Best Grouse Cartridge (combined with a Remington 870)

memaquay said:
Up north here the birds are stupid. You will have to kick them in the ass to make them fly. And that's ruffies, not sprucies. I use a 12 guage with full choke and blow their heads off...no pellets in the breast at all. I use the .22 sometimes too, as well as a 20 gauge, .410, pellet rifle, slingshot or bow and arrow.

When I lived in Nova Scotia, the birds were not stupid; they were like a hummingbird on acid. They flew at light speed, and we all used # 8 or #9 with improved cylinder. We never shot them on the ground or in a tree cause they never presented themselves that way.

But to claim that shooting them on the ground is somehow morally wrong is over my head. They end up dead and in my stomach whether wing shot or head shot. Up here they are a lunch bucket on wings. If you were intent on a wing shot, you would have to scare them off the ground, and then scare them off the tree three feet above them after you scared them off the ground.

The other way I look at the devout grouse lover is this - my method of killing is very quick and merciful. I blow their heads off, and 100 percent of meat is usable. Wing shots are notorious for cripples and meat loss.
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I agree with everything but the last sentence~very well said. I'd also echo what someone else said before me~we all started somewhere. I'm only in my second year of grouse hunting here in Ontario, but as luck would have it...I had more than a decade of trap shooting under my belt before I ever set-out looking for ruffed grouse. In the air, on the ground, on a tree branch~all fair game as far as I'm concerned. I see them, I take aim, period. :) I've been lucky to only see sitting birds so far this year which make me wonder about carrying a .22...but always have a 20ga. wingmaster with me for some reason. :)To the OP's question....

Somewhere...I heard about an old timer and what he thought the best grouse gun was. He said that when someone asked him that question, he'd reply "what do you shoot well?" Whatever the reply was, that was the "best" grouse gun. As to what shells? "Whatever was on sale" :) Taking into account your original post~don't go buying new choke tubes until you've tried that modified. I hunted with a 12ga./MOD choke last year, I'm using a 20ga. "no choke" this year. #7-1/2 shot both times, light load...around 7/8 oz. Target ammo. If the birds are close, aim a little higher than you think you should. I'd put the bead on them, then raise the barrel...pull the trigger the moment you stop seeing the grouse's head. Then check the results, adjust as necessary. If you get the chance, try to shoot a few rounds of trap~no better way to practice on fast-moving targets. Depending on where you hunt, you might find that practice very useful. Anyhow, with a little luck...you'll get into them and soon discover that it can be harder finding birds than shooting them.

Use your modified choke, buy #7-1/2 target loads, have fun!
 
I shot one in Alberta yesterday using my brothers 935 Mossberg, with no 4 steel shot. Those rounds were intended for geese and ducks so its all I had on me at the time. As reccomended, I aimed high - it was in a tree about 20 yards away - good thing too cause it would have made mincemeat out of it had it took the full load in the breast. As it turned out, one pellet sunk into its breast, and the rest of em shredded its upper wings and neck. I think I had it set on the "modified" choke setting as well. Bottom line, from my very recent experience, an appropriate load would have been the no 6 shot lead shot ( or higher) for grouse. Compared to a duck or goose they are really delicate birds, with very light bones, and paper thin skin. No 4's are overkill, but, will do the job if its all you have.
 
A bit overkill but I love the 12 for grouse as I can use it for the bigger birds and not have a bunch of shotguns I dont' want. Ive used a turkey choke in the past and it was great for longer range grousing...now I use a full choke as the shots are usually always inside 20yards.
 
1bighead said:
I shot one in Alberta yesterday using my brothers 935 Mossberg, with no 4 steel shot. Those rounds were intended for geese and ducks so its all I had on me at the time. As reccomended, I aimed high - it was in a tree about 20 yards away - good thing too cause it would have made mincemeat out of it had it took the full load in the breast. As it turned out, one pellet sunk into its breast, and the rest of em shredded its upper wings and neck. I think I had it set on the "modified" choke setting as well. Bottom line, from my very recent experience, an appropriate load would have been the no 6 shot lead shot ( or higher) for grouse. Compared to a duck or goose they are really delicate birds, with very light bones, and paper thin skin. No 4's are overkill, but, will do the job if its all you have.
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I think I was given some most poorly stored #4 Winchester Super X shotshells from 1980. When I shot at a ruffie at 35 yards this Sunday passed, from a tightly choked 12 gauge, it was if I was shooting blanks! After the bird left I took a close look at the nearby ground and I found very few pellet strikes. Very disappointing indeed and very odd.

On the other hand I've had absolutely superior success in the recent past with both of my 20 gauge shotguns and the Federal Prairie Storm #6s.
I know I've taken mature sharpies at similar distances, very easily with the M37 and full choke barrel and this newer shotshell.

weird
 
So long as you are legal, safe, and humane, don't feel bad to hunt whatever way you like.

It is true, that there is not much sport in taking a grouse on the ground with a shotgun. But it still makes just as good a meal.

To my mind, hunting ruffed grouse on the ground (in a region where they flush, and not on the roadside either) with a rimfire is at least as much sport as taking them in the air with a shotgun. When you are carrying a rifle, all of a sudden the stupid ones - that were walking out in front of you when you were carrying a shotgun - will all seem to be gone. Spotting them before they take off or duck into cover is challenging hunting. Sure, the odd one does walk out and make itself noticed, but there are easier and harder shots when wing shooting also. Also, your senses have to be on edge just like still hunting deer, and (again, for me at least) the fun/adrenaline/need to control buck fever, upon first seeing or hearing a grouse when hunting this way is not unlike big game. In my case rimfire grouse hunting is a low odds proposition, but maybe my enjoyment of it just isn't indicative of my skill!

