Grouse Etiquette

Ethics are a personal thing. I went many a season only shooting a flushed bird. Then we had some lean years, all day hunting and only 1-2 flushes. BUT there goes another ATV (4wheeler) putting down the trail. Or the Nimrod shooting from the road.
Nowadays i don't make a big deal about a bird on the ground. Just don't take to many. Think of the youngsters that would like to see a few birds.
personally i don't like hunting over a dog. You miss a lot of nature when you have to be focused on that soup hound. Yes you will probably be more successfully (bag) but hey, its your hunt, Hunt the way you enjoy.
 
It's still hunting if you nail them on the ground...when was the last time you "winged" a deer???:D You still have to "hunt" to find them...I can't tell the difference in the pan or on the grill whether I shot em on the ground or the air...But NEVER NEVER NEVER shoot them on the ground if you are hunting with dogs...Good way to kill a dog...:(
 
I hunted grouse for many years without a dog, and about 8 years with one, then she died and I haven't hunted birds with a dog since. We always hunted for meat. When we hunted with the dog NOTHING got shot on the ground. Every time we hunted without a dog the SOP was, run like a rabbit, die like a rabbit. That went for pheasants also.......
 
"if you want to eat a bird go buy a chicken"???:mad: How in the heck do you make a nasty azz commercially grown chicken taste like a dove or grouse? Some one been eatin' my brownies? If you are so dang set on shooting flyers go shoot some clays and boil them up! Same difference huh? I ain't never once hunted over dogs for birds and have shot a pretty equal amount of flying birds and grounded birds... I never once heard any one say MMMMM this chicken tastes just like grouse!
Brent
 
Geez, I've never thought twice about it. Most I've shot were airborne, but I've nailed a few on the ground. Everyone I've ever hunted with shoots them on the ground, too. We had one guy in our party who used a Springer Spaniel. We were all just very careful and aware of him (the spaniel). Heck, last time out my dad nailed three grouse one right after the other with his 870 before they ever knew what was going on. He was my idol that day. I was so flabbergasted at his speed that I didn't even get to raise my Stoeger 12 gauge double. I think if you're careful enough you're not going to accidentally shoot a dog.
 
Next thing you know, someone is going to come up w/ a rule that you got to shoot turkey on the wing...LOL:D...Before someone beats me to it...no, I won't shoot a turkey on the roost...It's illegal. If it were legal, I might...but since it's not, I won't...and don't...
 
I'm betting the ones listed below also own $6oo Orvis fly rods and would never utlize bait to teach their child the love of fishing. The point is,,, to each his own. I couldn't care less what you use or how you teach your child, it's his loss, not mine. What does tend to tweek my shorts is when you've set up a cold camp during bow season( shouldn't have to explain this) and a high dollar grouse hunter with his 2K pointing labs sets up 100 yds upstream from you and sets up at the creek and meadow that you just spent three nights listening to the elk come into. The first thing he does is lites a bonfire big enough to light up a small country Point is, there are bigger issues in terms of hunter etiquette than whether or not someone blasts a grouse on the ground.


"Some of these types get a bit impatient with the guy that is trying to teach his kid how to shoot clays with the Remington 870 as they stand their with their $3,000 O/U's rolling their eyes at each other. I've seen it first hand.
elkman
 
Hunted grouse for years in B. C. I used shotgun and a dog but accepted way was a good 22rf and head shoot 'em on the ground or in a tree. Locals could not understand my method! Ruffs (willow grouse) are great birds! I converted a few. And, I took a few with my 22rf! Good eating.

Recipe for Blue Grouse from an old timer there. Put grouse and a clean river rock in pot and bring to boil, then simmer overnight. Toss the Blue and eat the rock! Not too far out! :D
 
elkman...I feel your pain...I ran across one of those jerks at the gun club not to far back...I had just bought a new shotgun, and was trying to "learn" the pattern. This guy w/ his 3 o/u's was threating to have me kicked out for shooting two rounds at a clay...I told him I don't give a rats @$$ what he said. The club rules simply state no more than 2 shells...this is not a competition, I got here first, if you don't like it, go to another station. I'm trying to learn the new pattern of this gun. IF I ever see someone doing that crap when a kid/new shooter is involved, I'll be the first one coming to their defense. Kids/new shooters are key to the survivial of our sport. These premadona's (sp??) had didn't start off being experts either...And I'll gladly remind of that fact...:mad:
 
I've done a nice job w/ my sister's Stevens side by side. double triger & all. I don't knock stoegers...They're great guns. Do they have choke tubes?
 
Uppity snobs could end up seeing the white whale in my presence! I am real quick to stand for the "under dog"! I hope someone is there to back me up the day I have some snooty prick breathing down my neck when I try my hand at clays with my all black 500 18.5 inch barrel...
As for fish bait... if you are so SORRY a fisherman that you cannot procure the local bait species on yer own... YOU SIMPLY SUCK! I have a dozen methods to catch my bait and only one involves buying CRAP at walmart only designed to catch benjamin fish...
Brent
 
U guys haven't hunted Moutain quail

They will not fly, they stay on the ground in thick brush and where I hunt if U do shoot a flying bird the terrian is so steep you are looking at a long march thru impassiable brush, and if you don't have a dog U will not find the bird.

occasionaly on will flush over a skid trail where a flying shot is possible, but if U waited for Mtn. quail to flush you might only need a hand full of shells all season.

SO what is more ethical shooting a bird you can find or shooting birds for coyotes
 
Uppity with claymores

Uppity .... I won't eat a Ruffed (Willow) Grouse that is not shot with a side by side! 20g or 28g preferably. :D:D

Pheasants, a good O/Uis okay.

Quail, 28G SxS or O/U!

Chukar ... I like claymores for those goats!!! After chasing them from hilltop to hilltop just want to ring the hilltop and blow them away.

Sparrows and Meadowlarks ... 410 bore. Model 42 (the Winc, not the Brn). By the way Meadowlarks taste better than dove! My G-Mother would cook anyhthing I brought home.
 
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I'm not opposed to it... I like shooting birds on the wing because it challenges me but so does sneaking up on them.
 
I get them in the air!!:D Yeah I got a couple of "bird hunters" ticked this year, mostly because I reamed them for loosing birds they shot :) mine NEVER get away. My reason for bring more than a pump is to make sure the bird I do shoot goes down and stays down, I hate lossing birds that I know I hit, so I use more gun to make sure.

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