# Bird numbers are increasing...



## wyldkat49766 (Apr 21, 2007)

Looks like they drowned to me..


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Slodrift said:


> Took some friends for a boat ride today.....
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 Hey dont let quest 32a see this.He locked out post in SE.This websight does not condone illegal activities was his words :lol:.Guess hes a rat lover or something.Good Job ,Mich


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

Ya but see the difference is WE are doing something in a legal way, Not threats of breaking the law, Big difference..

If you looked into the situation you might understand a little bit about how this whole deal works.

The shooter is a FEDERAL EMPLOYEE! Not some freak w/a 410


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Ron Matthews said:


> Ya but see the difference is WE are doing something in a legal way not threats of breaking the law, Big difference..
> 
> If you looked into the situation you might understand a little bit about how this whole deal works.
> 
> The shooter is a FEDERAL EMPLOYEE! Not some freak w/a 410


 Ya right bud.Just because someone is a so called Fed Employee its all good to us.Dont try to hand me Freak with a 410 BS.We know what right and whats wrong.We try to make the wrong right.BTW one of the guys that was shooting them was a cop.We have no worries about the LAW.We do more for the river then any CO DNR ect... yr round.They know when to turn a blind eye.BTW i contacted the DNR on this.They know about what we are doing.If they wanted it to stop they would be down to see us.We only got 68,000 planted this yr.And this is the 1st yr anyone has ever seen them on the river.And trust me the are taking a toll on the fresh plant.So we are taking a toll on them,Mich


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

ya ok


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## CAPT HEAVY (Nov 4, 2002)

Those birds look sleepy!!


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## Kelly Neuman (Apr 12, 2007)

Just got word from DNR last plant for the Au Sable has been changed to May 5th. If your looking to help out now is the time to come!


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## wyldkat49766 (Apr 21, 2007)

Michigander, I was going to come back but Ron beat me to it. It is not Shawn nor any other volunteer doing the shooting. It is someone AUTHORIZED to do it. As much as any one of us would LOVE to shoot these things, Im also not willing to go to jail or pay a huge fine for doing so. 

And Thanks for the update Kelly but I will be getting my shots for my Fibro and will on way up from GR then.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

We did nothing nothing illegal, I didn't even say anything about shooting them, all I said was they were floating down the river....... 



CAPT HEAVY said:


> Those birds look sleepy!!


Eternally sleepy......



Streamside Custom Rod said:


> Just got word from DNR last plant for the Au Sable has been changed to May 5th. If your looking to help out now is the time to come!


 Figures! We are seeing more and more birds each day, seen at least 200 this morning.......


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Michigander1 said:


> Ya right bud.Just because someone is a so called Fed Employee its all good to us.Dont try to hand me Freak with a 410 BS.We know what right and whats wrong.We try to make the wrong right.BTW one of the guys that was shooting them was a cop.We have no worries about the LAW.We do more for the river then any CO DNR ect... yr round.They know when to turn a blind eye.BTW i contacted the DNR on this.They know about what we are doing.If they wanted it to stop they would be down to see us.We only got 68,000 planted this yr.And this is the 1st yr anyone has ever seen them on the river.And trust me the are taking a toll on the fresh plant.So we are taking a toll on them,Mich



There was a meeting I was at about 3 weeks ago before the outing and this project took off. The guy thats shooting is from the FDA, and he talked to a group of us on what and how things would be done, and what could be done. So whatever else your thinking, its not so. Come up and lend a hand, and meet some of the folks, they sure could use it. Those birds have been seen on the ausable for years, just not in the numbers they are now days.

By the way Slowdrift, that is a pretty picture, might have to make it my wallpaper. Glad you gave them a ride, they must have been tired from all the flying and swimming. AND EATING...:evilsmile


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## greyghost (Dec 22, 2008)

Those are the prettiest birds ive seen. They look so peaceful when they are sleeping.


