my 1st try at grouse

hey everyone,

Ever since i saw a turkey run across the road on the way to our family cottage i thought about hunting but it was always on the back burner since i didn't know anyone that hunts. I ended up selling a couple of ice augers to a gentleman that hunts and my step son was with me and showed some serious interest so i booked the courses and am now trying to make my 1st harvest.

I struck out this spring on turkeys but did actually call some birds in and even had my used mossberg 500 to my shoulder but just didn't get the shot i needed. While i was turkey hunting i did flush some grouse and made a mental note of where to come back when the season opens since i have a small game license.

This afternoon was my only chance to get out and it was really wet walking but i kept busting through what i thought was good grouse habitat and out of the corner my eye in the distance i saw a bird flush, didn't hear it with my earplugs, i turned and got a glimpse of the colours and thought yup that's what i'm hunting for, maybe next time i'll actually react and get the gun up. I didn't see exactly where it went and kept at it but didn't get a 2nd flush. About an hour later i made a triple bird flush and got my gun up the safety off and like the rookie i am i missed, between being startled and trying to decide which bird to shoot at i burned up the precious time i needed. I did get a couple more flushes out of the same birds but each one was further and further away since the birds were already on alert, oh well a bunch of lessons learned, i try to congratulate myself on finding birds and getting a chance.

well back to t.i.t.s. for more practice and i'll start shooting from a low hold instead of shouldering my gun before i call for the bird, man i can't wait ill the skeet is open there so i can practice pumping and shooting again, but nothing except real experience can get you ready birds flushing when you least expect it.

thanks for reading and happy hunting

Ya the grouse can kinda scare the crap out of you !lol I have missed many and probably continue to miss many more.:) But you enjoyed your hunting experience and thats what really matters. Good luck on your next hunt and thanks for the hunting story.

Leave the plugs in the truck next time. You can hear a lot of things the grouse are doing before they flush. Listen for them in the leaves, occasionally they'll "coo" or whatever you'd like to call that noise when they're startled. Walk slow. Stop often. Listen and watch.

Best of luck

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Originally Posted by mbhunter

Leave the plugs in the truck next time. You can hear a lot of things the grouse are doing before they flush. Listen for them in the leaves, occasionally they'll "coo" or whatever you'd like to call that noise when they're startled. Walk slow. Stop often. Listen and watch.

Best of luck

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Good advice mbhunter but your description reminds me of Elmer Fud. :)

Agree with the ear plug comment. Hunting no matter what the game you need full use of your ears especially grouse. Forget the ear plugs. You certainly won't experience hearing damage from the amount of shooting associated with grouse and woodcock hunting.

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Originally Posted by yellow dog

Good advice mbhunter but your description reminds me of Elmer Fud. :)

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Compliment accepted!

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Originally Posted by Cass

Agree with the ear plug comment. Hunting no matter what the game you need full use of your ears especially grouse. Forget the ear plugs. You certainly won't experience hearing damage from the amount of shooting associated with grouse and woodcock hunting.

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X3 It's really important to be able to hear what is going on around you. Grouse are a pretty challenging bird to shoot.

Yep you want to use your ears and eyes for grouse, and southern grouse in particular. Walk slow, look lots and then slow down some more. I think in the north, because there are more birds and they don't flush quite as easily, covering more area often is the more productive option. In the south I'll also work a lot harder to follow a flush since there is a good chance (especially without a dog) that I might only see/hear a bird or two the whole day.

Last year I lost track of how many times I was out, and how many flushes, I had before I got my first one down. I might go out today after work because the one thing I know for sure is I'll never get one sitting at home.

I find my ears are more irritated by friends shooting beside me than the gun on my own shoulder. You should be okay without them. keep at it. Much more of a challenge to shoot a flushed grouse than one sitting on the road, have a blast!

