Grouse Guns

[Jäger]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

That is a one year old male sage grouse. They get bigger.

They are in small flocks, post sentries and outliers and take off fast like any grouse. They will fly for a mile or so before settling back down.

You don't want to be undergunned but because the typical sage grouse hunt day is 8 to 10 miles of walking in rolling terrain you don't want to be lugging a heavy gun either. You need to be able to make a 40 yard or more kill shot because they can absorb lead, set their wings and drift for hundreds of yards . By that time a golden eagle could be on the bird and they will not back off for a dog or you.

I need to go to this golden land! Where is it?

[Harold Pickens]

I will be taking 4 guns with me to the UP for my 2 week trip. They will all be 20 ga. this year to simplify things, although I have many fine, light 16 ga grouse guns.
1. VHE 20 w/cut 26 1/2' cyl/cyl
2. Ugartechea 20 grade 2, w 27" IC/M, st. grip , 5 3/4 lb
3. Lefever Durston Special 20 26" IC/M
4. Fox A 20 w/ 26" cyl/cyl(factory)--I have been so busy lately that I have not even been able to get out and shoot this gun yet, it will get its baptism under fire in the UP.
Hope to see Rich, Eric, etc up there.

[todd allen]

All of the above mentioned guns will work on Ruffs. An oz. of 7s at 1100 fps is my load. Sage grouse is a whole nuther thing. 12 ga. tight chokes, and number six shot gets it done, where we hunt.
We used to always schedule a couple of days out of our deer hunt to chase sage grouse, aka camp meat. Goes great with some fine Scotch, or Canadian Whisky around a camp fire.

[Mills]

My goal in life is to own a Parker 28 gauge. Of course, my other goal is to win the lotto

[Double Lab]

Go ahead and buy the 28 Parker Mills. You'll feel like you hit the lottery.

[King Cobb]

I just want to point out that I think all you Grouse hunters have way to many guns on your hands and that I would gladly lighten your load of any guns you wish to send my way.

I would be most willing to bear ya'lls overflow, especially if ya'll have any 32inch 12 gauge 3 frames you don't need

Just trying to make it easier to pick.

[Heff]

First trip up to northern Michigan last weekend. It was green, hot and the hunting was tuff. I took up the 28 ga repro, but my 16 ga Trojan with 28" tubes choked about .007 and .020 got the call this weekend with rst 10 shot woodcock loads in the right and rst 7 shot in the left. This may be my new favorite grouse/woodcock gun. I did not get a chance to pull the trigger on a grouse, but I can proudly say I have never missed a woodcock with this gun, I am now 1 for 1...

[Harold Pickens]

Todd, I will be shooting #7's this year thru my 20's. I have a thousand 3/4 oz #8's on hand, but picked up a bag of straight 7's a couple years ago, and will use them on this trip. Loaded up 200 7/8 oz of 7's this weekend using 20/28 powder @ 1150 fps. Increased the payload to 7/8 due to the larger shot size, and will expect there to be fewer cripples and more dead in the air birds with this load--probably adequate for early season released pheasants also

[SXS OHIO]

Hey Harold...I hope you all have a great time chasing the KING!.....You will have to post pictures of your adventure, the dog work and birds. I also have some big plans this October. A new CSMC Fox grouse and rooster gun will arrive in the next week. It will also be my first time to hunt Wisconsin....me and Ruby are chomping at the lead...(-: SXS ohio

[Opening Day]

Heff, I was up in Mid Michigan last weekend, man it got hot fast and I won't run dogs in that temp. I think I was out of the woods by 9:30 ..... But it was fun...!