ditch chickens...

I have no problem with someone else collecting meat by shooting a grouse on the ground with a shotgun. Some people would mix a fine single malt scotch with Coke and think that's OK too. But I just wouldn't do it. To each his own.

Pour me a glass of that single malt, too, would you?
 
Can anyone tell me if I can shoot grouse(or whatever they're called) on PEI from the road? Or which certain roads? Having the license is a given.

I was thinking a '.22 CB long' would do nicely and keep the noise down.
 
Can anyone tell me if I can shoot grouse(or whatever they're called) on PEI from the road? Or which certain roads? Having the license is a given.

I was thinking a '.22 CB long' would do nicely and keep the noise down.



All Game birds (including grouse) may ONLY be shot with a shotgun firing bird shot on PEI. Rifles of any type are illegal to hunt game birds with.
 
All Game birds (including grouse) may ONLY be shot with a shotgun firing bird shot on PEI. Rifles of any type are illegal to hunt game birds with.

Oh that figures.

On to answer my other question.
"shoot at any game within 200 metres of any school, church, meeting
place or any dwelling, farm building, or livestock, without the owner's
permission; or shoot any game within 300 metres of a location where
migratory birds are kept under permit"
 
Has no one used a .177 or .22 cal pellet gun? they are more than enuff to kill birds at short range, head shots ,light and quiet too. We used to carry a pump up .22 air pistol and although we missed lots there was always a few for the pot in the evening.
 

When I actually SET OUT to hunt grouse, I use my lab to flush them and take them on the wing. In fact this year I will be using a circa 1920 LC Smith double and handloaded brass blackpowder shells for all my upland shooting.

However, I will not pass up birds while deer hunting either and keep a shotgun in the truck to smack some camp meat once in a while.

Being able to shoot 10 ruffies, 10 sprucies and 5 blues per day in this area makes grouse less of a special treat out here than they were on PEI with its 3 bird limit.

Roughly half of the birds I shoot each year are taken as targets of opportunity while hunting something else. I even shot two ruffies in the duck blind one day as they cut across the lake for the trees on the other side.
 
Has no one used a .177 or .22 cal pellet gun? they are more than enuff to kill birds at short range, head shots ,light and quiet too. We used to carry a pump up .22 air pistol and although we missed lots there was always a few for the pot in the evening.

Not in Alberta I hope. Hunting with any type of pistol is illegal even if it is a pellet gun.
 
Not in Alberta I hope. Hunting with any type of pistol is illegal even if it is a pellet gun.

Do you know this for a fact? I ask because I've been researching this very topic. I had a thought one day that it would be convenient, less likely to damage meat, and generally safer to dispatch injured grouse with a .177 pellet pistol. I've spent a week looking and I can find no legislation that addresses this issue.

Granted, the law does say that hunting with a pistol or revolver is illegal, but that is within the context of the Firearms Act and pellet pistols are not firearms (sub-500fps). The exact text of Section 5 reads:

It is unlawful to:

5. set out, use or employ any of the following items for the purpose of hunting any wildlife:
- an arrow equipped with an explosive head,
- a firearm that is capable of firing more than one bullet during one pressure of the trigger or a firearm that can be altered to operate as such,
- a light,
- a shotgun of a gauge greater than 10,
- a device designed to deaden the sound of the report of a firearm,
recorded wildlife calls or sounds, or an electrically operated calling device, except when hunting snow geese with the use of calls or sounds that mimic snow geese and the hunting does not occur with the use of decoys that mimic migratory game birds other than snow geese.
- a pistol or revolver,
- live wildlife,
- a swivel set or spring gun, or
- a poisonous substance or an immobilizing drug.
 
Do you know this for a fact? I ask because I've been researching this very topic. I had a thought one day that it would be convenient, less likely to damage meat, and generally safer to dispatch injured grouse with a .177 pellet pistol. I've spent a week looking and I can find no legislation that addresses this issue.

Granted, the law does say that hunting with a pistol or revolver is illegal, but that is within the context of the Firearms Act and pellet pistols are not firearms (sub-500fps). The exact text of Section 5 reads:

I've had different answers from different GW's. Therefore I would err on the side that you will likely get the guy who will take the most literal interpretation of the regs.

