# More of the same (Cormorants and suckers)



## Kelly Neuman (Apr 12, 2007)

The job of protecting young steelhead from these overpopulated nasty eating machines (Cormorants) flat out sucks. Even worst it is being done in the city limits of Oscoda with strict constraints by Federal personal. You can read the frustration from people who have put forth many hours each day. What we need is more people to come to Oscoda and help!! One thing to remember. USDA Wildlife Services has labeled this project as harassment and there goal is not to kill as birds as possible. I do not agree with this but that is where we are at right now and it will not change this year. Feds have been coming and killing some birds to help with harassment and that is very cool. Today Feds and DNR had personal in the river and along with volunteers not many birds got to feed on our steelhead. With the last planting being done yesterday I was shocked there were not a lot more birds in the river and hopefully the worst is over. Two years ago birds fed by the 100s at will all day long and that is not happening now!! Hopefully improvements can be made in the future to make this project even more effective. I urge you all to keep this project going because it is making a huge impact.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

I'm not knocking anyone or any group, I think every bird they kill is a good deed done, but I do think when they do come to shoot it could be better organized and I'm sure that the program will be improved apon as time goes by. Like Kelly said it is having a huge impact on the amount of plants the birds are getting to and I appreciate that the Fisheries guys are making the effort to help and the DNR is probably spending quite a bit of time explaining the program to the citizens of Oscoda and answering complaint calls about people chasing wildlife.:evilsmile I myself am not ready to admit defeat and will be chasing those black demons as long as necessary. They won't send me any floating floppers to release my frustration on so I had to vent a little but I'm better now and will be on the river first thing in the morning. Hey AS since your up here so often feel free to help out a little, we wouldn't know about the good fishing since we have no time to fish!!!


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## hawkeye68 (Jun 29, 2007)

I can see where it would be frustrating when you read other guys reports and they have been fishing alot and sending in reports with pics but they don't have time to give one day for helping out. I have not fished one lick this spring because of knee surgery but if I was able to get up there 2-3 times a week I would feel obligated to help out a little. Guys love the fact that someone is doing something to help these little guys make it to the big water but I think certain guys could help out more if they have that much time to fish!


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## fowl assasination (Mar 18, 2006)

SAVE A STEELIE SHOOT A SKY RAT!!!!!!(or more)


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

It was brought to my attention today that my last couple posts sounded like I was talking negatively about the Harassment Project, I'm sorry if any one took it that way. I think this an excellent program and am thankful we can do this, until we can do more this will have to do,I was just stating that there are things we could do to make it more efficient and in time I'm sure it will be improved upon. I was not criticizing the USDA for the lack of kills as you can not predict the number of birds you will see on any given day nor can you determine where they will be or where they will go, I'm thankful they are even trying to thin the population. Pat and Roger from the USDA are both doing their best to help in any way they can and are doing the best they can under the guidelines they must follow. If I sounded negative then I guess I need to word my posts better, so again I'm sorry if I was giving a negative vibe. Now for today, it was more of the same there was 3 of us to start and after 10:00 am there was only 2 of us on the river so we would jump and chase all day (1/2 a tank worth of chasing) and we were running out of caps and shells to shoot so I was actually yelling and throwing rocks when the birds were close enough just to get through the day.They are going to restock us in the morning, I'm not sure if they are going to be shooting tomorrow or not,first thing in the mornings we will jump a couple hundred and the majority will move on but 30 to 50 will hang around and try to feed and without the man power needed we just keep chasing them from one spot to another but at least they aren't getting a chance to eat many, hopefully this will be over soon and we all can get to those things we've had on the back burner for the last month or so. I will say this ,we should have an excellent run of fish in a couple of years and if I have my way, every year after!


