Grouse choke preference

I have a sweet little 20 ga "Special-Field" Remington pump with the 3 different choke system.
Many years ago I changed between improved & modified for later in the season, but for the last 15 or so yrs, the modified is used always! I never ever used the full choke, so gave it to a friend & the imp is now retired....
 
hoytcanon said:
Here in Northern Ontario, the early season, young Ruffed grouse may act like Spruce grouse, but for most of the season they flush quickly and often wildly... the more pressure they get from predators and hunters, the spookier they are.
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I’ve noticed the same on main roads in areas where there’s active logging going on all year, the birds flush as soon as they see you. Get onto the secondary or less active roads and they don’t flush quickly at all, go back to the busy main roads the year after they finish logging and it’s back to normal. The more pressure in general and the grouse flush real quick.
 
hoytcanon said:
Here in Northern Ontario, the early season, young Ruffed grouse may act like Spruce grouse, but for most of the season they flush quickly and often wildly... the more pressure they get from predators and hunters, the spookier they are. Whenever possible I run my Springer into the birds for wingshooting... I don't judge anyone for ground-swatting... growing up that was all we did as it was just about filling your limit and the pot. These days running a Springer and carrying nice double guns, I get far more enjoyment from wingshooting... if I miss c'est la vie... just means I get to hunt longer... and I have a miffed dog on my hands until we flush another bird.
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i love the way you think, we re getting a dog for having more fun and more challenge.
 
hoytcanon said:
Here in Northern Ontario, the early season, young Ruffed grouse may act like Spruce grouse, but for most of the season they flush quickly and often wildly... the more pressure they get from predators and hunters, the spookier they are. Whenever possible I run my Springer into the birds for wingshooting... I don't judge anyone for ground-swatting... growing up that was all we did as it was just about filling your limit and the pot. These days running a Springer and carrying nice double guns, I get far more enjoyment from wingshooting... if I miss c'est la vie... just means I get to hunt longer... and I have a miffed dog on my hands until we flush another bird.
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Thats why it is called Hunting and not killing.
Best way to spend an afternoon afield with good company an a fun gun.
I'm looking forward to getting out this fall with the 20 gauge Charles Daly sxs.
'Cept I dont have a dog, but it will be good fun none the less.
Rob
Rob
 
Jimmy2fingers said:
Regulations state: you can't hunt birds with a single bullet.
Crazy! I could shoot a bird out to 50 yards any day of the week if it was legal.
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You CAN hunt upland ( ruffed grouse, ptarmigan, Spruce grouse etc.)with a single bullet out of a rifle, but you CANNOT hunt waterfowl with a single bullet out of a rifle.
From the Alberta regulations

GAME BIRD

It is unlawful to

possess, before it has been transported to the usual residence of the person who killed it or is prepared for immediate cooking, a game bird which does not bear evidence of ### and species. Evidence of ### and species consists of one completely feathered wing attached to the carcass of the game bird, except for Merriam's turkey for which evidence of ### and species consists of the complete head and beard attached to the carcass (click here to view Merriam's Turkey tagging instructions).
hunt a migratory game bird using
a firearm loaded with a single bullet
shot, other than non-toxic shot,
a cross-bow
a shotgun that is of a larger size than 10 guage.
hunt any game bird using
a shotgun in which the magazine and chamber combined will hold more than three rounds of ammunition,
a trap, or
bait.
Cat
 
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Jimmy2fingers said:
Hey guys, I grew up shooting grouse in the head/neck with 22LR. It was just last year I learned you can only legally shoot them with a shot gun.
I can't even imagine using a 20 or 12 gauge. This season I will teach my kids to hunt with the 410 full choke.
QUESTION - how can I continue to use the old Cooey model 39?
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Jimmy2fingers said:
Regulations state: you can't hunt birds with a single bullet.
Crazy! I could shoot a bird out to 50 yards any day of the week if it was legal.
Click to expand...

It is legal for grouse... not legal for "WATERFOWL."
 
I prefer full chokes.

I shoot the majority of them on the ground, it's what we were all taught growing up. My father's family wasn't very well off back in the day, and they depended on hunting and the garden for the majority of there sustenance.

That being said, now that I'm a decent trap/skeet/sporting Clay's shooter, I'll take shots at them when they fly and have managed to bag quite a few like this. It's a hell of a lot more fun and rewarding.
 
iron cat said:
You CAN hunt upland ( ruffed grouse, ptarmigan, Spruce grouse etc.)with a single bullet out of a rifle, but you CANNOT hunt waterfowl with a single bullet out of a rifle.
From the Alberta regulations

GAME BIRD

It is unlawful to

possess, before it has been transported to the usual residence of the person who killed it or is prepared for immediate cooking, a game bird which does not bear evidence of ### and species. Evidence of ### and species consists of one completely feathered wing attached to the carcass of the game bird, except for Merriam's turkey for which evidence of ### and species consists of the complete head and beard attached to the carcass (click here to view Merriam's Turkey tagging instructions).
hunt a migratory game bird using
a firearm loaded with a single bullet
shot, other than non-toxic shot,
a cross-bow
a shotgun that is of a larger size than 10 guage.
hunt any game bird using
a shotgun in which the magazine and chamber combined will hold more than three rounds of ammunition,
a trap, or
bait.
Cat
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Different Provinces have different rules about shooting upland birds with a rifle.It appears Alberta allows it.Best check the rules in your Province .

Same as some Provinces ,allow hunting deer over bail or with packs of dogs like they do rabbits,while others do not allow it.Be sure to check the rules in your Province before you do them.:)
 
Not all grouse are ruffed grouse, as so many seem to assume here. And not all ruffed grouse act the same, it varies with location. My guess is that 80% of ruffed and spruce grouse are shot in the "pre flight condition" and that's why full choke or modified is so popular. Any shot size will do for that, you simply aim for the head and pull the trigger. But Full choke is a very poor choice for fast flying birds in thick cover. So the answer depends entirely on your preferred method of hunting. I seldom shoot a forest grouse that is on the ground or in a tree anymore. So I use cylinder, or at most IC chokes. Shot sizes of #6, 7-1/2 or 8 only. If you are hunting sharp tailed grouse on the open prairie, conditions vary widely but usually call for IC/Mod or sometimes full choke. Blue grouse are one species I have not hunted, but I understand they are often up in tall spruce, seems like a modified choke proposition to me.
 
Longwalker said:
Not all grouse are ruffed grouse, as so many seem to assume here. And not all ruffed grouse act the same, it varies with location. My guess is that 80% of ruffed and spruce grouse are shot in the "pre flight condition" and that's why full choke or modified is so popular. Any shot size will do for that, you simply aim for the head and pull the trigger. But Full choke is a very poor choice for fast flying birds in thick cover. So the answer depends entirely on your preferred method of hunting. I seldom shoot a forest grouse that is on the ground or in a tree anymore. So I use cylinder, or at most IC chokes. Shot sizes of #6, 7-1/2 or 8 only. If you are hunting sharp tailed grouse on the open prairie, conditions vary widely but usually call for IC/Mod or sometimes full choke. Blue grouse are one species I have not hunted, but I understand they are often up in tall spruce, seems like a modified choke proposition to me.
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Your description is pretty accurate around my area for the most part, I rarely get a chance at wing shots. It’s pretty thick timber locally and when the flush they disappear a lot of the time. Ground swatting is the norm for myself and anyone I know that hunts grouse locally.

We have blue, ruffed and spruce grouse in my area and I see all three on the ground on the side of the road along overgrown trails for the most part. Blue and ruffed will flush into nearby trees more than spruce, spruce will sit tight 90% of the time I find.
 
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