Darn Grouse
- Thread starter smitt
- Start date
Use your eyes and your ears to locate them before they locate you. They'll sit and let you walk right by them so keep an eye out low(under branches) and sometimes high (within trees -usually later in seasin when they are budding more). They love roosting along old windfalls or cuttings, especially in the morning sun. Their footsteps are very distinctive, especially on frosty leaves, so learn, memorize it, and you will not have to rely so much on visual verification.
Don't get discouraged!
Take note of the escape routes the grouse are using. Grouse generally don't go far from their comfy little patch.
Come back another day or so later, using their path of flight for your approach. They may have several escape routes, so you can try different approaches on other days. Sooner or later you will find an angle that gives you a shot.... and the rest is up to you.
I have used this method successfully on a few very cagey birds that constantly flush too far away, or in too thick of bush to get a shot off.
Have fun hunting these marvelous birds!~
Take note of the escape routes the grouse are using. Grouse generally don't go far from their comfy little patch.
Come back another day or so later, using their path of flight for your approach. They may have several escape routes, so you can try different approaches on other days. Sooner or later you will find an angle that gives you a shot.... and the rest is up to you.
I have used this method successfully on a few very cagey birds that constantly flush too far away, or in too thick of bush to get a shot off.
Have fun hunting these marvelous birds!~
Odd that you bring this up as just today I came home without Grouse again. 
Funny part is I almost walked right into one, He flew right past my head, and it scared the poop out of both of us.
My .22 was loaded, but had an empty chamber, so he had plenty of time to get away.
Them Ruffled Grouse are fricken Ninjas.
So fear not, you are not alone in the empty catch category.
I'm thinking of going back with our Dalmatian (who is a natural bird dog), and my 12 gauge.
Funny part is I almost walked right into one, He flew right past my head, and it scared the poop out of both of us.
My .22 was loaded, but had an empty chamber, so he had plenty of time to get away.
Them Ruffled Grouse are fricken Ninjas.
So fear not, you are not alone in the empty catch category.
I'm thinking of going back with our Dalmatian (who is a natural bird dog), and my 12 gauge.
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Walk slowly and carefully, looking both close and further into the bush. Stop for a couple of seconds and listen, and look with your eyes, trying to detect the slightest movement. Walk 10-20 paces, stop again. Look behind you also, sometimes they'll break cover after you've gone by. ALWAYS have the gun at the ready position; the moment you've got it over your shoulder, or in one hand, or while you're taking a leak is when they'll flush. Don't be afraid of walking down a game trail, and circling back through the bush to your main trail. If you see a track in the snow, follow it along.
If you hear a flush but don't see the bird, don't panic. Listen if you can for which direction it went. Then carefully look around for a second bird which DIDN'T flush from that spot. Then follow that first flush. Remember, that bird will fly to a spot, and then run off either left or right to try to put you off their direction. So go slowly, look and listen, especially to the left and right. You can often reflush that same bird, so keep after it.
If you shoot, the bird will generally go down immediately if it's hit at all. They're not like geese, which can sail off if wounded, nor sharptails who can take a hit, bounce, and then take off running at full speed. Ruffies will drop and flutter if wounded.
Finding grouse territory is the most important thing. Mixed trees, low cover, open areas, low or little grass, some thick shrubs or windfalls, are things to look for.
Because I'm right-handed, my gun barrel points to the left. So I'm ready for a flush to the left almost instantly. So I'll focus my searching a little bit more on the right side as it will take a split second longer to bring the gun around, knowing that if I hear a flush on the left I only have to turn my head. If I'm walking along a transition between bush and open area, I'll keep the bush on the left.
Best times are sunrise + 2 hours, and 2 hours before sunset/last light when they're out feeding.
