Shotgun or Rimfire?

[WOOKIE]

When you all are hunting upland birds, do you use a shotgun or a .22? I have always used a 22. I think it wrecks much less meat.

[BlueNorther]

If you're talking ruffies and spruce grouse I'll use a .22,but all other upland game is strictly shotgun hunting.

If you're damaging too much meat using a shotgun,you're using to big of shot or shooting them too close.

[WOOKIE]

If you're talking ruffies and spruce grouse I'll use a .22,but all other upland game is strictly shotgun hunting.

If you're damaging too much meat using a shotgun,you're using to big of shot or shooting them too close.

Yeah, I was talking generally of Ruffies.

[Hubbard]

Judo points are always on two of my arrows when im out west hunting. hones your aim and is quit

[alwayshunting]

I always use my 12 gauge with a modified choke and no# 6 shot. It gives me a large spread pattern and the pellets don't damage the meat for ruff grouse that is. It also helps in praticing for duck and goose hunting. It also allows me to shoot woodcock and rabbits as I am walking through the bush. The BUSH the greatest place on earth. Boy I miss hunting and can't wait till the opener.

[394-NTELK]

9 out of 10 times i'll use the shotgun 12g 7 1/2 shot .

[bdoa]

Wookie aim for the head..LOL

I like to use both, but I have seen too many birds fly off after being hit with a bad 22 shot to the body, and die out of sight.. for my 22 I bought a nice high power scope, now I can get a good head shot every time.. and with the shotgun I use a cheap a$$ed wallmart bulk pack 71/2 load, seems to work just fine..

[Mikey]

I've always used my .22

never had much need for anything else ...never been duck or goose hunting ....

[BlueNorther]

I've Always got a 410 shotgun handy in camp or in the rack of my quad for chickens.Nothing better'n fresh grouse breast fried in bacon fat and eggs for breakfast.I think I look forward to that more than slamming a bambie.

[Whitetailer]

I agree that a .22 often leaves birds wounded and they vanish. I do tons of bird hunting every year and all I use is a 12 ga.

There are 2 scools of thought when it comes to shot size and choke choice.
1> small pellets 7 1/2 and smaller and tighter chokes. The theory here is smaller pellets do less damage.

2> Huge pellets and open chokes. This one is pretty uncommon but my personal fav. for grouse. I shot an open choke short barrel and BBB shot. My theory is that you only need a pellet or 2 to kill a grouse, they're not very well put together. I want as few pellets as possible to hit the bird. I only shoot them in the air, and I let them get out a ways from me before I pull the trigger, then I overlead and usually only a couple pellets connect. This isn't recomended if you don't have a good dog, as sometimes the birds pile up in thick bush 30 yards plus from you. They're impossible to mark and Ruffies blend in better than real tree, you won't find most of them yourself. To date, I've only lost 1 or 2 birds this way, and no matter how had you try, you'll always lose the odd one, even if you pot them on the road.

Anybody else goin bird huntin in early sept?

[pockets]

I am going to try to get out, but my lab is 10 1/2 and not doing too well, so I don't know if she will be up for it. I've never went without her before so it might be strange. :cry: :cry:

[skywrench]

Anybody else goin bird huntin in early sept?

You bet Whitetailer, I'll be at Camp Wainwright for the Labor Day grouse hunt, after that it's Huns, Sharpies and Ruff's till the season closes. Hey Pockets, I know what you mean - going hunting without your dog, it just isn't the same, they are the only hunting partner I've ever known that was ready to go any time I wanted to! There's was two years straight where I didn't hunt big game 'cause I felt too guilty leaving the mutt at home so I'd grab the shotgun and we'd have a great time. After my first Shorthair died there was a couple year window where I was dogless and I didn't hunt birds at all, the experience isn't the same and I couldn't stomach the thought of losing birds.

As far as .22 vs shotgun goes it has already been stated everybody has their preference but once you gone out with a good dog, the shotgun is what finishes the picture. I currently use:
Ruffies - 12 ga - 1 oz target loads, #8 shot, Imp. Cyl./Mod choke (if I had a dedicated Ruffie gun I'd choke it Skeet/Imp. Cyl.) they can be tough to hit but are easy to kill if you're on target. I've also had good results with 20 ga and met one fellow that swore by a 28 ga. Seeing his success, I couldn't argue and as I said, they are easy to kill and the smaller guns are a dream to carry.
Sharptail - 12 ga - 1 1/8 oz Express, #6 shot, Imp.Cyl./Mod. choke. These guys are a bit tougher and tend to be very spooky so you'll find long flushes are the norm and I like the extra energy the sixes deliver (at least my success ratio increased dramatically when I went to them)
Huns - 12 ga - 1 1/8 oz Express, #6 or 7 1/2 shot, Imp. Cyl/Mod. choke. I find them to be a spooky, tough little bird that takes a little extra killing particularly when the late season flushes are way out there.
The Secretary of Finance says one double is enough right now so I've chosen a 12 ga but a 20 would work fine on Sharpies and Huns. Kind of a long winded first post but you get going on bird hunting and.......

Cheers - skywrench

[shaun_300]

I have always used a 20ga or a 12ga. Unless I pop one off with the .300 WSM when I'm deer hunting.... gotta make sure you hit'em in the head though! :lol:

[duffy4]

I bought my kids a short little .22 single shot to teach them shooting skills. I have been using it to shoot grouse some of the time. However I do have a little .410 double that I use a lot. Espesially if I am driving along and see a bird on the road side. It is not legal in many cases to use a .22 along certian roadways where a shotgun is OK. In Alberta you are not allowed to get off your quad (Off Highway Vehicle) and shoot a firearm. You must be 50 yards from it. When grouse numbers are up, shooting them with a bow is a lot of fun.

Robin

[pockets]

I like the 20 gauge for ruffies as the gun swings up quick and gets on em fast, but I like heavier shot that will cut thru leaves and crap and hit em hard so they stay put, hard to get a shot on the head when they flush and start flying thru the trees.
For pheasants I use the 12 gauge with lighter shot as they are in the open more and you can get a better shot and they flush close usually. and the 12 gauge for sharptails as they flush pretty far sometimes.

[ACC3-28]

I like my 20 guage bretta for grouse. It's accurate, light to carry in the bush....making it easy to maover as well, and doesn't do alot of damage.

[steve66]

i prefer to use a .22 just adds a bit more of a challenge

[fltsgtbriggs]

i use a .22 air rifle called a crosman 2240

[RubberDuck]

410 and you could pick one up (a single shot) for $150 new.

[Wildfoot]

12ga full choke #7 1/2 shot or #6 if the bush is dense.

I shot over 100 grouse this fall and i bet only about 10% caught a pellet in the breast.

I shot 2 birds that had been wounded by .22's though. Both were very skinny and had large pus filled wounds in the breast.