Good luck.

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Yesterday, i was up Sherbrooke for a grouse hunt myself got 4, 2 on the fly ,with my M4 modified choke and 2and3/4 #6, the fast follow shots permitted the wing shots... JP.
 
I like to use heavy loads in 1-3/8 oz with # 5 shot out of an open bore 12 ga.
Anyone with wing shooting experience in the swamps of southern Ontario knows what Im talkin about.
 
7mmlefty said:
I like to use heavy loads in 1-3/8 oz with # 5 shot out of an open bore 12 ga.
Anyone with wing shooting experience in the swamps of southern Ontario knows what Im talkin about.
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I know what your talkin bout, I like at least 1-1/4 oz but I preffer #6 or #7-1/2 she be dirty thick down here!
 
Thanks for all the comments gang. I appreciate folks chiming in and helping me as a new hunter (experience= 2 deer hunts with an experienced hunter, no family experience hunting). <sigh> and I live in Toronto, so it's not like I can just pop out in the evening...
 
Got a ruffie this evening after much boonie bashing. I extoll th virtues of Prairie Storm too often here. Fact is I used cheap Winchester 7.5 target loads. At 7 yards this evening it worked just fine. Matter of fact with the fixed full choke, one could easily argue a bit of overkill IMO. And I did remember to aim a bit high to avoid centring the bird with this full load of shot.

Cheers!
 
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the spank said:
I cant believe how many guys reccommend #8 shot? I have to say in my experiences beyond 15 yards it is absolutely useless, way too light, no penetration factor. I stick to 6's and 7.5's through an IC choke most times.
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That's weird, I shot two grouse back to back at 25 yards with federal #8s through a Mod choke last weekend...must have been lucky shots...that #8 shot does have a hard time penetrating that paper thin skin on a grouse.
 
I did not check other replies, so it may have already been said, but if you're hunting in thick brush and shooting grouse on the fly, you want a shotgun pattern to open up kind'a quick to cover as much space in the air at close range. Which in the brush can be about 12 yards. Most guys use smaller gauges than a 12ga for grouse and partridge, etc, but more important is the gun's pattern. Put in a CLY choke for a 12ga, MOD if 20ga, and I would stay with a FULL if using a 410ga. Shot size number 6 and 7.5, and in a target or a light field load. But then pattern your gun by putting a large target out at 12 yards, draw a 30" inch circle with a bullseye in the center, and fire into it. One target for each different choke and hunting shell. You should use a bench with a sand bag like when shooting a rifle, because you want to make sure you have the shotgun bead held on the bullseye when you pull the trigger. Anyhow, now you will see how it shoots and if the pattern is too dense (which will miss or destroy the bird), too open (which will only wound a bird and you'll have a hard time finding one in the brush without a good dog), or a nice even spread of pellets covering throughout the 30" circle which is perfect for knocking down game. It's the best way to answer this question, and works for all hunting such as ducks, squrrels, etc. Kind'a fun to experiment with this, and really gives you a big boost in confidence when you know you are hunting with the best combination of gauge, choke, shot size, and distance.

Have at it, and enjoy
 
I'm of the "shoot them at the flush" school ... and prefer to shoot over
a good, close-working setter or pointer.

My favourite load is 24 gram reloads of No. 8's, although 7-1/2's work just
fine too. Light factory 1 oz target loads are more than adequate, but I prefer either
Win. AA's, Rem. STS's or Fed. GM's over the cheapy promo stuff. When available,
1 oz. Federal paper target loads are delightful.
In my current 'fave' SxS, the first barrel is .007", kind of a tight 'Skeet' or weak 'Imp/Cyl'
while the second barrel is .015" ... 'Light Modified'.

I find 8's to be deadly on grouse & woodcock ... and with 1-1/8 oz. of 6's, very few
preserve pheasants & chukars escape. I'm not keen on the 410 on game, however,
28's and 20's with 3/4oz. and 7/8 oz loads respectively of either 7-1/2's or 8's work
very well on grouse. I prefer the 8's when woodcock are around, but change over
to 7-1/2's about the last week of October when the little guys tend to disappear south.
Grouse are not hard at all to knock down with even light Skeet loads of 9's, and the
smaller shot seems to get through the early season foliage a little more effectively.
Can't be all wrong, even old-timers like Spiller, Tapply, Sheldon, Woolner & G.B. Evans
all favoured 8's for grouse !
 
I use a 12 ga 20" cyl bore 870 Deer gun for grouse:redface:. I just like to walk the gun, while deer scouting OK. If I'm on the road, and shoot on the ground, I'll slip in a No2 or 4, the 25yds plus really stretches the cyl pattern and the very few, very tiny pellets means a lost bird for me. I use No2 , hoping for a single "big" pellet kill maybe LOL. When they flush in dark timber right under foot, nothing is more deadly than cyl bore and 7 1/2.
 
Only experience i ever had shooting grouse was with my 20 guage full choke field barrel using #4 and i was banging off head shots like nothing. with that being said lots were shot on the ground under 30 feet away and some up in trees after being flushed. tight pattern worked fine for me
 
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