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The Tale of Muck-Boy
You may be asking yourself what is muck-boy
or better yet who is muck-boy? The tale of muck-boy began.......
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| Shiawassee
River State Game Area |
| Useful
Information: Lake
Huron Marine Forecast, Saginaw
Bay Marine Forecast, Past
Year Reports 2008,
2007,
2006,
Shiawassee Kid.com, Maps: Managed Area, Area Headquarters Location, |
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| Shiawassee Area Reporter: Ernie Smith -Bella & Scooter |
< >
| Report |
Pictures |
| Dec
-5-11 - Area Update - Area Managers Report: We had a few good days of hunting this week but overall hunting was slow. We will have draws both Saturday and Sunday this upcoming weekend. We have not begun to dewater and are waiting until after the 11th to start. We are at high water stage right now because of the rain and snow this last week. Current Bird Numbers: The DNR area bird count 7100 ducks and 1500 geese. 2011 Hunter Bird Take Stands at: 3925 Ducks and 900 Geese |
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Nov
-28-11 - Area Update - Current
Area Conditions: |
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| Nov
-22-11 - Area Update -
Current
Bird Numbers: The
DNR area bird count 4500 ducks and 500 geese. Current
Area Conditions: |
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| Nov
-09-11 - Area Update -
Water
is now in all zones ,
Corn in the out laying areas is about 50% harvested. Area Managers Report: The refuge count is up this week. We’ve seen a change in the composition of birds with some canvasback, scaup and considerably more blacks. The green wing teal and wood duck numbers have dropped off significantly in our weekly count. Harvest has been slow as well as hunter participation. Current
Bird Numbers: The
DNR area bird count 9000 ducks and 1000 geese. Current
Area Conditions: |
|
Nov
-01-11 - Area Update -
Water
is now in all zones ,
Corn in the out laying areas is continuing to be harvested. Current
Area Conditions: |
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Oct -25-11 - Area Update - Water is now in zones 6-14, Corn in the out laying areas is starting to be harvested.
Current
Area Conditions: |
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| Oct
-18-11 - Area Update -
Water
is in every area except 6-14 which is still dry, pumps are running. Current
Area Conditions: |
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| Sept-26-2011
- Ernie's
Report: Shiawassee River State Game Area Conditions
: We seen many wood ducks in the flooded
woods area, the Pull over is in place at the parking lot. There
has been some dike work and a new gate installed at the Northeast
corner of the 30’s that connects the containment pond to the
north. Other than the wood ducks, we did not see many ducks at all. There are however lots of Canada’s in the area. . Other observations: Areas 1 thru 5 - Sorghum has had substantial growth over the last month - it is thick and tall. Areas 6 thru 14 - Crops are in excellent condition. Areas 30 thru 38 - Crops are in excellent condition. Areas 39 thru 48 - Crops are in excellent condition, it looks as though the share crop has been harvested. Areas 55 thru 60 - Crops are in excellent condition. Areas 61 thru 66 - With substantial growth over the last month and it looks like at the back there is now sufficient cover to hide. Areas 77 thru 116 - Flooded woods area is mostly flooded.
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click image for
a larger view 
Area 1- 5 Miller Road  Area 6- 14 Miller Road  30's 
40's |
| Aug-19-2011 - Ernie's Report: Shiawassee River State Game Area Conditions : Great news all the crops in most of the areas look real good except South Prior and 1-5. Corn looks to be at a minimum of 6 feet high and still growing. The food crops between the zones looks healthy. | |
| Nov 30th
2010 -
Area Update -
Water
levels remain the same as last week. In
the surrounding area the crops are 97% harvested and those fields
are 95% plowed or chisel plowed.
Hunting continues slow this week. Current Bird Numbers: The DNR area bird count as of last week was 10000 ducks and 2000 geese. 2010 Hunter Bird Take Stands at: 6263 Ducks and 1258 Geese |
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| Nov 22th
2010 -
Area Update -
Water
levels remain the same as last week. In
the surrounding area the crops are 97% harvested and those fields
are 95% plowed or chisel plowed.
