Shooting grouse while big-game hunting - experience of noise on big game?

Back when you could get tags you’d shoot the calf then cow then the bull and you could get all three
 
Sighting in rifles on crown land one day, I had a little spike buck come out to the edge of the beaver meadow and gawk at me, wondering what the noise was.

For the most part, game animals don't understand what gunfire is. To them, it's just a loud noise, like thunder. If you're shooting directly at them, the supersonic crack of the bullet going past might get a reaction.

That said, when I'm hunting deer or moose, I'm not bird hunting. I just feel like I don't want the distraction.
 
I do not believe that a gunshot is very worrying to big game in general.
I have had to chase moose away to gut the one I had down on at least
4 occasions. I shot a very decent muley buck 5 minutes after shooting 2
Big Blue grouse in the Falkland area of BC many years ago.
JMHO, Dave.
 
I have shot hundreds of grouse and rabbits while bowhunting moose, with pellet rifles and pistols. Never worried about the low report of the airguns... we generally get our moose and several limits of grouse for the camp pot. Early on, I used slingshots to take grouse and became very accurate with .38 cal steel balls.
 
0faustus0 said:
All of this is a non issue .... OP is in Ontario and I assume he will be hunting in Ontario.

Ontario hunting regs are clear .... as long as you have a license for small game and moose/deer/bear ..... you are allowed to carry firearms and ammunition for small game and large game ....


Can we get this thread back on track to answer OP's question?
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You’d better get into the regs again as you can’t carry, or have in your possession or in your vehicle a small rifle or small shotgun for birds while hunting large game like moose or deer in Ontario. It came out a few years ago and the CO’s are enforcing it.
 
bush1 said:
You’d better get into the regs again as you can’t carry, or have in your possession or in your vehicle a small rifle or small shotgun for birds while hunting large game like moose or deer in Ontario. It came out a few years ago and the CO’s are enforcing it.
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What is not clear about post #12?
That is a quote from the Ontario hunting regs ....
 
Around Jade City, northern BC near the Yukon border my Kaska Dene friends said that the griz were attracted by the sound of rifle fire. Looking for gut piles or even the moose/caribou itself. The Kaska Dene do not hunt bear of any kind so I guess that makes sense. They also said to keep your rifle handy while dressing game and don't hunt alone.

I carry a couple of 2.5" .410 birdshot shells when I hunt mulies with my Marlin 1895GS though i've never actually fired one while deer hunting.
 
hoytcanon said:
I have shot hundreds of grouse and rabbits while bowhunting moose, with pellet rifles and pistols. Never worried about the low report of the airguns... we generally get our moose and several limits of grouse for the camp pot. Early on, I used slingshots to take grouse and became very accurate with .38 cal steel balls.
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Well mister if those 38 cal steel balls were exceeding 495 fps thats considered a firearm. HAHA A great shooter with a slingshot can provide lots for the pot and no one will ever know. Good on you. Its becoming a lost art and a formidable weapon if used properly.
 
Shot lots of grouse with a .22 or shotgun and around the corner we run into a moose or deer or bear. I sure wouldn't stop a stalk on an animal to shoot a grouse but generally we will see them on the road and shoot them while driving or walking in between hunting spots. I've shot bucks with a rifle only to have the other bucks or does just look at the big buck and wonder why he went for a nap and then go back to eating. No, I don't think the noise is a big deal.
 
Little known fact: moose are attracted to the sound of quads and repeated shotgun fire. Every moose hunter loves it when small game hunters are nearby.
 
0faustus0 said:
What is not clear about post #12?
That is a quote from the Ontario hunting regs ....
Click to expand...

Post #12 is about hunting small game while a large game season is on and you don’t have a large game licence and that’s pretty clear.
That’s totally different than what I posted. In Ontario years ago it was quite fine to carry a 22 or a shotgun for birds at the same time as hunting for large game like moose and deer but that’s not allowed now.
 