I've been at it a few years, but yesterday was my own first 2014 outing with my young apprentice hunter. She carried the 20ga all day, and, after a 2-1/2 hour hike, we flushed 2. She didn't get a shot off (I doubt I would have either if I were the one with the shotgun) and that was it. An hour into the 2-1/2 hour hike back...it started to rain hard. We were soggy, cold and birdless when we arrived back at my truck...and within 5 minutes of changing into dry clothes, I was being asked when we're going out again. Nothing like a kid to remind you what youthful optimism is all about. :)

I'd say keep at it, I know I am. If I factor in last season (no birds in 5 hunts) I know I'm a glutton for punishment..maybe the biggest glutton I know. Maybe my apprentice needs a new mentor! :) On a side note, I was fishing north of Sault Ste. Marie about 10 days ago and having putting in about 15kms on the boots up there...I can confirm what everyone says about northern birds vs. southern birds. The ones we encountered up there (only armed with a fly rod) wouldn't move off the trail until you were about 8' away from them. Man....I wish some of those things would fly south!

You got out, and saw birds, that's a success in itself, good luck on the rest of the season, and yea, ditch the plugs :)

I love to hunt grouse. I was out deer hunting this week and it would seem this years there are more grouse in the area I hunt. Most years I only see one or two but the first day out this year and I saw 8 only shot 1 but still a good sign.

Keep trying. Sash. Eventually you'll connect. It's been almost 60 years since I killed my 1st grouse and I still remember it clearly!

If you think only rookies miss you got a long road ahead of you. I almost always miss my first bird of the season. It's becoming a tradition I'm always rushing to get that first one. One time I was only 6' from the bird and in a hurry because I didn't want it to fly so I didnt the level out the barrel and shot straight over its head. Luckily it was a dumb spruce partridge so I got it with he second shot... And by one time I mean last weekend, I was a little embarrassed.

They're not called the ghosts of mother nature for nothing! Good job on locating and getting the crap scared out of you. They still do the same to me. HA I agree, ditch the plugs you need all your senses!

PS. It gets easier when the leaves fall

HAppy hunting

I also hunt with hearing protection... Howard Lieght Impact Sports.

Not to start any arguments but hearing protection is better left to the range. To shut off a sense as important as hearing while hunting is neither safe nor responsible.

I wear hearing protection at home when i get back from a day of hunting. My wife complains that i don't hear a thing.:)

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Originally Posted by GrouseWhisperer

Man....I wish some of those things would fly south!

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They aren't that dumb! :)

I would forget the safety too, if you learn how to hold a gun, in a safe direction, you don't need it. The only time you need it it's when you cross an obstacle and technically you should remove you ammo from the gun.

The safety comes off as you mount the gun. Easy.

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Originally Posted by welsh

The safety comes off as you mount the gun. Easy.

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Not always. Some dummy I know had a grouse flushed right at him today by his loyal spanner and never got a shot off cuz he forgot about the safety.... First decent shot I would've had a bird yet this season and I blew it lol. Still looking for training material on how to teach a dog to shoot.

Practice makes perfect. :)

Honestly, the safety goes off when the gun goes up and on when it goes down, and I don't even think about it.

Eventually it is second nature and it helps to have a safety on the tang....... And a dog that points that way you can finish your coffee, load the gun and walk up flush the bird, safety off shoot and miss the bird.

A gun supposed t be pointing at a safe direction all the time, even if you fell on your butt, and never count on the safety, never!!! So, no need for a safety on but on few occasions.....

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Originally Posted by seabast

A gun supposed t be pointing at a safe direction all the time, even if you fell on your butt, and never count on the safety, never!!! So, no need for a safety on but on few occasions.....

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" I would forget the safety too, if you learn how to hold a gun, in a safe direction, you don't need it. The only time you need it it's when you cross an obstacle and technically you should remove you ammo from the gun"
I agree on the never count on the safety comment. However to knowingly walk around with a loaded firearm with the safety in the fire position to save a millisecond is irresponsible and is a bad example for new hunters who read your comments.

I have developed the habit of walking with my thumb on the safety,essentially locking it on as I walk.

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Originally Posted by seabast

I would forget the safety too, if you learn how to hold a gun, in a safe direction, you don't need it. The only time you need it it's when you cross an obstacle and technically you should remove you ammo from the gun.

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That is a very irresponsible comment and a foolish, dangerous way to hunt. The safety should always be "on" until the gun is mounted and pointed ... a flick of the thumb or finger and it is off, no time wasted.

