Am firmly convinced in my old age now that sonic (beeper) collars do in fact alert and sensitize gamebirds (including wild quail) in the field & forest to the presence of humans with dogs. Like the admonitions of guides on the northern Great Plains on mid- to late season pheasant and sharptail hunts to not let the doors on the trucks slam shut as you set out into a new cover, I think the same effect on woodcock and especially ruffed grouse is now well established. I began to notice the effect on woodcock in particular about 8-10 years ago; the birds would run in short spurts in front of my English setter, confusing the notion that they would hold until you nearly stepped on them. While not nearly as skittish as ruffed grouse, they indeed now behave differently. It it is now a common occurrence in many of the areas I still hunt. Likewise, we now occasionally hear a grouse flush just within earshot when one of our party activates a beeper collar at the beginning of a hunt into fresh cover in an otherwise nearly silent forest.

Come to think of it, on our northern MI (Crawford County, near Lovells, hunt recently, we had a number of wild flushes on grouse, but that was often after the GSP's went on point. Maybe they weren't wild flushes, but flushing off the collar beep. It seemed like we couldn't get to the dogs fast enough. Didn't seem as pronounced with woodcock. Wonder if there isn't something to this thing with the grouse getting wise to beeper collars...... John, you got me to thinking. Thanks.

Grousegunner, what think you?

Dave

My Gracie is just a little over three years old and certainly doesn't have the experience on wild birds as most others and she bumps a good number of grouse. My opinion on this is that woodcock allow her to get very close to them, sometimes just a foot or two off her nose and I don't think she has developed the finesse to know that she can't get that close to a grouse - not even nearly that close.





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Dave, Lovells is a nice area. The AuSable that runs through town is excellent fishing and I can't even begin to think of the trout that I have caught under the bridge. We used to have a cabin on K.P. Lake just south of there. The National Guard ruined it for us.

During grouse season, Maggie's restaurant was filled with about 40 people in hunter orange caps. Any other time there might be 5. It's now closed. Anyone want to buy it, and be part of a local landmark?

Lovells is famous (?) for the Lovells Bridge Walk. Fashioned after the 5 mile walk across the Mackinac Bridge, this is an exhausting march across the 47 foot bridge which spans the North Branch of the Au Sable. Barking dogs, kids' bikes decorated, and a BBQ lunch to benefit the local fire department.

Not Worth Much More Than 2 cents
 

After chasing grouse for many decades I cannot say that I have noticed any behavioral changes in grouse. Many young birds equals easier hunting and more old birds in the population and you will find out just how good your grouse dog really is.

Quiet, quiet, quiet! No whistles, calling to the dog etc. I have had a successful run when I do not have to say a word to the dogs. I use the tone feature on the collar to advise the boys to come in a bit closer if needed. No whoa commands in the field. That is reserved for training. When approaching a point I try to be as stealthy as if deer hunting. It is very seldom grouse flush from the dogs or the bells they wear if they do not crowd the bird. They often will flush prematurely if they hear my bipedal footsteps approaching though.

If it is grouse you want to hunt train your dogs to stay off their birds. It is the one thing for which I train extensively. Stop at first scent and hold it until I get there. In my opinion, training on pen reared birds only makes the task more difficult. As much as I am fascinated by woodcock I avoid targeting them. They will teach a dog to crowd birds if given a steady diet.

There is no substitute for training on wild birds. I have yet to devise a training technique to teach a dog to handle grouse. He has to learn it on his own through exposure to the master teacher. If a dog has any bird sense at all they will develop their own technique for handling old birds.

John, Is Maggie's the bar across from the gas station, or is that the former hotel building beside the gas station? I thought the bar was the Lovells Tavern, and it appeared still open when we were in the area a few weeks ago.

Dave

It's the building next to Caid's gas station and general store. The Riverside Tavern, across the street is owned by "Nancy". How the Tavern stays open is beyond me. They must be selling drugs out the back door, because they sure aren't selling enough of their bad food or warm beer to stay open.

I ate at the Tavern last fall and the food was good the beer cold. Back when we had the cabin on K.P. lake it was well known for it's food.

It was a big deal for us kids to go the restaurant next to Caids (the original owners were friends of my parents) for breakfast.

Rich - Are you still in Michigan? Maybe we ought to get something together sometime up around the AuSable? I live in KY now, but get back to the AuSable region about three weeks each year....

Dave