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## Kelly Neuman (Apr 12, 2007)

So nice to see USDA Wildlife Service removing cormorants from the lower Au Sable that are trying to eat the young stocked steelhead! After they cleaned out a bunch this morning all was pretty quite in the river. With more stocked steelhead coming next week anyone that wants to help with the harassment project is sure needed and should contact Lynn at the Au Sable River Store in Oscoda.







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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

Oh It wasn't "quiet" This morning!! 

Lot's of birds today, Had about 80 workin the lower.
Since the shooter said it was slowing down this week we have created a "safe spot" where the birds are roosting on a regular basis.
We don't mess with them in the safe spot, That's where the shooter is sitting on Tuesday morning next...
Were trying to get the birds to feel safe in this section of river and set him under that roost tree. 
As we drive birds up river from the piers in Oscoda, Once they clear River rd. were good!! and turn around back to the bottom and work our way back up.
You should have seen how Many was in this Roost tree at 12:00pm Today:lol: It's going to be a Fantastic field day on cormorants Tuesday

We need help Everyday Next week!! 
The Last truck of plant's will soon be here and I don't know How many people have been by the Signing bridge? But all those Brown Trout they planted were Destroyed By Cormorants and This Will not happen on the lower Au Sable steelhead plants!!


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## millertime (Feb 4, 2008)

Slodrift said:


> Took some friends for a boat ride today.....
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> ...


 All I can say is good for you guys . I Like to see people taking matters into there own hands for a change. I Now live in the UP and we also have cormoant control UP here  The funny thing is I was out last summer on superior and there was 100s of RATS doing the back stroke 
So to that I give you guys the big thumbs UP


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## wintrrun (Jun 11, 2008)

I hear those corm's taste like chicken!
So when's the barbeque :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Talkeetna (Apr 11, 2009)

:evil:


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## greyghost (Dec 22, 2008)

I would love to help Shawn but the weather is killing us on this job. Taking longer than it should. Hope to be able to help soon. Probably a couple weeks out though.


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## Kelly Neuman (Apr 12, 2007)

The good news is it does seem that many of the stocked steelhead from early April have moved out into the lake and it sure does not seem like the cormorants have gotten many (thanks to all the volunteers and the USDA wildlife services). The bad news is Ron saw 2,000 to 5,000 of these flying rats down at the mouth of the east branch (singing bridge - just to the south of Au Sable) the last couple of days - feeding heavy on stocked steelhead and brown trout. With the use of the bird bangers from the Au Sable project birds were chased out and I'm sure Ron will post details. More steelhead are to be stock in Oscoda this Tuesday and with these numbers of birds to the south more people are needed to protect these fish. If you can help this week call The Au Sable River Store or drop me an email. If you want to help with this project now is the time!!


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...g?t=1241380243


I was there this morning[east branch] before daylight ready to do something.
Gone!
That Huge flock fed 4 day's and moved on after they wipe out all food source. 
I was too late to make a difference..
Destroyed another year class of plants.

Don't Think for a second that You can't protect your fresh planted fish,pm me..
I Just rolled over 800 miles This month chasing birds. Just do the Job that Needs to be done!
Protect fresh plants.. 

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...DSCN1096-1.jpg
Hardly Any birds this morning at singing bridge. -Moving north last two days..

don't pay attention to the date, That's This morning!

-Ya know what killed me was when I seen a guy out there Throwing Rocks! I about FReeked....
whoa -Whoa hang on here, Watch! I say's....


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## Kelly Neuman (Apr 12, 2007)

32,000 more steelhead were added to the river today and all went perfectly! Such a good job is being done this year to protect these fish. This morning more birds were removed from river by USDA Wildlife Services and when the truck arrived with the new young steelhead all was very quite. I was shocked to see no birds (cormorants or seagulls) at all this evening. Steelhead looked so good - larger than earlier stocked fish and much more lively. The next few days could be a problem period but personal from DNR and USDA will be in the river with shotguns to protect to these fish. This is the third year of this project and this one has sure gone the best! Even talk now of expanding project for next year to cover the East Branch of AuGres.


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