Jumping a ditch or crossing a fence with a shell in the chamber is crazy. Always, always unload before crossing an obstacle. It's been a long time since I took the hunter safety course, but I am certain these are basic, fundamental safety rules.

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Originally Posted by trkyhntr21

Eventually it is second nature and it helps to have a safety on the tang....... And a dog that points that way you can finish your coffee, load the gun and walk up flush the bird, safety off shoot and miss the bird.

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Agreed. New gun so I'm just not used to it. I pulled up like it was my old one.

Just wait till you switch from a pump to a semi or o/u and try and pull the forearm off trying to chamber another shell lol.

Yeah I went from a single shot cooey to a semi. No safety on the cooey, just pull back the hammer when its game time. Going to have to get used to this one lol. It was pretty embarrassing - I could've hit the bird out of the air with the barrel!

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Originally Posted by seabast

A gun supposed t be pointing at a safe direction all the time, even if you fell on your butt, and never count on the safety, never!!! So, no need for a safety on but on few occasions.....

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If you're falling, or stumbling,and you don't even have control of your own body, you sure as $#@_! don't have control of the muzzle direction.

I wouldn't suggest anyone rely on the safety as foolproof, but human beings are less reliable still.

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Originally Posted by seabast

I would forget the safety too, if you learn how to hold a gun, in a safe direction, you don't need it. The only time you need it it's when you cross an obstacle and technically you should remove you ammo from the gun.

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What good reason could you come up with to walk around with a loaded firearm and not use the safety? This kind of advice is best kept to yourself and hopefully you hunt alone.

Many people hunt with the safety off and in my hunter safety course the instructor recommended covering the trigger with your hand while walking. This way you are ready for a flush and walking through thick brush will not set the trigger off because your hand is covering the trigger.

I cannot believe the amount of morons that are advocating walking around with the safety off... It's starting to make sense on how we have so many so called "accidents" and that they can be directly linked to stupidity.

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Originally Posted by yellow dog

Many people hunt with the safety off and in my hunter safety course the instructor recommended covering the trigger with your hand while walking. This way you are ready for a flush and walking through thick brush will not set the trigger off because your hand is covering the trigger.

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Your instructor should have his license pulled if he is suggesting having the safety off and just covering the trigger while walking through thick brush.

Well hes been teaching the course for 35 years plus with no incidents . You would be surprised how many people hunt that way.

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Originally Posted by trkyhntr21

I cannot believe the amount of morons that are advocating walking around with the safety off... It's starting to make sense on how we have so many so called "accidents" and that they can be directly linked to stupidity.

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+1000.....

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Originally Posted by trkyhntr21

I cannot believe the amount of morons that are advocating walking around with the safety off... It's starting to make sense on how we have so many so called "accidents" and that they can be directly linked to stupidity.

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+1 on this.

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Originally Posted by yellow dog

Well hes been teaching the course for 35 years plus with no incidents . You would be surprised how many people hunt that way.

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How do you know theres no been no incidents? Or maybe his students are smart enough to realize its a terrible idea to wander around with the safety off.

I for one, would not hunt with anyone who hunted with the safety off. TERRIBLE IDEA.

If you can't figure out how to flick the saftey off while shouldering your firearm, then you probably shouldnt be hunting. Its not rocket science or a difficult physical situation to figure out.

You can't fix stupid

I've been hunting for a number of years and I still miss (ahem, twice this weekend - the dog hates me for it!). Don't wear ear plugs, you can listen for the birds rustling on the forest floor in leaves, hear where they flush and sometimes hear them settle in the trees.
If you know your property well enough, and flush a bird but don't get a shot off at it, don't be afraid to mark where it flew and go after it. I learned today that the buggers in our bush lot fly far, much farther than I expected, sometimes land on the ground again, and sometimes not, and that they bird that gets flushed 5 times deserves to live!!! LOL.

As far as the safety on the gun goes, it is on until I am ready to shoot and when I have a presentable safe shot then I take it off for my shot, after the bird is shot before I move my feet again, it goes back on. Is a stupid grouse really worth you or someone else getting injured? To me, if you don't get your safety off fast enough for a shot because of a sneaky grouse popping up then you need to go back to hunter safety course 101. It's simply not worth it. Keep it on until you can shoot safely.

