Ruffed Grouse, shot size?

catnthehatt said:
We've shot a pile of partridge with our 28's and also black powder hammer guns using 3/4, 7/8, and 1 ounce loads with 7 1/2 skeet loads.
I've shot them over labs, pointers, and without dogs and never had an issue .
I've also used 9's as well as some heavier shot but prefer 7 1/2's for my all around upland shot be it partridge or pheasant.
Cat
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In the 28's I like 7/8 oz of #7 1/2's also, mostly with I/C. For late season pheasant and sharpetail we switch to #6's and Mod.
 
hoytcanon said:
In the 28's I like 7/8 oz of #7 1/2's also, mostly with I/C. For late season pheasant and sharpetail we switch to #6's and Mod.
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Danged Sharptails can get up at 60 yards sometimes depending on where we hunt!
We do alright with the sub gauges, but when they get skittish and fly that far out a guy almost needs something more in line with geese!! LOL!
Cat
 
catnthehatt said:
Danged Sharptails can get up at 60 yards sometimes depending on where we hunt!
We do alright with the sub gauges, but when they get skittish and fly that far out a guy almost needs something more in line with geese!! LOL!
Cat
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Here is a sharpie tip, depending on where/how you hunt them. In cuts, when you bust a family group and they fan out and glide 200-300 yards, they invariably have one to three lookouts post in the tops of trees overlooking the ground birds... if you approach too close the lookouts peen a warning call and the ground birds flush wild... but if you snipe the lookouts from 70 yards or so with a full choke, then you can walk up (or have the dog work) the ground birds for some nice wing shooting. Contrary to popular opinion, large shot is not the way to go on long sniping... pattern density is more important, and heavy game loads of 7 1/2's work like a charm. One year, I had forgotten a turkey choke in an Browning Maxus on a sharpie trip... we were able to take down the lookouts at 80 yards, change chokes and walk up the ground birds... we enjoyed a week of excellent wing shooting doing this.
 
These posts always make me excited since I have yet to see a grouse walking around like many people do. Hopefully this year!
 
I think quite a few here have hit something important, a lot of factors in choosing shot size, not the least of which is gauge. A 12 does very nicely with steel 4s, now go to a sub gauge and things change on pellet count and shot size choice. This was my son's using 6s in the .410. Overall though, I do a fair bit of uplanding (my favourite hunting) and find I hit better on the wing with larger pellets on everything bigger than doves. As little as a single steel #4 will bring down a pheasant or grouse if it lands right, lead I'm sure even moreso. While trying some Kent steel 2 3/4 that was new to me, my first two cocks dropped with authority and I only realized on cleaning then they'd only received a few pellets apiece! My later birds dropped the with the same authority and caught quite a few more pellets, as I saw in the feather puff as well. I'd try larger pellets sometime and see what you think, in a gauge big enough to handle them I only note advantages in range, hit effect, and fewer pellets in the meat.

Son's .410 pheasant with 6 shot,


 
hoytcanon said:
Here is a sharpie tip, depending on where/how you hunt them. In cuts, when you bust a family group and they fan out and glide 200-300 yards, they invariably have one to three lookouts post in the tops of trees overlooking the ground birds... if you approach too close the lookouts peen a warning call and the ground birds flush wild... but if you snipe the lookouts from 70 yards or so with a full choke, then you can walk up (or have the dog work) the ground birds for some nice wing shooting. Contrary to popular opinion, large shot is not the way to go on long sniping... pattern density is more important, and heavy game loads of 7 1/2's work like a charm. One year, I had forgotten a turkey choke in an Browning Maxus on a sharpie trip... we were able to take down the lookouts at 80 yards, change chokes and walk up the ground birds... we enjoyed a week of excellent wing shooting doing this.
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When the birds are getting up crazy like that we just switch to ducks or something else .
Most times we are hunting where there are not too many trees
Cat
 
Ardent said:
...While trying some Kent steel 2 3/4 that was new to me... My later birds dropped the with the same authority and caught quite a few more pellets, as I saw in the feather puff as well. I'd try larger pellets sometime and see what you think, in a gauge big enough to handle them I only note advantages in range, hit effect, and fewer pellets in the meat.
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One big benefit I noticed with the Kent steel, was the steel pellets pull far fewer feathers into the meat... I liked that.
 
hoytcanon said:
One big benefit I noticed with the Kent steel, was the steel pellets pull far fewer feathers into the meat... I liked that.
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I load with plated lead shot for the very same reason - I was amazed the first time I used it, stuff slips right in with no feather transfer at all, which also helps in the penetration I guess.
Cat
 
catnthehatt said:
I load with plated lead shot for the very same reason - I was amazed the first time I used it, stuff slips right in with no feather transfer at all, which also helps in the penetration I guess.
Cat
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Experienced much the same results using Federal Premium, which was plated, in my AYA 10ga. Mag 3 1/2". Still have about half a dozen boxes of it on hand.
 
This needs to be two threads... most guys are talking about shooting sitting birds, not wingshooting. The two are completely different with completely different requirements.
 
Stupid beginner question: how on earth do you shoot one on the wing when you are in fairly thick brush? The few times i was out last year and my friend's dog flushed a bird, it took off and was gone before anyone could really get a shot off.
 
RatFink said:
Stupid beginner question: how on earth do you shoot one on the wing when you are in fairly thick brush? The few times i was out last year and my friend's dog flushed a bird, it took off and was gone before anyone could really get a shot off.
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You have to carry at "port arms" and stay focused... if you are new to wingshooting it may initially seem impossible, but you will get the knack quickly enough. It helps if you are mentally prepared for a flush... most shooters are caught off guard and their brain shuts down for a critical half second, by the time they get into action they are too late and fire a "hope and pray" shot. Train your self to start moving "before" you start "thinking."

It doesn't hurt to get out on a clays course and practice shooting at odd angles on fast moving targets. It doesn't hurt to choke right either... in tight, thick cover use a skeet choked gun with #7 1/2's or #8's... you will get some birds.....
 
^^^ This, plus it doesn't hurt to practice your mount and swing at home. I pick a random spot on the wall, and bring the gun to my shoulder while focussing on that spot. After a bit of practice, and if the gun fits, it will come up pointing where you're looking. To practice your swing, find something with a long, straight horizontal line, ( like the eaves of the roof if outside, or the junction of wall & ceiling if indoors), start at one corner and swing through to the other end, without slashing through it, or letting the muzzle drift above or below it.
 
9.3mauser said:
^^^ This, plus it doesn't hurt to practice your mount and swing at home. I pick a random spot on the wall, and bring the gun to my shoulder while focussing on that spot. After a bit of practice, and if the gun fits, it will come up pointing where you're looking. To practice your swing, find something with a long, straight horizontal line, ( like the eaves of the roof if outside, or the junction of wall & ceiling if indoors), start at one corner and swing through to the other end, without slashing through it, or letting the muzzle drift above or below it.
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Good advice, thanks!
 
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