Grouse Hunting with a smoothbore
10-29-2006, 06:43 PM
#1
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
Grouse Hunting with a smoothbore
Today I decided to look for deer sign.I also decided to get a little grouse hunting in at the same time. I used my .62 caliber smoothbore. I loaded 80 grains of Goex 2f, a plastic Winchester AA wad, 100 grains of #6 bird shot, and then two over the shot cards.
I was walking slow along the cedars near the marsh. Watching the ground and deer trails. Taking my time, looking under trees and such when the first bird flushed from the top of a black cherry tree over my head. It scared the snot out of me. As it flushed to the thicket I managed to get the rifle up but because of the thicket, could not get on the bird so I did not shoot.
Calling the dog back to a shorter range we headed on. I then saw a grouse on the ground about thirty yards in front of me. I hand signaled the dogdown, which he did. I got the rifle up and cocked, and started forward. The grouse got nervous and broke cover. He put a balsam tree between us and headed straight away. I never got a shot.
I finally found some good deer track and began to check their routes. It was then I noticed a grouse sitting in another black cherry tree (they were eating berries)over my head about thirty yards out.I called the dog in close, got the rifle up, and ready. As soon as I got to where I could shoot, the grouse flushed. I fired but never saw a feather come off. The dog casted out and checked but did not return with anything so I considered it a miss.
I reloaded and continued my circle. I did manage to flush a few more birds but none that offered a shot. Back at my house, since I was still loaded I decided to pattern the shotgun. I took a cardboard box and set it at 25 yards. I had not patterened the smoothbore since I switched to the Winchester AA wads. Took a bead on a bulls eye on the cardboard and discovered the rifle plastered three inches to the left. That might account for the missl because it was a wing shot to the left which meant I shot way behind the bird. (Need a reason for the miss don't I).
Over all I found some good deer sign, found a good group of birds which I will meet again soon and had a nice walk with the dog. Good way to spend the afternoon....
I was walking slow along the cedars near the marsh. Watching the ground and deer trails. Taking my time, looking under trees and such when the first bird flushed from the top of a black cherry tree over my head. It scared the snot out of me. As it flushed to the thicket I managed to get the rifle up but because of the thicket, could not get on the bird so I did not shoot.
Calling the dog back to a shorter range we headed on. I then saw a grouse on the ground about thirty yards in front of me. I hand signaled the dogdown, which he did. I got the rifle up and cocked, and started forward. The grouse got nervous and broke cover. He put a balsam tree between us and headed straight away. I never got a shot.
I finally found some good deer track and began to check their routes. It was then I noticed a grouse sitting in another black cherry tree (they were eating berries)over my head about thirty yards out.I called the dog in close, got the rifle up, and ready. As soon as I got to where I could shoot, the grouse flushed. I fired but never saw a feather come off. The dog casted out and checked but did not return with anything so I considered it a miss.
I reloaded and continued my circle. I did manage to flush a few more birds but none that offered a shot. Back at my house, since I was still loaded I decided to pattern the shotgun. I took a cardboard box and set it at 25 yards. I had not patterened the smoothbore since I switched to the Winchester AA wads. Took a bead on a bulls eye on the cardboard and discovered the rifle plastered three inches to the left. That might account for the missl because it was a wing shot to the left which meant I shot way behind the bird. (Need a reason for the miss don't I).
Over all I found some good deer sign, found a good group of birds which I will meet again soon and had a nice walk with the dog. Good way to spend the afternoon....
10-29-2006, 08:38 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Georgia
Posts: 182
RE: Grouse Hunting with a smoothbore
Cool cayugad. I have never hunted Grouse. We don't have them down here in Georgia that I am aware of. Glad you at least got to see some birds. Quail and Duck season starts down here in about three weeks. I am going to try and get some hunting in with my Boykin Spaniel Charlotte. I have a buddy that has a TC New Englander. I believe that is a smoothbore too. I may try to borrow it to see if I might want to try BP shotguning. What do you use to measure your shot and what do you mean by over the shot cards.
10-29-2006, 09:00 PM
#3
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: Grouse Hunting with a smoothbore
I have a second powder measure set at 100 grains and pour the shot in there and then down the barrel. After that comes a small hard cardboard circle you put in the barrel and force all of that down over the shot to keep it in the smoothbore.
10-30-2006, 10:11 PM
#4
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 6
RE: Grouse Hunting with a smoothbore
ORIGINAL: cayugad
Today I decided to look for deer sign.I also decided to get a little grouse hunting in at the same time. I used my .62 caliber smoothbore. I loaded 80 grains of Goex 2f, a plastic Winchester AA wad, 100 grains of #6 bird shot, and then two over the shot cards.
