Hunting ruffed grouse ( pats)

[too_pointer]

This is my main bird here in Michigan. If anyone has had the chance to hunt them, you know how challenging they are. Besides flying at mach speeds, you put up with heavy cover. I don't think there is a better bird to challenge your shooting
too_pointer

[Shaun_300]

they are my main bird here too. you are right! they are really challenging birds to hunt. it seems like just as you eyeball one, the bugger takes off then they fly like they are following giant zig-zag! they can be really smart, and REALLY dumb birds you can see them in the truck when your driving down the road and literally hit them sure is a challenging bird to hunt

[fisherguy]

Shaun that is because you live in the south. lol Ours see little hunting pressure and most times you can't get them to fly. I hunt with a .22 since most stay on the ground or fly into a tree 10 feet away. Sometimes late in the season they are a bit skittish and i switch to the 12 guage, but i don't hit too many then. A tasty bird for sure, and fun to hunt. I can't make em fly, but a .22 makes it a bit of a challenge on the ground.

[WILD_BILL]

We pert much just walk down the logging roads here to get them. They just sit there and commit suicide. The big old Blues are even dumber. Not too much of a challenge as it's too thick to truly "hunt" them. However, when we do have a spot where we can chase them like pheasants they are fun. If you like hunting them you ought to come out west for a Hun, Quail, Pheasant, Chukar hunt. Now that's really fun.

I have to say though, that those grouse are REALLY tasty. Please don't think I'm knocking you either. Out here grouse get no respect. Just depends where you live.

[Shaun_300]

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Shaun that is because you live in the south. lol Ours see little hunting pressure and most times you can't get them to fly. I hunt with a .22 since most stay on the ground or fly into a tree 10 feet away. Sometimes late in the season they are a bit skittish and i switch to the 12 guage, but i don't hit too many then. A tasty bird for sure, and fun to hunt. I can't make em fly, but a .22 makes it a bit of a challenge on the ground.

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its funny when we are deer hunting... if we see a partridge at the end of the chase, we'll shoot them in the head with the rifle. ya gotta make sure ya hit them in the head though!! if ya hit them in the body ya better be ready for a feather explosion if they're sittin up on a log its real easy to pick them off .300 Mag, .308, .270, .30-06, whatever deer rifle ya have it does the job! ya dont have to worry about spitting birdshot out when you are eating them either! they sure are one tasty bird. i dip them in flour and fry them in butter. a bit of seasoning goes good with them too

[WILD_BILL]

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if they're sittin up on a log its real easy to pick them off .300 Mag, .308, .270, .30-06

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You got that right. I head shoot them with the 06 all the time. Bought a .410 fro them so I don't blow them up and I also shoot them with My Ruger .44 mag loaded with bird shot.

Life would be a little less satisfying without Grouse to shoot! You guys are making me wish it were fall again! I just got over it too!

[Shaun_300]

LOL definetly, WILD_BILL one time one of the guys missed one by a hair with a .308, the poor bugger did a backflip or two and headed for the hills!

[13littleones]

I see them from time to time turkey hunting.... never tried hunting grouse.....man can they take off fast (mach speed!).... think you would almost need a dog to have a chance.....
Short Story....
I grew up in MO. and we dont have all that many grouse there.. My first encounter with a grouse was here in IN. My first turkey season here i climbed a tall steep hill, around 200'. As you may guess my heart was pounding as i reached the top, when i stopped at the top of the hill, i heard this very loud pounding noise and i swear i thaught it was my heart that i was hearing, I turned and got a good look down the hill and said to myself outloud... "I'm going to be a dead man on top of this hill".......As it turned out to be a grouse doing its mating call on a big stump 10 yards away lol.....boy i sure thaught i was dead though...

[Tominator]

Yep, tough hunting that bird for sure Mike, but they are a "blast" when they rocket from under your feet.

I don't hunt them too seriously anymore. My uncle used to take me to a state park called Mohican and Woodbury where we used to flush a fair amount of them. Funny, we never did get any of them. The one and only grouse I ever shot was in Pennsylvania when I was in the service.

[too_pointer]

It's funny when you hear how grouse act so much differently in certain areas. Here, you hear them flush and probably only see half of them. I have been to Canada and seen how stupid they can act.
Sure not like that around here
too_pointer

[WaCoyote]

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It's funny when you hear how grouse act so much differently in certain areas.

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Wild_Bill sat and watched me shoot at a grouse 15 times at about 20 ft. with my .22. I couldn't hit it. It just kept walking around in circles. I put another round in when I emptied and hit it on the 16th.

I love shooting grouse. Not very sporting, but fun none the less!

[WILD_BILL]

Geez WACO, You couldn't hit water if you fell out of a boat. I'll shoot them for you this fall!!!LOL

[Tominator]

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It's funny when you hear how grouse act so much differently in certain areas.

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Wild_Bill sat and watched me shoot at a grouse 15 times at about 20 ft. with my .22. I couldn't hit it. It just kept walking around in circles. I put another round in when I emptied and hit it on the 16th.

I love shooting grouse. Not very sporting, but fun none the less!

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LOL, are we talking about the same bird? Geez, I can flat guarantee you they don't act like that around here. Like Mike said, you probably hear them more than see them around here, they're extremely tough birds to hunt around here.

[WaCoyote]

Same bird indeed! People around here shoot them on the forest service roads as they are out wood cutting or deer hunting. Can't really "hunt" them in the traditional sense. Northeastern WA is waaayyy to thick. Wld Bill and I have hunted them in northcentral WA though. It's not as thick. Actually they are quite quick, but nothing like a hun, chukar, or quail.

When I bear hunt I pack my .44 and pop them with bird shot. Early in the season they stand nice and still for you.

I have read articals about grouse hunting before and kind of rolled my eyes. Would sit and wonder why anyone would need advice on how to road hunt. I get it now.

[Shaun_300]

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LOL, are we talking about the same bird? Geez, I can flat guarantee you they don't act like that around here. Like Mike said, you probably hear them more than see them around here, they're extremely tough birds to hunt around here.

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LOL yep! you're talking about the same grouse as here, Chris! little buggers!