Hunting continues slow this week. Current Bird Numbers: The DNR area bird count as of last week was 8075 ducks and 2500 geese. 2010 Hunter Bird Take Stands at: 5687 Ducks and 1258 Geese |
|
Nov 15th
2010 - Area
Update -
Water
levels remain the same as last week. In
the surrounding area the crops are 97% harvested and those fields
are 95% plowed or chisel plowed.
Hunting has slowed the week. DNR did not have a new bird count for
the refuge this week. Current
Area Conditions: |
|
Nov 8th
2010 - Area
Update -
Water
is in every area. In
the surrounding area the crops are 97% harvested and those fields
are 90% plowed or chisel plowed.
Hunting has picked up with more birds in the area. Current
Area Conditions: |
|
Nov 2nd
2010 - Area
Update -
Water
is in every area. In
the surrounding area the crops are 90% harvested and those fields
are 80% plowed or chisel plowed.
Hunting has been slow the last couple of days. Current
Area Conditions: |
|
Oct
-25-10 - Area Update -
Water
is in every area This week. In
the surrounding area the crops are 80% harvested and those fields
are 60% plowed or chisel plowed. Current
Area Conditions: |
|
Oct
-19-10 - Area Update -
Water
is in every area except 1-5 which is still dry. Current
Area Conditions: |
click image for
a larger view 
North Prior Rd. |
| Sept
30-10 -Ernie's
Report:
Shiawassee River State Game Area Conditions
: 1-4: Crops have not been harvested some water in the ditch 5-12: Crops have not been harvested some water in the ditch 30’s: Crops have not been harvested some water in the ditch 40s: Crops have not been harvested some water in the ditch and there has been plowing in front of the corn strips. N Prior: Corn has been harvested. The rows will run East and West this year. Some water in the ditch S Prior: Crops have not been harvested some water in the ditch. Rookery: Flooded Areas 77 thru 150 (Woods): Flooded There were many geese, however, not that many ducks. When I was back in the 30-40 fields, I could see birds flying over the woods. I have heard from the locals that there are many birds around. I did see and feel lots of mosquitoes. As you can see by the pictures the Bad River is low. There are several new skids added at several of the cross over points. Hope everyone has a great season! 
Flooded Woods _______Hullien Rd Parking Lot |
click image for a larger view |
| Jul-22-10
-Ernie's
Report:
That’s right the first day of spring and
it was snowing and blowing. It was a great day for late November.
I would have been really excited if it were. But after all the nice
weather we had previously, this was somewhat of a disappointment.
I checked the Wildlife Refuge first and by the sounds I heard there were lots of birds off Curtis road at the end of the trail. I didn’t go back because no pets are allowed. So Tugg and I headed over to the state side and took a walk back Prior Road. There were a fair number of birds but not any mass migration. I suspect this happened last week or earlier. I know Bill and I did the Fish Point Tower shoot earlier in the month near Kingston and there was still lots of snow and ice. On my way to that shoot I saw several large flocks of Swans some flocks close to 100. As the pictures show at Prior Road, we seen mostly Canada’s and Swans. Though there were many ducks, they were difficult to see because of the blowing snow. There were also a fair number of Cranes around and one nasty muskrat. Tugg got after the rat before I could stop him. You can see by the picture he got bit pretty good on the end of his nose. That must have made him angrier because I had to physically pull him away before he got bit again. So about 4 hours later and a $170 vet bill we’re back home. As you can see, he has a collar to keep him from agitating the wound until it heals. He’s also taking antibiotics twice a day for the next week. I must admit I was pretty scared when we first got home and I seen all the blood he lost. Had I been trailing a deer in bow season and seen that much blood, I would have been sure of a good hit. So for all you guys with nosy Labs, watch out for nasty rodents! |
click image for a larger view
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Nov- 26 -09 - Area Update - Crops in 9 thru 14 and 61 thru 66 are pretty much eaten off. The water level has been raised in areas 6 thru 8 and the north field on Prior Rd. 55 thru 60.