I was walking slow along the cedars near the marsh. Watching the ground and deer trails. Taking my time, looking under trees and such when the first bird flushed from the top of a black cherry tree over my head. It scared the snot out of me. As it flushed to the thicket I managed to get the rifle up but because of the thicket, could not get on the bird so I did not shoot.
Calling the dog back to a shorter range we headed on. I then saw a grouse on the ground about thirty yards in front of me. I hand signaled the dogdown, which he did. I got the rifle up and cocked, and started forward. The grouse got nervous and broke cover. He put a balsam tree between us and headed straight away. I never got a shot.
I finally found some good deer track and began to check their routes. It was then I noticed a grouse sitting in another black cherry tree (they were eating berries)over my head about thirty yards out.I called the dog in close, got the rifle up, and ready. As soon as I got to where I could shoot, the grouse flushed. I fired but never saw a feather come off. The dog casted out and checked but did not return with anything so I considered it a miss.
I reloaded and continued my circle. I did manage to flush a few more birds but none that offered a shot. Back at my house, since I was still loaded I decided to pattern the shotgun. I took a cardboard box and set it at 25 yards. I had not patterened the smoothbore since I switched to the Winchester AA wads. Took a bead on a bulls eye on the cardboard and discovered the rifle plastered three inches to the left. That might account for the missl because it was a wing shot to the left which meant I shot way behind the bird. (Need a reason for the miss don't I).
Over all I found some good deer sign, found a good group of birds which I will meet again soon and had a nice walk with the dog. Good way to spend the afternoon....
Today I decided to look for deer sign.I also decided to get a little grouse hunting in at the same time. I used my .62 caliber smoothbore. I loaded 80 grains of Goex 2f, a plastic Winchester AA wad, 100 grains of #6 bird shot, and then two over the shot cards.
I was walking slow along the cedars near the marsh. Watching the ground and deer trails. Taking my time, looking under trees and such when the first bird flushed from the top of a black cherry tree over my head. It scared the snot out of me. As it flushed to the thicket I managed to get the rifle up but because of the thicket, could not get on the bird so I did not shoot.
Calling the dog back to a shorter range we headed on. I then saw a grouse on the ground about thirty yards in front of me. I hand signaled the dogdown, which he did. I got the rifle up and cocked, and started forward. The grouse got nervous and broke cover. He put a balsam tree between us and headed straight away. I never got a shot.
I finally found some good deer track and began to check their routes. It was then I noticed a grouse sitting in another black cherry tree (they were eating berries)over my head about thirty yards out.I called the dog in close, got the rifle up, and ready. As soon as I got to where I could shoot, the grouse flushed. I fired but never saw a feather come off. The dog casted out and checked but did not return with anything so I considered it a miss.
I reloaded and continued my circle. I did manage to flush a few more birds but none that offered a shot. Back at my house, since I was still loaded I decided to pattern the shotgun. I took a cardboard box and set it at 25 yards. I had not patterened the smoothbore since I switched to the Winchester AA wads. Took a bead on a bulls eye on the cardboard and discovered the rifle plastered three inches to the left. That might account for the missl because it was a wing shot to the left which meant I shot way behind the bird. (Need a reason for the miss don't I).
Over all I found some good deer sign, found a good group of birds which I will meet again soon and had a nice walk with the dog. Good way to spend the afternoon....
Some of my better memories were going out after Blue Grouse (AKA fool hens) in CO as a teenager in the '60s. Ye can get right up close with a stick but they seem to know when one has a fiream of any sort and take off like a rocket then, so Ive always wondered why the derogutory name sometimes...
That said, the idea of combining BP with grouse could definately be the best of both worlds. Good luck next outing...
D.
10-31-2006, 04:19 AM
#5
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 115
RE: Grouse Hunting with a smoothbore
You had me chuckling to myself, those Grouse sure are "lucky" they way they manage to put trees and bushes between you and them. I did alot of grouse hunting years ago and it seems the only time they give you a clean shot is when they are in afterburner...
I did some Quail hunting with a Pedersoli SXS, between the speed of the quail and the slowness of me and that hammergun, they did alot better than me..I did manage to get some of the slower ones but as I recall, I had already cocked the hammers before they got up. I use 90 grs of 2 F and an AA wad, I put a large glob of borebutter in the compression joint, this keeps fouling down and seems to cut down on the plastic sticking to the bore..
Doug
I did some Quail hunting with a Pedersoli SXS, between the speed of the quail and the slowness of me and that hammergun, they did alot better than me..I did manage to get some of the slower ones but as I recall, I had already cocked the hammers before they got up. I use 90 grs of 2 F and an AA wad, I put a large glob of borebutter in the compression joint, this keeps fouling down and seems to cut down on the plastic sticking to the bore..
Doug