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## SpawnSac27 (Mar 3, 2008)

I think we all know what you meant, at least I do as I have been reading your posts on a regular basis. I, as a fisherman, am very thankful for what you are doing. If I had more time or lived a bit closer, I'd be next to ya on the water.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Uh, give me a boat and and some gas and I'll be there. I'm fishing my ass off on the AS as this is my last season on this river, and I want to hit it as much as I can before I move. I use every extra dollar I have to be able to get up there, and that isn't alot. Believe me, I've got lots of guilt on my mind while I've been up there knowing Shawn, and Kelly, and some of the locals are chasing birds and putting in alot of hours, and I'm up there fishing. I've thought about that alot, but I don't have a boat and definanely don't have any extra money to fill a motor. While upriver and out on the beach(at night), I've(and a couple other people) chased some cormorants around abit when the fishing has slowed and I see them. I'm not doing it when there are other people around, because I don't know if they'll turn me in or think I'm "harrassing" wildlife. And there are alot more people then me that are up there just as much or more, that are not doing anything, so don't just jump on me, I'm not the only one. Shawn, next time I'm up, let me know you want some help, I would've, at any point this year, jumped in your boat, and gave you a hand. I'm sure this post won't do anything, but hey, I'm just telling the truth, if I'm the bad guy now, sorry.....


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## Ron Matthews (Aug 10, 2006)

Pat and Roger!! Keep up the Good work... 
Give that dog a Bone for me.


Oh there's Lot's That want to Help. But it cost $4.00 to fill My lawnmower!

Maybe Next year we could Hold an auction or something at say The River store? And donate some funds to gasoline in boats, Local guy's that could use some help w/fuel to stay on the water? I don't know just wish i could be there.. I don't think I'm alone. 

Any Ideas?

There Needs To Be More Done sure. But you have to start somewhere!
The couple season this has been going on has had a positive impact for the future fishery NO QUESTION!


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## Cedar Swamp (Oct 8, 2004)

With all the rocks that you have been throwing, your arm must be getting sore. Is it possible that you could use a wrist-rocket or is that illegal? 

Just an idea.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

Easy John I was just rattling your chain a little I didn't mean to get you going like that and wasn't trying to make you out to be the bad guy, there are guys that live up here and fish every day that won't help and you know one of them and fish with him. The gas shouldn't stop any one from helping if they are up here already, we can station you on the river and you just sit in one spot the only reason I have to drive up and down the river is we don't have enough guys to cover all the spots, we have come to the conclusion that it is quicker to go from spot to spot from shore and when we are trying to get the birds to go in one direction to a shooter the boat turns them the other way when they see it, so now we use the boat only when we have to retrieve dead birds. Pat was there this morning shooting and managed 18 birds but it was real foggy and they were getting around him in the fog, we had about 250 birds to deal with and had a lot go up river but the fog screwed us. I'am just on a break to get my son from school and I'm heading back to the river now, we have 60 to 70 birds that won't leave the water, I have been real busy today trying to keep them off the water, I pulled into finishline park and there was about 40 sitting and I watched about a dozen come up with fish, I was the only one out for a couple hours and was chasing them all over. We have 2 others helping me this afternoon so hopefully I won't have to cover so much river. So again John sorry, didn't mean anything by it and wasn't trying to turn anyone against you. Yes a wrist rocket would be a no no and Yes my old arm is sore, Ive been throwing rocks today too!!


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

No hard feelings Shawn, I understand your point and concern bro. I know you, like myself, love the Au Sable and want to see the river doing well again, and that's cool. $h!t, If I knew I could help from the bank, then I would have been on it already. I really thought you had to have a boat, and I don't have one, or much money. Next time I'm up there, come get me for the afternoon shift, I'll be there. I know who your talking about, and yeah, that's true, he could definanetly help. Then again, him and the old-timers on his river there are doing they're own cormorat control.....they only get 10,000 plants, plus there are tons of walleye there as well, so.....


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## Kelly Neuman (Apr 12, 2007)

If buying gas will get people to come help then the gas is on me! I can't be down helping all of the time with guide trips most days but a can fill up a few tanks. Will be at Au Sable River Store Sat morning and can help all morning.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

