Grouse hunters

[Noobie]

When it comes to hunting grouse what do you fellas use to hunt them? How are you most effective hunting them? I do not have bird dogs, so that might answer some questions.

[asmith]

I always take my 10/22 and my 12 guage. I use the 22 when I'm road hunting, and the shotgun when I get out and hike. I always use 22 hollow points and 7.5 shot for the smaller grouse and 6 shot for blues.

[hatchdog]

If you have a partner walk both sides of a draw containing water or even just moist ground and try to flush them back and forth to each other. When road hunting always watch closely the places where the road crosses a wet or damp area, usually where the road does a switch back in a draw. This is known as a "Grouse Corner".

[Noobie]

I normally hunt grouse on iep or dnr land on Mt spokane. I got 1 on Sunday with the old marlin model 60 using cci 22 shorts and the bird just flopped. But I heard probably 15 or so and never caught a glimpse of them. I went trecking through the woods after them but after about 15 min of stumbling through the brush and seeing nothing I ventured back to the trail. I am planning on taking my 12 year old brother with me next time I head out. But the 12 year old mind set it overkill and he bought 3" turkey loads with a flite control wad for the grouse. But he won't listen to me when I tell him he doesn't need it that big

[Rigger28]

If you have a partner walk both sides of a draw containing water or even just moist ground and try to flush them back and forth to each other. When road hunting always watch closely the places where the road crosses a wet or damp area, usually where the road does a switch back in a draw. This is known as a "Grouse Corner".

Haha, we like to call areas like that "grousy" . It's funny how you can just drive down a road and tell there are going to be grouse.......although sometimes I'm like "what the hell, I can't believe there wasn't a grouse there"! I've only been out once this year, we saw 6 grouse but only one hung around long enough to become grouse nuggets! Winchester 1200 20ga using #7.5 shot, that's my normal load unless I'm using my .410 in which case I use #6 shot.

[Noobie]

Looks like a handful of good eating to me! Good job. I've hunted high and low on Mt spokane and mt kit Carson and the place I see them the most when deer hunting is by Blanchard Creek. So I'll put in my orthotics and get to hiking

[dmoua]

Got 3 blues yesterday while scouting for mule deer. I have always used a 10/22 for grouse.

[Noobie]

Good job! Is that up north? When I'm on Mt spokane I normally see spruce or ruffed. Do you use hallow points or solids when u use your 22?

[dmoua]

This is up way up north by Republic. I use hollow points for blue grouse. They are big and I prefer them to fall out of the tree instead of gliding off even after being hit with a fmj.

[Noobie]

Gotcha. I used solids the last time I went put because i sh*t one with a cci stinger and I only got 1 breast out of that bird. I always try for head shots but it was running across the trail so I just shot

[dmoua]

Yeah stingers are way too much even for bigger birds. The cci hollow points will past straight through them if you don't hit any bones. I usually shoot them out of the trees and from my experience with fmj's if they don't die right away they will just glide off to no man's land so for security I use hollow points for that extra expansion.

[Noobie]

Ok. I also used a stinger on a coyote that was a little too close to my goats and i dropped it with a neck shot.Do you scope your 22 or just use iron sights?

[dmoua]

I have a scope on my 22. Makes it alot easier to pick them out of trees when they are sitting up high.

[Noobie]

Ah. I plan on taking my little brother with me next time I head out. I hunt alot of iep land on the north side of Mt spokane. He's a decent shot but he tends to get buck fever every time he is not pointing at paper. I'm very excited because grouse hunting is virtually stress free so hopefully he will build his confidence behind the trigger

[dmoua]

That's awesome. We hunt a lot of IEP land as well during the late season hunts. But that's a good plan, gotta work their way up the totum pole and build confidence. That's how my gf started. Went from grouse to deer to bear. However I never let her take any shots that feels rushed. I got her shooting sticks to help with being steady and I always tell her to take her time. Takes a lot of patience for whoever is teaching but we've all been there. It's more frustrating for the one learning. Goodluck to you two. Post up some pictures.

[Noobie]

Sure thing! I've never posted pics so I'll have fun trying to figure that out lol

[Rigger28]

Put a few more ruffy's in the freezer.....

[Noobie]

Looks like good eating to me! Where'd you get those at?

[Rigger28]

Northern PO county, this is one of the best grouse years I have ever seen, thanks to a dryer spring we had a good hatch.