Michigan Ruffed Grouse

[BGH18]

I'm going to Mac Island this Sunday for a few days and would like to look at a couple of places to take my dad grouse hunting this fall. I have heard Alpena area is good? I have also been to Whitefish point 2 yrs ago and I thought it looked good around Paradise? Any suggestions.........
Thx Brad

[realbold]

Dont know but my parents had 80 acres in Presque Isle Co near Onaway and I'd scare them out of the woods now and then, or was it the other way around. :shocking: For those who have never seen one, you don't know they are there till you get 10 feet away, then they take off with a thunderous sound.

[BGH18]

Thx Realbold,
I will talk to some forest rangers while I'm up there this weekend and see what they have to say. Love that northern MI!! Need a Donzi run to the Island sometime...:boat:

[realbold]

I have a lot on the Cheboygan river, part of the inland waterway, but no dock or drive yet. Someday I will make that run. Dredgeking, another member of this board, lives on the river.

[BGH18]

Not sure where the Cheboygan river runs, but I use to run around Burt Lake and Alanson Mi... Does Indian river connect all of these lakes from Little Traverse Bay? That would be a fantastic run from Burt or Mullet to the Mackinac Island!!
Maybe Next Year???

[Magicallbill]

For your info..
Brad's boat had ALREADY BEEN to Mac Island..

It knows the way..Point her 'n go...

[Tony]

If you guys go from Cheboygan to Mackinaw Island count me in. Maybe the Cedarville gang, who boat so often that they rarely visit here, would meet us at the Island for a raft-up and social.
Think conversation, boat admiring, and... :beer:

Michigan's Inland Waterway (http://www.fishweb.com/maps/inlandwater/) is way cool. Cherrie and I did it about ten years ago, starting in Crooked Lake. We camped at Aloha State Park on Mullet Lake, ran up to Cheboygan, tooled around a lot, and had a very nice time. Two locks, lots of wildlife, and some interesting homes and cottages along the route. I have detailed maps if anyone wants more info. The only down side is the amount of no wake zone! I'd rather run to Mackinaw Island, and maybe even under the Big Mac Bridge, too! But, a partial route would be worth doing, especially with a couple other boats (Donzis preferred!)

Another plan I'd like to do some time is leave Munising and cruise the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (http://www.exploringthenorth.com/pictrocks/pr.html). Maybe go to Grand Marais (http://www.exploringthenorth.com/gmar/gm.html) for the night and back to Munising (http://www.exploringthenorth.com/munising/home.html) the next morning. Some trailer time is involved with this, but an awesome run if the weather cooperates!

:beer:

[BGH18]

MB, Where did you guys go to the island from? This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in the fall when the leaves are changing colors..

Tony, Rode snowmobiles across pickerel lake before! I think it would be a great time to do either Mac Island or Pictured rocks, but it will take someone who knows the area to plan it out!! Sounds like a GREAT TIME.....I'm all for it....
Were you at AOTH-06 this year?

[realbold]

Brad, FYI Cheboygan is just south of Mackinaw Isle and the waterway starts or ends there. The river runs from Mullett lk to Indian river to Burt lake to Crooked river to Crooked and Pickeral lakes. It does not reach Traverse bay or Lake Michigan but charts are available. Novas are allowed. LOL!

[Magicallbill]

Brad;
We launched in at Mackinaw City Municipal Marina on the mainland;Jason with the red 18 and myself in my 22 Grady-White I had at the time.
Because of the finiky nature of the lakes,we chose to be close to everything.It's a fairly short jaunt across the Straits either way. Cedarville is a pretty easy run in calm seas to the NE.
Say you were to come from the Inland Waterway where it empties into Huron, or from up the West side from,say, Traverse or Charlevoix,or wherever..In either case you'd have the chance of a rough return passage if the weather changed while you were at Mac.
With the ramp close-at-hand,we knew we could get out quickly if the wind jacked up while we were there.
One more thing;During the summer months, the Straits are always riled up with criss-crossing ferry wakes..Shepler's, heck, I can't remember the other names of the ferry lines..You'll get a kick out of navigating those things in the 18.
Jason's restored 16 is within a week-or-two, I'm told..If the weather holds, we can all meet at Brookville to celebrate..I'll let you know..

MB

[Tony]

Brad, yes my wife and I have attended AOTH I, II, and VI. We were in our new to us '96 22' Volvo 7.4 Gsi/DPX. Other than a low rpm overheat problem (hairline crack in an inlet fitting), a broken seat pedestal, and the CD player falling out onto my wife's foot...we had a great time!


:beer:

[BGH18]

Tony, not sure if we met at AOTH this year or not. It was our first event in our new to us 99 C-18 that I bought from MagicallBill's son Jason. We met so many
people its was hard to keep name's and faces straight.. We had a great time except for the tree that was under water waiting for my lower unit to hit and bust my gimble ring.:eek!: Any how I would be real interested in doing the pictured rocks or Mac island next year..:yes:
Keep us in mind for a trip
Thx brad

[Tony]

Brad, bummer about the log vs. gimbal ring. I remember hearing some people talking about that, but likewise I do not recall meeting you specifically. We got a lot of boating in, but also spent some time in the bilge, at the parts store, and on and off the trailer!

Another great destination, considerably closer and on the right day equally as spectacular, is of course Torch Lake. Randy (gold-n-rod) put together a small but hugely successful get together this past summer and promises to make it annual, so keep your eyes open.

Magical Bill and dredgeking, just pick a weekend and put up a post next spring. My guess is that many would be interested, including some of the Detroit area MADCOWS.

:beer:

[BGH18]

Tony, We will be watching for the Torch lake get together next year! Looks like a good time as well. Hope to make it next year! It would only be about 5 hours from here...