upland bird hunting

I am with .22lrguy.... I use light field loads in my side by side 12 and have never had lead hit the plate in 25 years o fupland hunting....

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I use this SKB M100 20ga for grouse here in NB. 25"bbls IC/Mod chokes. It's lightweight, well made, handles well, didn't break to own. I owned one before and foolishly traded it for a ANIB Citori 20ga. This one's staying right here.

The only thing it's missing is a second trigger.

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Brutus said:
^I never tire of seeing that rather nice SKB sxs of yours SC!
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I bought that M100 SKB to replace another that I sold off. The M200 and M280s are nicer with more features. This one came to me well used with many dings and scratches on the wood. The price was right and I won't mind abusing it a bit myself..

I previously owned a Parker Repro 20ga that was a beauty SxS, but I couldn't hit skwat with it so it went down the road toot-sweet. At least I can hit something with that beater SKB.
 
IMO, the SKB 100 has nicer profile even though it lacks the embellishment found on the 200/280 models. I had the later two that I got rid of some years ago......the beavertails are hideous - one would think someone had slapped a partial Subway footlong underneath the barrels. Personally, I also much rather prefer the simplicity/location of the bbl selector on SKBs as opposed to the design integral to tang safety.
 
Brutus said:
I don't own an SKB SxS, but I do have the Model 500 O/U. Last time I used it I brought down a brace of sharptails.
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You lucky b****r. The sharptail hunt has been closed for the past 2 years in our area. The really galling thing is that the drop in sharptail population appears directly related to deliberate deforestation by the Alberta government. With friends like these, who needs enemies!
 
straightshooter said:
You lucky b****r. The sharptail hunt has been closed for the past 2 years in our area. The really galling thing is that the drop in sharptail population appears directly related to deliberate deforestation by the Alberta government. With friends like these, who needs enemies!
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What is also very strange is that about a mile from this particular hunting spot, I discovered a willow ptarmigan very early one fall season.
I was kind of bewildered to see it hereabouts. And I did not shoot it because I've never previously seen one it it's summer plummage and I was somewhat confused at the time.
The local season on willow ptarmigan is really long, and very often stretches into mid January ;)
And about three months ago I spotted my first Hun in this area, and not very far from the Sharpie's hangout.....Weird indeed!

Right in between these places sits my primary hunting spot for rabbits and the occassional ruffie.

Life is good indeed.
 
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straightshooter said:
You lucky b****r. The sharptail hunt has been closed for the past 2 years in our area. The really galling thing is that the drop in sharptail population appears directly related to deliberate deforestation by the Alberta government. With friends like these, who needs enemies!
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Wonder if other factors are at work here friend?
I say this because one of the best places for hunting sharptails IMO, was the natural grassy prairie and vast open grain fields of Southern Saskatchewan. Mostly devoid of any trees.
Both huns and sharpies thrive there.

?????
 
Damn, we're pretty light on sharpies here in BC, but those who know their spots do pretty well with spruce, ruffed, and blues. Five per day of each, possession limit 15 of each...
 
pisces-guy said:
Damn, we're pretty light on sharpies here in BC, but those who know their spots do pretty well with spruce, ruffed, and blues. Five per day of each, possession limit 15 of each...
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Yeah, but BC has some other special upland species too. Such as mountain quail and rock ptarmigan, also more than one or two hunting zones with over the counter turkey tags.

jealous here......
 
john.b said:
A friend of mine told me that he prefers to hunt eith a 12ga for grouse etc. Because their season usually coincides with deer and as you are only to hunt with one rifle (in bc anyways) he keeps a pocket full of buck shot that way you can hunt either given the opportunity.
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I pity the man that gets caught shooting a deer without a deer licence.

Anyway, all this advice and nobody has mentioned shotgun barrel length! OP, for the upland shooting you asked about, my preference and strong recommendation is for a shorter barrel, 26" if you can find one. The longer the barrel, the more awkward the shotgun is for upland shooting, not to mention heavier.

Also, when choosing between a .22 and a shotgun, consider that you can shoot any bird, either sitting on the ground or flying, with a shotgun, but if you can wingshoot one with a .22, you should go professional as a trick shooter. If you do go with a shotgun, my recommendation for ruffed grouse is for 7 1/2 size shot. Size 6 is considered more versatile, but when wingshooting grouse what you want is as many hits to the body as possible- small shot, open choke.
 
I would suggest #7 1/2 shot with an improved cylinder choke in the early season, and #6 shot with a modified choke later in the season on grouse, in places where there's hunting pressure and they get more skittish as the season goes along. The #6 holds more energy for longer shots, still has a good
pellet count, and with a modified choke lets you nail the grouse from further away before they take off.
 
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