I respect your opinion and experience although my experience has taken me in a different direction with respect to #9. But I have to admit that I've never killed grouse with 7 1/2. So I can't speak to if the larger shot means less birds that have to be killed by hand. Something I hate to do. I always grasped the bird firmly and whacked the head hard on a tree. Kills instantly. I couldn't bear to wring one's neck.

I did kill some in Saskatchewan in the woods surrounding my sharptail and hun areas with my #6 loads. But not enough to draw any conclusions.

Tom, cradle the bird gently and with compassion while you squeeze off the windpipe with your thumb and forefinger. It takes 2 minutes at the most.





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Here in Michigan there are still leaves and thick foliage well into October. I like small bores for my upland hunting and prefer 7's or 71/2 shot until the leaves drop then 8's in the right barrel. I believe the heavier shot combined with the smaller amount found in a 20 or 28 will penetrate both the cover and the bird better.

Grasp the bird with your thumb and forefinger and give a quick and decisive flick of the wrist. It's neck is broken and it takes about 5 seconds.

That's just too violent..... after shooting and wounding a grouse, now you want me to violently break it's neck? You brute you.





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t

I can't do your method Dean. In effect you are strangling the bird and cutting off its air supply. My method sounds brutal but it really isn't. It is quick and the bird is dead instantly and I don't have to see its eyes when I kill it.

Tomayto - Tomahto....





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Any wounded birds I have to deal with anymore are grasped in hand with breast to palm.I'm right handed so bird is in right hand gun is in left and made safe.Hold gun perpendicular to body with butt to the right.Smack the bird in the back the head on stock with a snap of the wrist.Skull is thin and usually one sharp crack is all it needs.Never damaged a stock since break is on opposite side.Occasionally you'll get a drop of blood but that whips off.
Clean and quick roll gun over up right and insert two shells and back to work.
Works with all birds except turkeys and the occasional wet duck(big ducks).

I guess so Dean. The bird is dead either way.

On grouse, quail or dove just carefully feel along the neck until you feel a joint and just firmly pinch and slightly roll fingers and pop that joint. Bird generally succumbs very quickly and humanely this way.

On ducks have never had any luck whacking their head, they are just dang to tough or I just don't have heart to beat em that way. The best way I found was taught to me by our vet that also was a duck hunter. He said grab duck by breast facing up and take your thumb or both thumbs on side of bird and find the that pit right under where it meets the breast and squeeze very firmly. Your essentially compressing the heart and the animal will succumb in about 20 to 30 seconds once you learn how to do it. Keep squeezing for about another 20 to 30 seconds to just be sure.