Alright!! I'll bring in my gas cans Kelly,:lol: meet you at Speedway at what time? Tomorrow we defintly could use the help, Randy has to leave around 10:00 and then it's just Art and myself and if it's anything like today we will be busy. Pat ended up with 18 birds, only 2 of them had plants in their bellys so we must be doing something right, the others were full of perch probably from VanEtten. Threw more rocks and even yelled at a few to get them to move, whatever works right? The afternoon was a little slower today, we had that pesky group of 50 or so that gave us fits but we stayed on them and they went home hungry. I think they will be shooting again Mon. at least thats the plan right now, we seem to be seeing more birds each day now witch is to be expected. John, I didn't know they had the same thing going on over there, I guess we can let him slide since they have less and need to protect them as best they can. We are trying to come up with some kind of donation program for next year to help cover costs, the USDA supplies the poppers but the gas is out of pocket and when your running up and down the river like a psycho it tends to get expensive (about $450 so far for me) that includes travel to and from Oscoda. So we need to come up with something, I'm not complaining since I volunteered and don't expect to be compensated but maybe if we did something like that we would get more help, just an idea. Kelly, I'll see you in the morning I'll be there by 7:00 and shooting poppers by 7:01, the citizens of Oscoda don't need to sleep in any way right! John, I'll hold you to that even if your pounding them, I'll drag you off the river kicking and screaming.


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## Kelly Neuman (Apr 12, 2007)

Shawn I will meet you at Speedway at 6:45am. My buisness has no problem spending some on gas to keep people chasing these birds out of Au Sable River. I will also look for some funding for next year for project.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

I will meet you there to buy you a coffee, I can use my reward points for that :lol:


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

Poundin'em, I never pound them on the AS, in fact I hardly get a fish there, so NO problem. I should be up Monday, you know where to find me.....


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

First off Randy and I would like to say Thank You again Kelly, you are a man of your word and we really appreciate it. Today was one of those day's, we seen a bazillion birds and were chasing them all day, we probably shot off some where between 150 to 200 screamers. I had a couple big groups that took as many as 9 shots to get off the water, it's really frustrating when your shooting at them and they keep diving and coming up with fish. I was doing everything possible to get them to fly including throwing rocks, yelling and clapping my hands, I'm going to try mooning them next, that should scare the **** out of them, I even shot out the window while driving through downtown Oscoda, I'm surprised I haven't been pulled over yet. We are going to have 3 boats on the water tomorrow with 2 guys on shore, we are running out of shells again and with the boats we should be able to keep them moving without having to shoot so many times, this afternoon I had 3 guns and was doing the rapid fire thing. There were a couple times I hid behind tree's and waited for them to float to me then when they were right next to me I'd jump up and give them 3 shots one after another, kinda fun. We had one woman call and complain today because her dog is so scared he won't go out to pee and what we are doing is barbaric, and the only one's who benefit are the men.:gaga:


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

Today we had 1.4 bazillion birds to start out, the plants seem to be on they're way out and the birds are hanging out at the mouth again. First thing this morning I jumped about 80 birds off the run behind Gilbert's then went to the mouth and jumped about 300 out of the channel and another couple hundred off the water behind the north pier, there was 3 guys out there fishing and watching the birds dive, if you see them that close to you throw a rock at them, sounds futile but it works, there was 2 guys fishing Gilberts run and the birds were right in front of them. Later about 11:00 I went back out to the mouth and they were back, probably 200 birds, I chased them probably a mile south til they went high and kept going, hopefully they won't be back today. The water is mega high right now and should keep them from getting to many. I might get to take a break from chasing them this afternoon, I got to call and see who stuck around but Kelly had a charter today and might be there for the afternoon and the other guy in a boat (Adam) said he was coming back, so if the birds don't come back with vengeance I might get an afternoon off.:woohoo1:If they do show up again I will be there to help if needed.


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

I think it's about over fella's, this high water should push the rest of the plants on to the lake, Randy was covering the river this afternoon and said he didn't see many birds. We'll have to see how the next couple days go but it should be over by the end of the week, that would be ok with me. I think we should have a good return on our investment in the future and maybe when people see what a difference this project makes we will get more support from the people who live in the area. these people around here don't understand how this could help to boost the economy up here if we could get the run back close to what it once was. It will take more than a couple years of chasing birds but if we continue this project (and we will) over the next few years I think you will notice a major improvement. I took my son with me quite a few times as did Randy and like us they have developed a hatred for these birds and I'm hoping they will be the next generation of Cormorant harassers and the program will be still going after I'm gone if necessary. We will be at it tomorrow and we'll see what happens, I hope it's over soon but if not I will be out there til they leave.


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## steeliehunter (Mar 3, 2008)

i think it great what you guys are doing i think its going to make the fishing much better in the next couple of years i wish i could help with the project but dont have the money right now and cant afford the gas to drive up there keep up the good work


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