens when you have a longbow in your hand. :lol:

But this year, zilch. My buddy and I just recently commented on this very subject. 

Now, we do have a den of bobcats that established themselves somewhere on the property, because now we see them frequently. But even bobcats can't kill them all, can they? I doubt it. 

It had to have something to do with this Spring's nesting conditions, if I was to guess. 

Anyway, at least in my immediate area, it's like the population just crashed, when I thought I'd see even more birds than ever, since the habitat is beyond prime.

A real head-scratcher.[/QUOTE]


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## jimmyjette14 (Aug 25, 2005)

found 3 grouse and 3 woodies opening weekend. only the woodies presented shots:rant: figures, 
this last weekend Dyeman and I found a few grouse. and he connected on 1 . not me yet. but woodcock oh my. we both limited out Sunday and if the shooting had been better it should have been very early:evil:. but well thats the deal . with all the bird contacts the dogs got a lot better. now if the shooters could do a bit better. well thats an other thread for sure. I bet we worked over 30 birds . but could not find that grouse famly:gaga:


oh the grouse had acorns for breakfast


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

Grouse and woodcock on every run we made this weekend. The grouse were deep in the thickest stuff, the woodcock were spread all over. Even the puppy had birds on 2 runs.

My cook didn't bring any bacon, that's not my excuse for my poor shooting. I hit the only bird I plulled trigger on.


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## mavericarcher (Oct 12, 2010)

Been out around the Grand Rapids area and have been putting up 3-8 every time i can get out. They have been holding to specific cover even more then in recent years. This morning they were in the thickets and then after the rain they moved out to the edges in the sun. Made it difficult to find them cause they keep moving but once i am on i am on. Few better numbers of locals then last year can't wait for the flights to get down to our area. Hearing some great reports from newaygo area from other hunters as well as the UP. Just insane numbers of grouse up there this year from everyone i have talked too and I work at Gander Mountain too Can't wait to get up there on the 14th of oct.


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

Fritz's Crackberry must be broken or he popped a vein in his ample forehead. All these "where exactly I'm finding birds" threads. Wow

One sick puppy, one female in heat (day 9) and two intact males. It's a real zoo around this place.


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## FindTheBird (Dec 18, 2004)

Bobby said:


> Fritz's Crackberry must be broken or he popped a vein in his ample forehead. All these "where exactly I'm finding birds" threads. Wow
> 
> One sick puppy, one female in heat (day 9) and two intact males. It's a real zoo around this place.


I'm making notes in the ol' county map book as I read this:lol:

Sounds like some exciting times around the Wheelock residence--On the bright-side, I'm sure there will be ample quantities of amber liquid flowing at the trial this week to sooth your nerves


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## Unregistered4 (Dec 11, 2004)

2ESRGR8 said:


> I hunted from 10:15 to 11:15 this morning.


WOW...that's a lot of time on the ground for a guy in your shape. 

Brian.


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## Dave Medema (Jan 18, 2005)

Unregistered4 said:


> WOW...that's a lot of time on the ground for a guy in your shape.
> 
> Brian.


A pear?


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

Unregistered4 said:


> WOW...that's a lot of time on the ground for a guy in your shape.
> 
> Brian.


Brian do we need to send him some Oxygen tanks?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## I'm with Brandy (Aug 5, 2007)

I had a couple hours before service calls today so I scouted and hunted in a new area and finally I have seen the food you are all talking about. I think my usual hunting grounds just didn't see the moisture some of these other places got this year. I got into an area today loaded with autumn olive, elder berry, dog wood berries, tons of thorn apple and more. Managed to flush a couple birds before the rain hit me and the phone started to ring.


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

Unregistered4 said:


> WOW...that's a lot of time on the ground for a guy in your shape.
> 
> Brian.


I am 110% badass.


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## I'm with Brandy (Aug 5, 2007)

GSP Gal said:


> Best start of season for me. Flush rates between 5-10 birds per hour.
> 
> I hit my old favorite covers opening day, and although they had tons of berries, the birds were just not there like in August.
> 
> Found some new covers, found birds. Another member on this board and I agree, just like having a toolbox, you need an assortment of covers. Its easy to go back to the same old spots, and when they are successful, you tend to go back -frequently. Until your food, moisture, hunters, and other variables interfere with finding birds.


Hmm I did move south more don't scratch the paint on my truck when you park next to me.:evilsmile


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