Printable View
In the spring during my first turkey hunting season on the property I hunt on in Grand Valley (WMU80) I heard grouse drumming everyday. At first I had no clue what it was until a friend of mine was out hunting with me one morning and told me. I would like to give grouse hunting a try and I know they are on the property I hunt on but I don't know where to start, what to use or how to find them. Any pointers for starting out would be appreciated.
Well it really depends on the terrain and forest type, but if there are any gravel roads start there as the birds have to eat gravel to digest food. If not then your gonna need to go bush wacking, grouse are weird they could be up in the trees deep in the bush or right in the middle of the road.
Walk slowly along the paths. I like to kinda of stalk and spot. I walk 30 feet or so very quietly and then stop and listen I can here then rustling in the leaves and then I look for them. Paths where there are grapevines, sumac ect.
It's mostly farmland (corn and soybean and other crops) with the grand river running through it and large forested areas (mixed hardwood and evergreens). The side road along the property is a gravel road that's about 200 yards from the trees.
I plan to use my .410
Unless your experienced shot, I would actually go with something bigger. I like my single 20 or 16. A 410 on grouse is almost like using a 22.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gprice
If the grouse are anything like typical southern Ontario grouse good luck with the .410, southern grouse generally spook real easy and making shots on flying grouse with a .410 can prove challenging, but then again I don't know your shooting ability but I still suggest a 20 gauge. Should make for some good fun though so good luck.
Pretty much any grouse south of Algonqunin park sppok easily
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny20gauge
I have been practicing with the .410 on the trap range but I might take 16 gauge instead then as I'm not as consistent as I'd like yet
Start with the areas that you heard them drumming. They eat a bunch of different things but I look for Poplar, birch and oak trees and shrubs with berries. As mentioned, southern Ontario grouse are likely to flush quickly.
Tough going in Southern Ontario without a dog. They are hard to get close to down here. If you are willing to get dirty you'll flush more birds out of the thick stuff but it makes the shooting even more difficult. Still a great excuse to poke around in the woods with a shot gun though, good luck.
Expect the grouse to flush as soon as you slam your car door. You will likely hear far more grouse than you actually see. If the birds are just plain wary down South. Walk very slowly and quietly and be prepared to shoot fast at a rapidly disappearing bird. The .410 has killed millions of birds but mostly Northern ones who just sit there. I would go with a 20 or 16 gauge with 7.5 shot and open chokes.Quote:
Originally Posted by gprice
Quote:
Originally Posted by sk8r
I am also of the opinion that the .410 is relatively useless.
Thank you all I will bring the 16 gauge with me. I'm no sniper but I'm a decent shot. Seems like .410 would have been a wasted trip
Stroll in the woods with shotgun in hand is never a wasted trip. Have fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by gprice
What choke is your 16ga? The more open the choke the better your odds. Everyone thinks they are a decent shot till they take up southern Ontario grouse hunting, then after the first few flushes leave you babbling and stumbling around all cut up and the box of shells you had are gone scattered in the tree trunks, you will then come to the conclusion that A- they are not grouse but some sort of cyborg alien creature and B if you do kill one it's because it wanted it to happen.Quote:
Originally Posted by gprice
Grouse definitely taste better when harvested with a sixteen gauge!
D.
Southern grouse can be a humbling bird quite honestly wouldn't hunt them with out my dog. Have given up on crossing shots but going away shots are golden. They tend to fly straight so a disappearing bird is a preferred shot of course its because I can send the dog looking for the downed bird. Always a bonus bird when targeting woodcock.
I must have been hungry last night, I forgot to mention about cover. Conifers near the food are also good places to look.
While clay shooting, particularly SC and/or Skeet can hone reflexes for Wingshooting, however, the practice of shooting from "gun down" may prepare one bettter for the field. As far as Trap is concerned, I'm afraid one is simply shooting at a going away target and that may simulate less than 1% of Upland scenario. Birds in the wild aren't predictable in terms of a flush particularly when there is no advantage of a bird dog.
One may observe that the Ruffed Grouse, upon a flush, apparently more often than not, manages to place every type of cover i.e. tree trunk/bush etc between itself and the gun during flight. :) As already suggested, a 20 or 16 etc equipped with IC choke and loaded with #7.5 or #8 will serve to somewhat lessen the odds. If/when opportunity presents, do not hesitate to shoot (safely of course) through/at :) trees and branches keeping the momentum of the swing (follow through). Couple pellet hits in the vitals will drop the bird....Ruffed Grouse is not hard to kill. Locating a downed bird with out a dog, specially during the early season will be a challenge.
No hunting is easy and personally I like the challenge of the southern grouse and I also hunt them near you as well. That been said I don't use a dog and still managed to get my fair share to take home. The best thing If you don't have a dog is to hunt with a friend, look for the right habitat like young forest and transition zones were thick un walkable forest meets open areas or scattered bush like young cedars. Look for there poop they tend not to be far. I learn something new every year hunting these grouse and so will you. Yes its frustrating but what isn't LOL good luck
Leave that 7.5 crap at home. #6 all the way!