Current
Bird Numbers: The
DNR area bird count as of last week was 9,000 ducks and 450 geese. Current
Area Conditions: |
|
Nov- 18 -09 - Area Update - Crops in 9 thru 14 and 61 thru 66 are pretty much eaten off. The DNR is raising the water levels in areas 6 thru 8 and the north field on Prior Rd. 55 thru 60.
Current
Bird Numbers: The
DNR area bird count No update at this time. Current
Area Conditions: |
|
| Nov- 11 -09
- Area
Update -
Everything
remains the same as last week with water is in every area now. Cover
Crops except for 61 thru 66 is still in good shape. Current Bird Numbers: The DNR area bird count as of last week was 11,225 ducks and 600 geese. 2009 Hunter Bird Take Stands at: 5832 Ducks and 652 Geese Current
Area Conditions: |
|
| Nov- 4 -09
- Area
Update -
Water
is in every area now. Cover Crops except for 61 thru 66 is still in
good shape. Current Bird Numbers: The DNR area bird count as of last week was 7110 ducks and 400 geese. 2009 Hunter Bird Take Stands at: 5379 Ducks and 611 Geese Current
Area Conditions: |
|
| Oct -27-09
- Area
Update -
Water
is in just about every area now. Cover Crops except for 61 thru 66
is still in good shape. Current Bird Numbers: The DNR area bird count as of last week was 4320 ducks and 150 geese. 2009 Hunter Bird Take Stands at: 4041 Ducks and 462 Geese Current
Area Conditions: |
|
Oct
-19-09 - Area Update -
Water
is starting to be pumped into some of the areas that were dry for
the opener. Current
Area Conditions: |
click image for a larger view
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Sept -26-09 -Ernie's Report: This is the last report before the opener. Yours truly will be there opening day for the AM hunt. I’ll let you know more after that. North Miller Road has two corn strips probably posts 1, 2, 3, 4 without 5. South Miller Road posts 6 through 12 look to be in good shape. The 30’s field has adequate cover though some of the strips are sparse in places. Ditto for the 40’s - thought they may be a little better. North Prior is in good shape; good cover. South Prior is still quite bare with the exception of a single sorgum strip at the North end. The woods is full as are most of the ditches so when the crops come off they will be ready to flood the fields. On my bike ride around the unit from Wahl Road to Hulien Road, I noticed many deer and geese. Not that many ducks the ones I did see were mostly Wood Ducks. |
click image for
a larger view  30's 
30's 
40's 
40's 
Prior Rd South |
| Jul
-26-09 -Ernie's
Report:
The South Miller Road field has corn which looks to be in fair/good condition. The 30’s field has corn which looks about the same as the South Miller Road field (fair) I haven’t been to the 40’s fields, I’ll do that for the late summer/early fall report. South Prior Road is nearly bare. Unless there is sorgum planted there probably won’t be any cover. North Prior has the best corn and beans. This will probably be the pick field. Talked with some of the local folks and they had a pretty wet spring, which explains the less than desirable crops. I’ll have one more report/update in early September. |
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a larger view .jpg)
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| Mar
-17-09 -Ernie's
Report:
What a difference
a week makes! I toured the area March 8th and the water was mostly
gone from the woods, as you can see from the first picture on the
right. The fields mostly had residual “puddles” probably
from the ice and snow melt. All of the roads were accessible. There
were a fair number of Canada Geese but very few ducks.
One week later and the only road I could get down was Hullien. The woods was full and the ditch was nearly over the dike just past the “Water Control Structure”. As you can see from the pictures, there is water everywhere and lots of geese. We did see a fair number of ducks though I think there are still more on the way. The next weekend March 24, 25 should see lots of birds. If you decide to go, take a boat! See you there, Ernie |
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