A gun with no choke, really, is best for wingshooting these little feathered ninjas ( I like that term! ). You want as many pellets in the air as possible, so 7-1/2 or 8 shot is preferred. Remember that 20 and 28 gauge guns are very effective, so you don't need 1-1/2 ounce loads of buffered copper plated #5. The last two birds I shot, one going straightaway, the other quartering away, neither had a single pellet in the breast. A leg was broken, wings were broken, head was bleeding, but the body stopped that light shot before it got into the meat. Not always perfect like that.
Hope you get some birds!
If you hear a flush but don't see the bird, don't panic. Listen if you can for which direction it went. Then carefully look around for a second bird which DIDN'T flush from that spot. Then follow that first flush. Remember, that bird will fly to a spot, and then run off either left or right to try to put you off their direction. So go slowly, look and listen, especially to the left and right. You can often reflush that same bird, so keep after it.
If you shoot, the bird will generally go down immediately if it's hit at all. They're not like geese, which can sail off if wounded, nor sharptails who can take a hit, bounce, and then take off running at full speed. Ruffies will drop and flutter if wounded.
Finding grouse territory is the most important thing. Mixed trees, low cover, open areas, low or little grass, some thick shrubs or windfalls, are things to look for.
Because I'm right-handed, my gun barrel points to the left. So I'm ready for a flush to the left almost instantly. So I'll focus my searching a little bit more on the right side as it will take a split second longer to bring the gun around, knowing that if I hear a flush on the left I only have to turn my head. If I'm walking along a transition between bush and open area, I'll keep the bush on the left.
Best times are sunrise + 2 hours, and 2 hours before sunset/last light when they're out feeding.
A gun with no choke, really, is best for wingshooting these little feathered ninjas ( I like that term! ). You want as many pellets in the air as possible, so 7-1/2 or 8 shot is preferred. Remember that 20 and 28 gauge guns are very effective, so you don't need 1-1/2 ounce loads of buffered copper plated #5. The last two birds I shot, one going straightaway, the other quartering away, neither had a single pellet in the breast. A leg was broken, wings were broken, head was bleeding, but the body stopped that light shot before it got into the meat. Not always perfect like that.
Hope you get some birds!
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- Location
- Burke Mountain & Pavilion Lake, B.C.
Drive faster
ktk
ktk
I find weather is KEY!! (But that's only 1 advantage)
Try and get out when it's calm, and sunny! Hit areas of hardwoods with nice underbrush. Camoflauge is helpful I find.
Walk slowly and silently through the woods, stopping very frequently. They will sit there and watch you walk right past them. If there's one near you, he may try and hold out till you move on, BUT, their patience is limited and after a few minutes, he'll likely bolt. Be ready at all times.
(LISTEN alot....you can hear them crunching about)
ALSO : Watch for other birds! Robins and Bluejays are common out there (as well as sparrows, chickadees etc) If there's a bunch of other birds around, grouse will be less paranoid as nothing is scarring them off. So use all the wildlife to your advantage.
I find grouse hunting is very challenging from a marksmanship perspective, as it's not like leading a duck for 8 seconds before you take him. Grouse are buchmasters, they fly low and fast and your moment of opportunity is basically a quick, well-calculated snap shot. (In some conditions, impossible)
(That's why I love catching them on the ground). BUT, for me, taking them in the air is a great feeling!!
CHOKES : I notice guys (Grouseman) recommend a very open choke. (And I bet it works like a charm!!) I use my O/U and it's a full and modified. I was having a really hard time smacking them in the air, but I was using my full first. So, I switched to my modified first, and it's made a great improvement.
I shoot Winchester Super X High Brass 7 1/2 loads and it smacks them nicely. (I have some old imperials I use as well....birds just see those things and they drop dead! They leave your shotgun feeling violated though!! DIRTY)
Good luck!
Try and get out when it's calm, and sunny! Hit areas of hardwoods with nice underbrush. Camoflauge is helpful I find.
Walk slowly and silently through the woods, stopping very frequently. They will sit there and watch you walk right past them. If there's one near you, he may try and hold out till you move on, BUT, their patience is limited and after a few minutes, he'll likely bolt. Be ready at all times.
