Starting out grouse hunting

[Cass]

Leave that 7.5 crap at home. #6 all the way!

[kickingfrog]

Some use 8's and 9's sometimes.

[finsfurfeathers]

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.

[terrym]

Leave that 7.5 crap at home. #6 all the way!

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.

[sharps4570]

Leave that 7.5 crap at home. #6 all the way!

And such view is based upon what?

[greatwhite]

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.

[welsh]

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.

[mox72]

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.

[greatwhite]

Don't u find with 6, 7,8 that your grouse is chalk full of shot?

[welsh]

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....