Some use 8's and 9's sometimes.
I'm with Cass on this one. #6's however when woodcock a the primary target I do run 8 's and 7 1/2 upfront.
An ounce of lead #6 has 225 pellets and an ounce of lead #8 has 410 pellets in it. Woodcock are pretty small so the more pellets in your pattern the less chance they have of flying through alive. A grouse will die just as quick from a #8 pellet as a #6 pellet. I use #6 on pheasant but usually #8 for grouse and woodcock.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cass
And such view is based upon what?Quote:
Originally Posted by Cass
Well I use my 16 or 20 full chokes with 4 or 5 and have always been successful. However I have rarely shot one on the fly usually I spot and stalk almost like still hunting for deer. I walk a few meters and then stop and listen scanning the trees and listening for the rustling of the leaves. I can usually spot them and just point slightly above their heads.
I use 7 1/2 for grouse ... quality target shells work for me. They kill, if I hit.
Re the 410, as I see it gauge is about range. The farther downrange the targrt is the sparser the pattern gets and a 410 just doesn't have the pattern density.
I use #6 as well but nothing wrong with 7.5 or even 8's. I have used all of them in the past but #6 are my favourite.
Don't u find with 6, 7,8 that your grouse is chalk full of shot?
Depends ... most of the time, my grouse contain no shot at all. :)
Closer in, it could make a mess. But hunting over a flushing dog with birds that tend to flush wild and cover in the way means a lot fewer pellets getting to the bird.
Actually, the method I just described is a great way to get some upland hunting in without the bother of cleaning birds....
I hunt grouse up north mainly. When shooting them off the ground or a branch I aim to miss so that just a few pellets remove the head. I've been using the same gun and shells for this for probably 10 years so I've figured out how it hits. It took a couple seasons to get there however, so yes I did pepper a few in the beginning.Quote:
Originally Posted by greatwhite
I often put a #5 behind the #6 for a longer distance wingshot in the thick stuff, which is extremely rare where I hunt.
Personal experience fella. I don't know what it is about 7.5s but I can't knock anything down with them. Definitely prefer #6. I use a full choke though as well so I'm a bit odd lolQuote:
Originally Posted by sharps4570
How many of you use a 20 gauge? I've always used a 12, but I've kinda got my eye on a 20 at the moment. Just concerned about the versatility of it and whether or not I should just stick with a 12. I'd like to pick up a sxs or o/u, so would it be better to stick with 12 or would a 20 be the way to go?
Attachment 26623Attachment 26624I seem to remember some old saying along the lines Be weary of the man with 1 gun as he knows how to use it best. My go to gun for upland is the old FN 12 I started shooting the day I turned 15. That gun can find the mark pretty much on its own now. Picked up a .410 last year Although found it a joy to carry it just didn't feel right mounted clunky seem the fight me I guess being new and unfamiliar just didn't feel right. Guess with practice and time would make for a nice upland however going to go back to the old 12 heck if it anit broke don't fix it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cass
The 20g will handle any upland hunting you can ask of it. Other than waterfowl there is no need for a 12 gauge.
Whats the difference in pellet counts between 12 and 20? Say with a #6 or 7.5
Here is a chart of pellet counts.
http://shotshell.drundel.com/pelletcount.htm
If you are hunting woodcock with a full choked 12 gauge in the cover they are normally found then when you do manage to actually hit one you must be basically destroying the bird. You need to get yourself a gun with open chokes. Cyl or Improved Cyl at the most. My woodcock gun is a 20g choked Skeet/Cyl. I usually shoot 1 0z loads of #8 or 7/8 of #9 for woodcock. Grouse I would have 1 oz of 7.5 but a 7/8 load will be just as effective.
7/8 oz of shot has the same pellet count out of a 12 or 20
Depends on the load. You can shoot an once in either the 20 or 12 and will have the exact same amount of pellets if they are the same size of shot. An ounce of #7.5 is the same as an ounce of 7.5 whether its in a 20 or 12.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cass
Using a dog will help you a lot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gprice
I have a Bichon Frise :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Grasu200
He came with my wife lol. I told her when he dies I'm getting a real dog.
Grouse hunting sure seems to be fun I can't wait to get out and learn more. Thanks for all the input. I need to get back out to the property I hunt on soon to do some scouting. I haven't been out since the last day of the spring turkey season since I've been busy getting my ATT. Hopefully I can post some success photos or at least a great story from the experience
I use a 12g because it's what I have with an IC choke. You can often drive up a northern road and see them standing on the edge of the gravel. Down here in SO it's a bit tougher. My Jack Russell loves a good walk and will sometimes stumble into a grouse. He's certainly not a bird dog! If you stumble upon one it sounds like a helicopter taking off beside you....and then it's gone.
I use a .17 hmr, my .410 will never see the light of day again.
Don't think you'd get many southern birds with a 17 hmr
Lol. Ya they are all dumb northern birds. Definitely never shot one flying.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cass