Not sure, but I don't believe the regs make any distinction between a conventional firearm and an air gun anywhere in them.
 
Yeah, it's a grey area.

The Alberta regs. clearly say no pistols or revolvers. They also define the term "weapon" to mean:

Weapon - a firearm or any other device that propels a projectile by means of an explosion, spring, air, gas, string, wire or elastic material or any combination of those things.

In the "Game bird" section of the regs., it specifically prohibits the hunting of Merriam's turkeys with:

- a weapon other than a shotgun, cross-bow or a bow and arrow,
- a shotgun with a bore diameter smaller than 20 gauge, or
- shot size smaller than No. 6 shot or larger than No. 2 shot.

but doesn't extend the same restrictions to any other game birds (Edit: Other than to prohibit hunting migratory birds with ANY single projectile weapon). I'm no lawyer, but all the legislation I've ever seen that make specific mention of a prohibition of a given activity under clearly prescibed conditions and then doesn't make mention of it in any other circumstances, is deemed not to apply to those "other circumstances" (or it would have been specified in the regulations in the same way).

I called the CFO in the Edmonton area. They said that, as far as they're concerned, it's not a firearm if the pellet satisfies the under 500 fps rule. But, they don't pretend to know how Fish and Wildlife interpret the law. I haven't got throught to F&W, yet. It's interesting to note that they (the CFO) also said that, if it turns out that F&W is okay with the idea, anyone using a pellet pistol in this manner should be careful (get this) to keep it out of the public eye, as it would likely be misconstrued as a full fledged hand gun and consequences are likely to ensue.
 
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In Saskatchewan, a pellet gun is considered a firearm when taken in the context of hunting. A pellet pistol is considered a handgun when taken in the context of hunting.
 
Pellet pistols in Alberta for grouse.

On another board (Alberta based) there was recently a lengthy disgussion on this. Finnaly a fellow contacted a Fish and Wildlife office and got a responce from someone in the "information" section. They said that Fish and Wildlife's interpretation is that a "pistol" is not a "pistol" if it's Muzzle Velocity is less than 500 feet per second. (as the Canadian firearms people are defining things)

So even though it says you cannot hunt with a "revolver or pistol" they are saying you can in this case. I will look for the quate and paste it here.

Robin in Rocky

P.S. there was some additional information stating that if you broke a law and were using a pellet pistol it would be considered as using a firearm???
 
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CONFIRMED: Legal to shoot grouse with pellet pistol

No need to find it. I got through to the CO today. He was unequivocal: In Alberta, it is absolutely acceptable to dispatch grouse with a .177 pellet pistol. He went on to say that, if you like, you can hunt them with a pellet pistol (with the <500fps maximum), as well as any other weapon that is not prohibited by Federal firearms legislation or Provincial hunting laws. He gave slingshots, boomerangs and bows as examples.

He didn't hesitate to spell his last name for me, either. So there you have it folks, in Alberta it's legal to hunt grouse or apply the coup-de-grace with a pellet pistol (.177 or .22 provided muzzle velocity doesn't exceed 500 fps).

There are specific prohibitions against hunting migratory birds with guns firing a single projectile and against hunting Merriam's Turkeys with 'other weapons' such as described above, so the bottom line is that this is legal only for upland species.

Always wanted to hunt with a pistol?? Get yourself a sub-500 pellet pistol and come hunt with us in Alberta!:dancingbanana:
 
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Oh for f**** sakes, ya just had to post a pic like that didnt ya!!!!!!:D:D

NOW I got the hunting fever WORSE than i had this morning!!!!:dancingbanana::dancingbanana:

I cant wait!!!

12 guage single shot model 84 cooey 30' barrel with #5-6 shot.. Make the ethical shot and if it aint a head shot, then jsut watch 'em get away.

I love a big boom!:cool:
 
my .22 C02 air pistol is my grouse gun when I am huntig whitetail. If we are late and on the way there or after the deer hunt, it's a NEF 20g pardner ducks unlimited gun. I have two .22's and a 12 gauge but I love using my mom's little shotgun... (hers in theory, she bought the raffle ticket at the dinner about 15 years ago).

Most of the time I can outshoot my friends with their 12's with the 20 because I know it so well.

Ryan
 
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