(LISTEN alot....you can hear them crunching about)
ALSO : Watch for other birds! Robins and Bluejays are common out there (as well as sparrows, chickadees etc) If there's a bunch of other birds around, grouse will be less paranoid as nothing is scarring them off. So use all the wildlife to your advantage.
I find grouse hunting is very challenging from a marksmanship perspective, as it's not like leading a duck for 8 seconds before you take him. Grouse are buchmasters, they fly low and fast and your moment of opportunity is basically a quick, well-calculated snap shot. (In some conditions, impossible)
(That's why I love catching them on the ground). BUT, for me, taking them in the air is a great feeling!!
CHOKES : I notice guys (Grouseman) recommend a very open choke. (And I bet it works like a charm!!) I use my O/U and it's a full and modified. I was having a really hard time smacking them in the air, but I was using my full first. So, I switched to my modified first, and it's made a great improvement.
I shoot Winchester Super X High Brass 7 1/2 loads and it smacks them nicely. (I have some old imperials I use as well....birds just see those things and they drop dead! They leave your shotgun feeling violated though!! DIRTY)
Good luck!
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12g, 20" barrel, no or at the most improved cylinder, 71/2 or 9 shot
very little meat damage as pointed out earlier.
BE READY I don't find them hard to hit but they do have a habit of putting any kind of cover between you & them!
very little meat damage as pointed out earlier.
BE READY
I don't find them hard to hit but they do have a habit of putting any kind of cover between you & them!
- Location
- Victoria, BC (temporarily Toronto)
Look with your ears as well as your eyes.. It took me a while but I could eventually pick them out pretty good before getting noticed. First thing is, walk slow... Listen for small shuffling sounds coming from the ground (sometimes may be squirrels) then listen for any very quiet clucking sounds similar to a quail.
otherwise, the grouse tend to meld into the environment very well and it takes some time before your eyes can get used to recognizing them.
Also.. the best time for grouse is closer to sundown IMO, like if the sun went down at 1730, they should be more numerous by around 15-1600
otherwise, the grouse tend to meld into the environment very well and it takes some time before your eyes can get used to recognizing them.
Also.. the best time for grouse is closer to sundown IMO, like if the sun went down at 1730, they should be more numerous by around 15-1600
44fordy said:
Just think how well you'd do with NO choke!
Do grouse see colours? I'd never thought about the camo aspect . . .
As for .22s, you don't need high-speed hollow points. Solid target ammo, even shorts, are plenty. Solids would really reduce the meat damage.
Grouse Man said:Just think how well you'd do with NO choke!
Do grouse see colours? I'd never thought about the camo aspect . . .
As for .22s, you don't need high-speed hollow points. Solid target ammo, even shorts, are plenty. Solids would really reduce the meat damage.
I'm sure I'd do really well with no choke. But I am doing good with a full, plus it gives me a sweet distance. I almost never have breast damage with the exception of 1 pellet now and again. This is leading me to believe my shooting with a full choke is giving me a sweet pattern and taking the head or wing as I choose.
The other side of the coin is all my shotguns have fixed chokes....and I'm too broke to buy another one right now.
I believe grouse (and almost all birds) see color exceptionally well. One of my friends prefers to wear the hunter orange as he believes the grouse aren't as weary.....maybe they think we're big game hunting and won't bother them.
I've tried both and am having better luck in full camo....
That was the other thing...there was tons of Robins, Bluejays sparrows, and chickadees etc.
I even had a group of chickadees follow me within 10 feet.
I'm abit late, but I'm trying again this morning...it was really cold last night and the sun is coming out.
Sorry to cut in on your thread smitt.
I even had a group of chickadees follow me within 10 feet.
I'm abit late, but I'm trying again this morning...it was really cold last night and the sun is coming out.
Sorry to cut in on your thread smitt.
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