.12 ga for grouse seem too hard!!!

Use a 12g with open choke (cylinder/skeet) and light shot (3 dram 1 1/8 load in 6 or 7.5). Aim high. I don't really like 22lr for grouse cause I don't shoot at them on the wing with a 22 and its hard to make a head/neck shot when they are on the ground running. If you hit them anywhere else with a 22, chances are that they are going to keep running and you may or may not find them.
 
stubblejumper said:
Actually I have hunted a fair bit in B.C.Are you trying to tell us that in B.C. nobody hunts grouse within rifle range of other people?
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Well given our terrain and the fact when a grouse flys into a tree he normally alights some where between 10 and 20 feeet off the ground and the average shooter will hold his gun at around 5 feet you have a rise of 5 to 15 feet. Given an average shooting distance of 50 feet your angle is probably 30 degrees or so, with the majority of terrain rising much more steeply than that, plus you have the height of the trees, typically I am shooting into a backdrop of earth or trees. Pretty safe.

This with the fact that the number of people hunting in what? a square mile if I remember the warning correctly on a box of .22's is very few if any, I would have to suppose that getting hit by a bolt of lightening is far more likely than being hit by a .22 fried into the air.

Of course all these suppositions are greatly reduced once you have punched a hole through the grouse's skull, which I have to imagine for the average shooter would be 9 out of 10 times, eh?

KTK
 
This with the fact that the number of people hunting in what? a square mile if I remember the warning correctly on a box of .22's is very few if any, I would have to suppose that getting hit by a bolt of lightening is far more likely than being hit by a .22 fried into the air.
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The post specified rifle,but it did not say .22 rimfire as you are assuming.In some provinces,such as Alberta ,it is legal to shoot grouse with a centerfire rifle.I have never,and never will shoot grouse while hunting big game,but some people do use their big game rifles to shoot grouse.
 
I would seriously consider a .22/.410 combo if on most ocassions you encounter birds at aprox 20ft range.....I would also be very tempted to lean towards a .22 high velocity air rifle given the specific scenario. Clean headshots and no damage to meat.
 
Too much?

Yes.

I remember when I was 12 and snuck the old man's single shot full choke 12 gauge shotgun out of the house, went for a walk on an old logging road and shot shot a grouse full on at 20 feet with a load of #4 lead shot.

Tenderized, perforated and mechanically de-boned you might say. It was hard to find any to eat.
 
I used to use my Baikal SxS 12 ga. but over the last few years I have been using a Ruger 10/22 with a red dot scope. I especially like it for Ptarmigan as they are white in winter and the red dot shows up nicely on its little head.;)
 
You've obviously never been charged by a wounded grouse. It happened to me once, and since then I've always used a 12 gauge with Slugs in close bush, and a .458 with 500 grain Solids for the longer shots. :runaway:

Those litter suckers will hole up and play dead, then go for you at the last minute. You can never carry enough gun for grouse, which is precisely why I carry a slingshot with steel ball bearings along with me when in the bush! Failing that, load your 12 with light (7/8 to 1 ounce) loads and aim for the head on close-in shots and you'll be fine. (This is a 20 gauge duplication load, only it patterns much nicer out of a 12 bore.)

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Thanks a lot guys!!!
I think I will stick with a 12 ga. but not a 30" full choke one!!
My idea of having a double with different choke is probably my best bet and will protect if bears want to eat me:p
I also like the idea of .22 and will try it when I'm not in deep wood.

Again, thanks a lot;)

*Unfortunately, airgun cannot be used to hunt in Quebec but it was a good idea.
 
sametwinnie said:
Thanks a lot guys!!!
I think I will stick with a 12 ga. but not a 30" full choke one!!
My idea of having a double with different choke is probably my best bet and will protect if bears want to eat me:p
I also like the idea of .22 and will try it when I'm not in deep wood.

Again, thanks a lot;)

*Unfortunately, airgun cannot be used to hunt in Quebec but it was a good idea.
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A break action shotgun is very handy in the bush or for migratory birds as you can quickly change shells with very little noise. I've never seen a double barrel I didn't like, side by side or over/under. I have a beauty of a old Ithaca s/s and it still shoots great, also true for a Ithaca pump I have ( I think it's a model 37, fleatherlight ? ) anyhow it's great as it has a bottom eject which is nice for left hand shooters. Some friends I have load a slug as the 3rd shell in their pumps when in bear country.

I'll be hunting tommorrow so hopefully I'll be eating grouse rather than talking about them.

Ken
 
stubblejumper said:
I have never,and never will shoot grouse while hunting big game,but some people do use their big game rifles to shoot grouse.
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That's why we started using the .22's because we were hunting big game. By using a 'low velocity short' the noise is minimal ( like stepping on a twig ) so you don't have to worrying quite so much of the scaring off your quarry but you still bring home fresh grouse for dinner.:dancingbanana:

KTK
 
We have an avid hunter in our area that used a 94 30/30 Winchester for Everything, but Migratory Birds, and I have to say he is quite a good shot.

For my .303 rifles I have yet to try some "grouse loads" 2 pellets of 00 in the neck of a .303 case, OR one 75 grain .32 cal handgun bullet with 10 grains of unique shotgun powder. :D

Once again, possibly more to carry, and more complicated then it needs to be, but nice to have the option.
But it sure would be nice to be able to use a .22 handgun.
 
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Until you get your double gun, you might also want to try purchasing some of the Challenger Spreader Loads. They are designed to greatly spread out the pattern, providing a solution for those hunters stuck with full choked guns who want to hunt grouse and other small game at short range. Though results may vary, you should be able to get improved cylinder results from full choke. At $9.99 a box here in Toronto they are a reasonably priced option that might land you a few more birds and save some meat.
 
12 Gauge is great

I use a 12 with 1 1\8 oz of #4 shot and a modified choke. It gets through the jungle and doesn't hit the bird with too many pellets. That's the recipe for me, I've used a .410 which is great in the open. But if the bird is down and walking through the thicket it's touch and go. Hope this helps.
 
what are you fella's thoughts on shot size? I always hunted with crappy # 7.5 or #8-shot. it more or less worked fine but I got pissed off one time cuz I shot a rabbit (it was running) and I know I hit it, but maybe not hard enough- It didn't go down until the second shot. So I switched to #2 - for EVERYTHING. I still hit grouse (aiming a bit high) but I find the likelihood of pepperring the breast to be a little less (fewer BB's). Furthermore, I will not hesitate to rattle of a shell at a rabbit in the alders with a couple little branches in front of its head (whereas I would with #8's). Thoughts?
 
Yesterday I said that I will go for a double shotgun but today, I go in wood with my ruger scout 10/22 with a red dot and I take my first rabbit!!! Neck shot and instant kill. I was praise like if I shoot my first moose:D
I tought about this after, and I think that if I had a shotgun, I'm not sure I will had took a shot since meat loss will had be too high.
So, I think I will read again all your post with maybe the chance that I will take a good decision; based on your experiences and my small ones!

Thanks
 
My humble opinion is that 12g is too much gun for grouse.

I prefer 20g shotgun with 7/8's of #8 with mod or improved mod choke.
Sometimes the single shot .410 comes out.
Or, .22 rifle for neck shots.
 
I use a 12 with extra full choke and aim a inch or so high if it's in close. Usuallytakes the head right off, no meat damage. With that being said I also use a 22 and 410 every now and again, but for a new hunter that wants meat a 12 is good insurance even if you have to spit some pellets out.
 
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