Munster927
Well-known member
Anyone make it out this weekend for the grouse and small game opener? I skipped this weekend but am eagerly waiting next weekend.
If there's one secret to shooting grouse it is...start mounting the gun at the SOUND of the flush, if you wait until you sight the bird, it's game over.I only usually hunt grouse once a season around the middle of October. I have a hell of a time harvesting grouse compared to roosters. Most of the time they flush with a whirrrr of wings, scare the crap out of me, and then I wheel around to try and spot it and never even see it flush. When I do get a shot off, its usually a bad one. I can count the number of grouse I've bagged the past 10 years on one hand.
I have to imagine that better conditions might result in more flushes and better success if you waited until some or most of the leaves fell. Cooler temps would be a lot more enjoyable too. It would have been sweltering out there last weekend.
I'm seriously impressed by anyone who consistently puts ruffed grouse in the bag. Those forest chickens are on a whole different level of hunting than pheasants are. A well trained pointing dog would be an invaluable asset in the grouse woods. It would allow the hunter to get into a good shooting position before the bird flushed.
Chyeah but 9 out of 10 flushes I don't even get a visual on the bird anyways so its kind of a moot point. lolIf there's one secret to shooting grouse it is...start mounting the gun at the SOUND of the flush, if you wait until you sight the bird, it's game over.
Well, yes, but you're not shooting the bird, you're shooting at the space the bird occupies. It's a Zen thing. Sorry, couldn't help it. LOLChyeah but 9 out of 10 flushes I don't even get a visual on the bird anyways so its kind of a moot point. lol
Don't remind me haha in my defense there were some branches in the way. He flew up into a spruce tree. My pattern probably got blown to pieces.Haha. Couldn't even tree swat a stationary target?!