For bird hunting, the tang safety is the easiest to flick off during a flush. However, there are many folks who are equally adept at switching off the safety located on a trigger guard. At times, there may be exceptions, particularly where external hammer shotguns are being used.

Nevertheless, other than a scenario where there may be a need to stalk dangerous game that has been wounded, there is no valid reason for moving around in the bush with the safety off regardless of how careful one may be interms of muzzle control.

Many years ago, an individual walking in our group, stumbled on a root and discharged his shotgun (safety was off).....this person was one staunch advocate of walking around with a loaded firearm with the safety off during wingshooting but he was extremely diligent with where his barrels pointed! However, on that occasion, the bird shot hit a beehive :) up in a mango tree we were passing by.....it was a cold winter morning and all four of us in the group had to dive into a fish pond to lessen the stings!

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Originally Posted by blasted_saber

+1 on this.



How do you know theres no been no incidents? Or maybe his students are smart enough to realize its a terrible idea to wander around with the safety off.

I for one, would not hunt with anyone who hunted with the safety off. TERRIBLE IDEA.

If you can't figure out how to flick the saftey off while shouldering your firearm, then you probably shouldnt be hunting. Its not rocket science or a difficult physical situation to figure out.

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I don't know if theres been no incident only relaying what was being taught. Don't shoot the messenger lol. I do both, cover the trigger with my hand in case i forget to put the safety on.

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Originally Posted by Cass

You can't fix stupid

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Thats my line you can't use it Cass. lol

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Originally Posted by yellow dog

I don't know if theres been no incident only relaying what was being taught. Don't shoot the messenger lol. I do both, cover the trigger with my hand in case i forget to put the safety on.

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I apolgioze if I came off a little harsh....I just think thats one of the most ridiculous things ive ever heard, coming from a Firearms instructor, its even worse.

No problem apology accepted.

So many advocates for leaving the safety on, yet everyone seems to be just fine with no hearing protection!?
I hunt solo 99% of the time and my safety is off 99% of the time.
I shoot right handed so there is always an ear plug in my right ear.
Don't wish to lose any more of my hearing, thank you very much!

If I am walking on dry leaves myself, how the heck am I supposed to hear a grouse rustle the leaves 40 yards away? How will I tell if it's not a chipmunk?! 30 years of hunting grouse and I have never heard one other than when they flush or make soft clucking sounds when alarmed and nearby. Ear protection has never hindered my ability to hunt them!!!

When hunting with others (rare for me) I want to see everyone control the muzzles of their guns at ALL TIMES, plus everyone keeps the safety ON until the gun is shouldered and ready to fire. I wear two earplugs in such occasions as well. ;)

No safety ? really? Hope your life insurance is up to date. My finger is constantly checking to ensure that the safety is still engaged while hunting and I don't believe I have lost any shooting opportunities because I had to disengage the safety. If you hunt this way please do it alone and don't pass on this piece of wisdom to any new /young hunters.

I won't hunt nor do I want to be in the woods with hunters who dont use a safety. What good reason could there be to "not" use it?

Hawkman, I would have to respectfully disagree, and argue that, being able to hear, unimpeded, is part of safety. Being able to hear other hunters, or determine shot direction should another go off, is crippled when you plug an ear.

And I'm with the masses, the safety doesn't come off my gun until it's shouldered and ready to shoot, a personal decision for me, but I don't snap it off on the shouldering either, once shouldered then I snap it off for just before the shot, and like most, it's force of nature to look and ensure "it's still on".

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Originally Posted by Hawkman

I shoot right handed so there is always an ear plug in my right ear.

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Wrong ear. If you must wear one plug, wear it in the off ear. It seems odd, but the off ear is the ear that gets more noise for most shooters.

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Originally Posted by Hawkman

So many advocates for leaving the safety on, yet everyone seems to be just fine with no hearing protection!? I hunt solo 99% of the time and my safety is off 99% of the time. I shoot right handed so there is always an ear plug in my right ear. Don't wish to lose any more of my hearing, thank you very much!