I regularly shoot grouse with my moose rifle once the hunts done in an area. 338 win mag to the dome works well on grouse and isn’t that costly since I reload. Moose tend to favour certain cuts and swamps, I don’t shoot grouse in those areas but anywhere else is fair game, however I do pack a 410 for most of those times. I also take the ATV out specifically to get birds and hares, seen the odd moose but it’s never been common.
 
bush1 said:
Post #12 is about hunting small game while a large game season is on and you don’t have a large game licence and that’s pretty clear.
That’s totally different than what I posted. In Ontario years ago it was quite fine to carry a 22 or a shotgun for birds at the same time as hunting for large game like moose and deer but that’s not allowed now.
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It wasn’t that long ago when I would carry a short 22 with shorts or subsonics while moose hunting for grouse. Guess the rules changed. As you say, post 12 doesn’t address this.
 
wasa said:
Ok, trying to get back on track..... I am asking about noise and scaring away game.

I am actually talking about small game hunting, and ONLY small game hunting around the camp. So, no one is planning on carrying multiple firearms. Example - while Buddy A is boiling water for coffee or making supper/lunch, Buddy B takes his 22LR or 410 and starts walking around looking for grouse. I suspect we will be big-game hunting within a couple km of camp but it's possible that it will be further away.

One guy is saying he comes back to camp for lunch. He plans on walking around with his 410 during his "lunch hour" (not carrying his centerfire rifle).

No one is planning or is anticipated to break any rules or regulations.

Since Ontario allows deer/moose/bear to be taken with a slug from any shotgun (including 410) (see Summary of firearms restrictions for hunting in Ontario for verification) I suspect that the guy bringing his 410 will have some slugs with him.


I personally am not a fan, and all of the deer/bear hunting I have done with my dad & friends I've always said no shooting/hunting small game. I know it is legal to shoot a grouse with a 303 British or 7mm Mag, but I have no intention of doing so. I am debating on bringing up a 22LR or a shotgun to hunt at times I'm in camp.

This website https://earinc.com/gunfire-noise-level-reference-chart/ indicates that a 410 is comparable to a 20g and a 12g for noise.
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You’re worrying about nothing. Matter of fact, maybe take along a chainsaw and drop a few trees (if legal) as it works great for drawing in deer and is practically dinner bell. Family members who hunt moose say it works just as well for them, but I have no personal experience with moose.

Pretty well every animal from squirrel to moose run a short distance when startled, wait for a few minutes watching their backtrack to see if the predator is in pursuit, and settle back into their normal routine if no danger presents itself. If game was spooked by gunfire as bad as some people believe there’d be no game anywhere to hunt.

Many times game isn’t even spooked by gunfire as they don’t know what it is and have yet to associate the noise with danger.


Regardless, pickup a Hammond game getter anyways. It eliminates the need for a small game rifle and is just cool to have.
 
In response to the side issue of carrying two firearms while rifle hunting moose or deer in Ontario (shotgun hunters may carry birdshot with them for any small game of opportunity), my understanding is that you can indeed be in open possession of multiple firearms. You can have a centrefire rifle and a shotgun, but not a centrefire rifle and a rimfire rifle. As long as the additional firearm is of a class prescribed for hunting big game, it's good to go; ie, shotguns are permitted firearms for big game hunting, but rimfires are not.

Edit: Apologies for the huge image size...I simply saved and posted the pictures; I didn't realize they would be that large.

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If this is true what a stupid law.

We should be able to sling as many rifles as we can comfortably carry in a variety of cartridges appropiate for all game that weve legally been licensed/bought tags to hunt.

There are tons of grouse and small game where we moose/bear hunt. It's much easier to carry a small .22 alongside your big game rifle than it is for have a shotgun + rifle.

Rimfire are not allowed but somehow we can carry a shotgun (with Birdshot!) and it's ok in big game hunting scenarios?
 
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