My first time hunting for Grouse

triden

triden

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In two weeks I will be going to stay in a cabin with my wife just outside of Barriere, BC. It's in region 3-37 and I plan to try to catch some grouse. This is my first time ever hunting alone and I was hoping you guys could give me some pointers. I have a scoped 10/22, but I plan on taking the scope off and just using the iron sights. I was reading that in the hunting synopsis that a feathered wing must be left on the bird. When can I legally take this wing off? Any other things that I should know?

oh, one other question. Is it lawful for my wife to carry a shotgun alongside with me? She won't be using it to hunt, but this will be mainly for protection. If it's a grey area, then we won't take it.

Thanks everyone.
 
I'm not sure about BC, but here SK the feathered wing only needs to stay on in transport. Once you get it to your place of residence, you're good to go. A 10/22 will kill grouse just fine. Avoid hitting it in the breast, as they are not that big and a .22 bullet can ruin a good portion of a breast. Head shots are best with a .22.

As for carrying a shotgun, my inclination would be to leave it at home. If you were to be stopped by a CO, it would be pretty hard to convince them that you, carrying a .22 with a game bird license are hunting, and she, carrying the shotgun walking along beside you without a license, is not hunting.
 
As above. Used a 10/22 with and without a scope for years for grouse. If lighting is poor the scope can be a nuisance. When the bird starts to move its head in a nervous manner it is ready to bolt. I quite often aimed at the base of the neck as it does not move as much as the head. Where there is one there are usually more especially early in the season. Take your time. They do not have a big range so where you find them one day you can usually find them in that same area the next time around.
 
What if you were going to eat the grouse back at camp? Leave a feathered wing until there, strip and eat, dispose of the rest? It doesn't have to be a literal residence? :p
 
scott_karana said:
What if you were going to eat the grouse back at camp? Leave a feathered wing until there, strip and eat, dispose of the rest? It doesn't have to be a literal residence? :p
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if you are planning on eating them in camp then its not a problem. Keep a wing until you get back. Think of it more like fishing. You're allowed a certain number in your possession. So if you eat them you can refill your possession limit. It doesn't have to be your literal home.
 
cbh560 said:
if you are planning on eating them in camp then its not a problem. Keep a wing until you get back. Think of it more like fishing. You're allowed a certain number in your possession. So if you eat them you can refill your possession limit. It doesn't have to be your literal home.
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Provided you do not exceed your daily limit and that your possession limit is within the framework of time of your trip. Ie: If your possession limit is 10 and your daily limit is 5 you can only have your full possession over a two day period. Consider this as well, lets say you have 6 in the cooler back at camp and today is a new day so out you go. Your limit that day would be 4 as the 4 in your possession during your hunt must be added to the 6 back at camp making your possession limit of 10.
 
Make sure you take toilet paper as they have a tendency of busting into flight when you are standing right next to them looking the other way and causing you to #### your pants with their loud wing beating... Early morning when it's cool they like sunny areas and I have often had luck finding them in and around cedar trees.
 
Given the few I've seen, I do believe limiting out could be a bit of a challenge.
Show your wife how to follow them into the trees.
Then you can try and get them there too.
Remember your backstop.
Good luck.
 
I agree with saber why not use the shotgun? I have used the 22 as well,but if you put them up you don't have a chance of hitting them(at least I never could) with the rifle.12 guage with #6 shot is what I always use.
 
colonel3006 said:
I agree with saber why not use the shotgun? I have used the 22 as well,but if you put them up you don't have a chance of hitting them(at least I never could) with the rifle.12 guage with #6 shot is what I always use.
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Same, but I use my trusty 16 ga single shot. Light to carry.
 
Use solid nose .22. A shot through the breast isn't going to ruin much meat, if any. It will just leave a hole right through. I've shot lots of Prairie Chicken and Ruffed Grouse over the last 50 years with a .22. Always used solids, never ruined much meat. I use a Savage .22/20ga mostly, so I can use longs or shorts as well, although I don't recall doing so.
 
Shot a few last year with the .410 and the pellets drag the feathers into the meat.
One hole with the 22 makes for less mess if you can neck shoot them.
Plus the ptt ptttt pttttt clink of pellets on your dinner plate.
 
I tried the. 22 head shot thing. You need a very accurate gun.
Wouldn't bother myself with a 10 22 for grouse unless it shoots 3/4" or less groups at 50 yards. I had much better luck with a full choke 12 gauge shotgun with a red dot or shotgun scope or green laser. practice on paper till you can shoot mostly over them with just the bottom of the pattern hitting the head region. I had much better luck with that. Still takes some skill though.
 
You don't need a PAL to hunt with a firearm. As long as your wife has a hunting license there's no problem with her being with you and using one of your firearms.
 
Hypox!a said:
You don't need a PAL to hunt with a firearm. As long as your wife has a hunting license there's no problem with her being with you and using one of your firearms.
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I didn't know that.So my scenario is my dad who hunted for years and has a valid hunting license,but no pal can legally go hunting with me carrying one of my guns (which some of them were his to begin with anyway) providing he has the proper game seal?
 
colonel3006 said:
I didn't know that.So my scenario is my dad who hunted for years and has a valid hunting license,but no pal can legally go hunting with me carrying one of my guns (which some of them were his to begin with anyway) providing he has the proper game seal?
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In ontario, its one PAL, one gun. He can share yours under your supervision, cannot carry his own. Other jurisdictions CFO might interpret the law differently, but here he would be charged.

He can challenge the PAL test and get a license easily.
 
One thing id like to add, My hunting buddy and I got 4 grouse in one spot at the start of hunting season 2 years ago in are favorite hunting spot for grouse, then we got another 2 on are way back down the mountain around the same spot. I got 3, he got 3. One would flush then get shot, then immediately another would flush. We realized it was a whole family of grouse and we obliterated them. Ever since then, we haven't seen a single grouse in that spot for the last 2 years. We now have a rule that if more than 2 grouse flush in one spot, we leave the others alone as grouse hunting just keeps getting worse and worse every year here on the west cost of Vancouver Island.
 
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