Grouse guns
 

Our season actually opens Saturday with a high temp of 82:eek: Ike and I will skip it. I head to the cabin 9/26 for 5-6 weeks and will take an assortment of guns along from an English light game gun in 12ga (I know a 12:eek: but I use RST 2 inch shells:)) to the 28ga VHE skeet. The make up will be mostly 16's and 20's and mostly Parkers.

What's your opening season grouse gun? The perfect grouse gun is always the next one:whistle:

I'll be using a 12 gauge PH that I bought this spring.. 28" IMPCYL/MOD, 7 lbs 1 ounce. But I'll probably be waiting 1 week until the woodcock opener on the 22nd.

Rich, where in MI is "the cabin"?

FOX CE 20ga 26" IC/MOD. I have been searching for a Parker 20ga DE 26" Damascus for quail and grouse. I have been hunting quail in the southwest more than grouse lately. Hope to get back to northern Maine soon.

It's 94 here today. My English cocker flushed 5 blues for me yesterday but the trees were so thick and the sun was in my eye :shock::whistle:.

Tomorrow I'll be back at it...may try for ptarmigan at 13,000 plus feet in the open and blue grouse again in the trees.

I'm using a grade I Hollenbeck 12 bore with 26.5 inch IC/IC Damascus barrels.

I have a Dickson 28 gauge (box lock) that has been my go-to grouse gun for almost 40 years. Jack Rowe made the stock for it after I broke the (too short) original falling down an icy bluff after Iowa grouse one winter. It fits me to a "T" and brings birds down if I can see them. Mr. Rowe, bless his soul, fussed at me for breaking the original stock ("You shouldn't be allowed to have a nice gun like that!" He said. There were stampings on the gun that he recognized and claimed to know the individual who actually made the gun!).

However, I always take a couple more (don't we all!?) to our cabin for the two-weeks of heaven we experience in Northern Minnesota. Among the guns I know I'll take is one of a very few DH 16s with straight-hand stock and splinter forend and 26 inch barrels ever made (the best configuration for a grouse gun as far as I'm concerned, and the configuration of my Dickson). A Fox XE 16 will also make the trip, along with a Parker GH 10 bore that I hope to walk up a few ducks with during the "down times."

Gosh, just writing about it and reading these posts makes me excited for the last two weeks of October.

Shawn, do you have issues with porcupines where you hunt? I'd sure like to see a picture of that Hollenbeck!

I've seen more porcupines on the prairie in cholla cactus country than where I hunt grouse. Here’s the worst dog vs Porcupine I’ve seen on the Colorado prairie. I posted a photo on my original post.

I will be using the most perfect grouse gun ever designed and built; a c. 1935 16 ga. Savage Fox Skeet & Upland Game Gun, DT, SG, SFE, 26" barrels bored .005 right, .011 left. (Flush, I dare ya!!).

Interesting. I found LOTS of porcupines on my trip to the plains of NorthCentral Montana, but none in the mountains (all of which surprised me). And the largest one I ever encountered (had to weigh 70 lbs) was in extreme western Oklahoma. I hate the darned things, and so do my dogs (unfortunately).

Good hunting, and I hope you have cooler weather.

A sweet gun...in a sweet configuration!