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The Old Au Sable Blog


River Report - October 10, 2021

Summer rolled into early Fall and now early Fall just won’t go away.  This “perfect” weather has been seventies steady to the joy of many.  It’s hard to complain . . . but I’ll try.  Though this room temperature climate is fantastic for wrapping up outside chores and makes for comfortable days on the water, but it’s messing with my grouse hunting.

Most days the mercury is pushing past normal averages by mid-morning and this trends intends to stick.  That means it’s quitting time for most dogs and upland hunters well before lunch.  My adventures have been small hits that start shortly after sunup and end around eleven with an overheated bird hound and a sweaty hat brim.

That said, there are feathers in the bag each day.

Bird numbers are solid this year.  Hunters can witness a good many flushes in those paltry hours.  Or least hear the ruffled ruckus as grouse blast through the leaf littered thickets.  Upland hunters here count their successes in much the same way as do our brown trout streamer anglers.  It goes sort of like, “It was great we put up fifteen in two hours.”

“Nice, we moved about the same number of browns—all on black.”

“Did you get any?”

“One.  You?”

“Yeah, one.”

 When the bag is brimming, we talk about that, but when it’s light, we count success in the encounters.

So, I am enjoying the coatless Fall, but am very much looking forward to the temperature drop and leaf dump so that upland hunting can proceed at full steam.  It will happen very soon.

Bird numbers on the uptick is a sweet sign—I hope of good things to come in the next few seasons.  Grouse populations tend to move on a ten-year cycle and this uptick was a bit late in coming by my count.  I am always concerned.  This is a relief that I hope continues to trend. 

To that point, our family is welcoming in a brand, new, pain-in-the-butt, sweet little puppy.  It’s been well over a decade since we trained a baby bird dog and this will be Jack’s first.  He’s nine and this dog will be my son’s even when he heads off to make his way in the world.   A lot happens in a dog’s lifetime.

We measure our lives in dogs.

I’ll see you around—if you’re doing things right,

Andy    
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River Report Archive

River Report - September 16, 2021
River Report - August 18, 2021
River Report - July 30, 2021
River Report - June 10, 2021
River Report - June 2, 2021
River Report - May 28, 2021
River Report - May 20, 2021
River Report - May 14, 2021
River Report - April 29, 2021
River Report - April 20, 2021 Opening Day
River Report - April 14, 2021
River Report - April 9, 2021
River Report - April 1, 2021
River Report - March 26, 2021
River Report - March 15, 2021
River Report - February 15, 2021
River Report - February 4, 2021
River Report - January 29, 2021
River Report - November 26, 2020
River Report - November 11, 2020
River Report - October 2, 2020
River Report - September 16, 2020
River Report - September 2, 2020
River Report - July 22, 2020
River Report - June 25, 2020
River Report - June 17, 2020
River Report - June 1, 2020
River Report - May 21, 2020
River Report - May 7, 2020
River Report - April 23, 2020 Opening Day
River Report - April 14, 2020
River Report - April 3, 2020
River Report - March 14, 2020
River Report - August 21, 2019
River Report - July 29, 2019
River Report - July 17, 2019
River Report - July 10, 2019
River Report - June 26, 2019, Back To The Future
River Report - June 19, 2019
River Report - June 14, 2019
River Report - June 6, 2019
River Report - May 31, 2019
River Report - May 23, 2019
River Report - May 17, 2019
River Report - May 8, 2019
River Report - May 3, 2019
River Report - April 25, 2019
River Report - April 4, 2019
River Report - March 14, 2019
River Report - November 20, 2018
River Report - October 31, 2018
River Report - October 17, 2018
River Report - October 3, 2018
River Report - September 27, 2018
River Report - August 16, 2018
River Report - August 9, 2018
River Report - August 1, 2018
River Report - July 19, 2018
River Report - July 13, 2018
River Report - July 6, 2018
River Report - June 27, 2018
River Report - June 21, 2018
River Report - June 14, 2018
River Report - June 7, 2018
River Report - May 31, 2018
River Report - May 24, 2018
River Report - May 17, 2018
River Report - May 10, 2018
River Report - April 19, 2018
River Report - April 4, 2018
River Report - March 27, 2018
River Report - March 6, 2018
River Report - February 16, 2018
River Report - February 2, 2018
River Report - January 23, 2018
River Report - January 11, 2018
River Report - January 1, 2018
River Report - December 30, 2017
River Report - December 20, 2017
River Report - December 7, 2017
River Report - November 21, 2017
River Report - November 7, 2017
River Report - October 27, 2017
River Report - October 10, 2017
River Report - October 7, 2017
River Report - September 28, 2017
River Report - September 27, 2017
River Report - September 23, 2017
River Report - September 11, 2017
River Report - August 15, 2017
River Report - August 14, 2017
River Report - August 11, 2017
River Report - August 7, 2017
River Report - July 12, 2017
River Report - January 27, 2017
River Report - January 19, 2017
River Report - January 9, 2017
River Report - December 29, 2016
River Report - December 8, 2016
River Report - November 28, 2016
River Report - November 19, 2016
River Report - November 4, 2016
River Report - October 26, 2016
River Report - October 13, 2016
River Report - October 7, 2016
River Report - October 1, 2016
River Report - September 16, 2016
River Report - September 8, 2016
River Report - September 2, 2016
River Report - August 23, 2016
River Report - August 11, 2016
River Report - August 4, 2016
River Report - July 21, 2016
River Report - July 7, 2016
River Report - June 30, 2016
River Report - June 23, 2016
River Report - June 16, 2016
River Report - June 9, 2016
River Report - June 2, 2016
River Report - May 26, 2016
River Report - May 17, 2016
River Report - May 12, 2016
River Report - May 5, 2016
River Report - April 21, 2016
River Report - April 13, 2016
River Report - April 7, 2016
River Report - April 1, 2016
River Report - March 18, 2016
River Report - March 10, 2016
River Report - March 2, 2016
River Report - February 5, 2016
River Report - January 28, 2016
River Report - January 15, 2016
River Report - January 8, 2016
River Report - Christmas Day 2015
River Report - December 17, 2015
River Report - December 10, 2015
River Report - December 3, 2015
River Report - November 19, 2015
River Report - November 12, 2015
River Report - November 5, 2015
River Report - October 29, 2015
River Report - October 21, 2015
River Report - October 15, 2015
River Report - October 8, 2015
River Report - October 1, 2015
River Report - September 23, 2015
River Report - September 16, 2015
River Report - September 12, 2015
River Report - September 3, 2015
River Report - August 28, 2015
River Report - August 20, 2015
River Report - August 12, 2015
River Report - August 6, 2015
Grand Opening & River Report - July 29, 2015
River Report & Grand Opening Info - July 23, 2015
River Report - July 15, 2015
River Report - July 7, 2015
River Report - July 1, 2015
River Report - June 24, 2015
River Report - June 17, 2015
Au Sable & Manistee River Report - 6-11-2015
Au Sable & Manistee River Report : 6/4/2015
River Report - May 28, 2015
River Report - May 21, 2015
River Report - May 14, 2015
River Report - May 7, 2015
River Report - May 1, 2015
River Report - April 28, 2015
River Report - April 23, 2015