If I am walking on dry leaves myself, how the heck am I supposed to hear a grouse rustle the leaves 40 yards away? How will I tell if it's not a chipmunk?! 30 years of hunting grouse and I have never heard one other than when they flush or make soft clucking sounds when alarmed and nearby. Ear protection has never hindered my ability to hunt them!!!

When hunting with others (rare for me) I want to see everyone control the muzzles of their guns at ALL TIMES, plus everyone keeps the safety ON until the gun is shouldered and ready to fire. I wear two earplugs in such occasions as well. ;)

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You may agree that just by having a firearm safety ON (during a hunt) shouldn't be deemed as having rendered that as 100% safe. So many other factors form part of the equation too i.e. mechanical condition of the firearm being used, diligence in muzzle/trigger finger control at all times, being fully aware of surroundings etc etc. Having said that, with all other necessary precautions in place, technically, the safety switch is a foremost safety component that would prevent an accidental discharge.

It's a personal decision obviously, however, simply because one may hunt solo must not justify keeping the safety off. :) One example - I've observed instances in the field where an individual has leaned a loaded firearm against a tree in order to quickly relieve himself or to get rid of ants or leech inside one's clothing.......the firearm slid over from it's support falling to the ground with some force while the muzzle pointed dangerously at the person. One occasion, I encountered a Brown Cobra that suddenly slid down a vine only a few yards away......the fright caused me to jump backwards and fall on my back with the shotgun muzzle close to my face. Fortunately, in all those instances safety was on.

Ear plug use perspective, that could be well justified in hunt scenarios where high volume shooting may be involved (driven birds/duck blinds etc). For Grouse hunting, one would be considered lucky indeed to be able to fire off more than 5 shells in a given day! :)

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Originally Posted by welsh

Wrong ear. If you must wear one plug, wear it in the off ear. It seems odd, but the off ear is the ear that gets more noise for most shooters.

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This is my experience too. I think its because the right ear is in line with the muzzle but turned away so the high pressure sound wave doesn't hit the ear as much.

I can't help myself, I'm so bored at work today......

Was there also a second Brown Cobra that suddenly slid down your leg after that first encounter?:joker:

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Originally Posted by sharps4570

One occasion, I encountered a Brown Cobra that suddenly slid down a vine only a few yards away......the fright caused me to jump backwards and fall on my back with the shotgun muzzle close to my face. Fortunately, in all those instances safety was on.

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Originally Posted by sharps4570

One example - I've observed instances in the field where an individual has leaned a loaded firearm against a tree....

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In my army days, leaning a gun against anything was always strictly verboten for the obvious reason that it could fall or be knocked over. This is one of the most common of casual safety violations. Doesn't matter if the gun is unloaded if other people in your party can't see that it's unloaded at a glance. The only exception I make to this is briefly leaning a gun for a picture of dog and birds.

Incidentally, in my army days, the safety catch stayed on until the gun came to the shoulder ... we were trained that way.

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Originally Posted by chris1395

Was there also a second Brown Cobra that suddenly slid down your leg after that first encounter?:joker:

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Underpants remained unsoiled during that particular incident. :) However, it came very close to that when a cobra had decided to use the platform of our waterfowl boat to cross over to the other side. Another time, during a beat for Red Jungle Fowl, when a Leopard had emerged from the tea bush less than ten yards away.

The challenge with hunting in the tropics was/is that the nearest medical facility is usually hundreds of miles away and proper road communication is mostly terrible to non-existent.

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Originally Posted by Hunter John

No safety ? really? Hope your life insurance is up to date. My finger is constantly checking to ensure that the safety is still engaged while hunting and I don't believe I have lost any shooting opportunities because I had to disengage the safety. If you hunt this way please do it alone and don't pass on this piece of wisdom to any new /young hunters.

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x2 Always checking to make sure the safety is on, would never want to hunt with someone who thinks otherwise. If you cant flick the safety off before you shoot you definitely need some practice at the range. Don't put others in harms way.

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Originally Posted by crayfish

If you cant flick the safety off before you shoot you definitely need some practice at the range.

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Actually at the range, as far as clay shooting is concerned, the safety catch is more of a hindrance and hardly used......a reason why shotguns with auto safety feature (usually on breechloading field models) aren't desirable.

Not all guns have a safety, I have an old single Cooey shotgun Hammer and there is no halfcock. It's either pulled back and loaded or not. No the gun isn't broken.

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Originally Posted by sharps4570

Actually at the range, as far as clay shooting is concerned, the safety catch is more of a hindrance and hardly used....

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Many dedicated target guns don't even have one ... but on the other hand, if you make a habit of using the safety for about 5000 rounds on the range, you will instil taking it off and putting it back on as you mount / lower the gun as an ironclad habit.

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Originally Posted by greatwhite

Not all guns have a safety....

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But would you suggest that this somehow means you shouldn't use it if it's there?

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Originally Posted by greatwhite

Not all guns have a safety, I have an old single Cooey shotgun Hammer and there is no halfcock. It's either pulled back and loaded or not. No the gun isn't broken.

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That's the safety right there, don't bring it back until you're ready.

Is anybody know how many people die a year because of a safety off, in %? Some #s would really show who are the idiots, the one that shot without seen but that had the safety on or the others....

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Originally Posted by seabast

Is anybody know how many people die a year because of a safety off, in %? Some #s would really show who are the idiots, the one that shot without seen but that had the safety on or the others....

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Such numbers, if available, would be meaningless. What percentage of fatal auto accidents is caused by driving while blindfolded? If that percentage is very small, does it mean that driving while blindfolded is safe? For the number of victims to be meaningful, we would have to compare the number of Darwin Award winners to the total population of Darwin candidates.

Google the word "innumerate."

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Originally Posted by sharps4570

You may agree that just by having a firearm safety ON (during a hunt) shouldn't be deemed as having rendered that as 100% safe. So many other factors form part of the equation too i.e. mechanical condition of the firearm being used, diligence in muzzle/trigger finger control at all times, being fully aware of surroundings etc etc. Having said that, with all other necessary precautions in place, technically, the safety switch is a foremost safety component that would prevent an accidental discharge.

It's a personal decision obviously, however, simply because one may hunt solo must not justify keeping the safety off. :) One example - I've observed instances in the field where an individual has leaned a loaded firearm against a tree in order to quickly relieve himself or to get rid of ants or leech inside one's clothing.......the firearm slid over from it's support falling to the ground with some force while the muzzle pointed dangerously at the person. One occasion, I encountered a Brown Cobra that suddenly slid down a vine only a few yards away......the fright caused me to jump backwards and fall on my back with the shotgun muzzle close to my face. Fortunately, in all those instances safety was on.

Ear plug use perspective, that could be well justified in hunt scenarios where high volume shooting may be involved (driven birds/duck blinds etc). For Grouse hunting, one would be considered lucky indeed to be able to fire off more than 5 shells in a given day! :)

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Yes and that is why i always cover the trigger with my hand just in case i forget to put the safety on.

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Originally Posted by seabast

I would forget the safety too, if you learn how to hold a gun, in a safe direction, you don't need it. The only time you need it it's when you cross an obstacle and technically you should remove you ammo from the gun.

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That's like saying if you learn to drive you don't need a seat belt or if you know how to swim you never need a life jacket. True, a safety should not be a primary means of protection but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be used. It's there for when things go wrong much like PPE in the workplace. Safe practices in any situation should always be multi level.

Hmmm.... I made a post earlier and got several comments. Apparently nobody bothered to READ the last paragraph of my post.
It is still there - UNEDITED - for those of you who care to go back and read and UNDERSTAND what I wrote.

To each his own I guess... I do not know a hunter safer than myself and teach and preach safety to ALL hunters young or old even if they dislike me for doing so. That will never stop!

My right ear has diminished hearing and my right ear used to ring every time I fired a gun. I have never been a prolific shooter and don't shoot trap or skeet regularly. When working in manufacturing my hearing was tested and the guy knew immediately that I shoot guns, due to my right ear failing some of the tests!

Since then I have been putting a rubber plug in my right ear - not the "wrong ear" for me - and guess what, no more ringing in MY RIGHT EAR after I shoot the gun. :)

I UNDERSTAND NOW ! :)