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[C.O.B.]

I'm a fan of 8's and open chokes. I think the heavier shot will penetrate the cover better and when it reaches the bird it provides a cleaner kill. As the foliage drops and shots become somewhat longer I'll use 7's or 71/2 and a IC/M choke set up.

[Tom Flanigan]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

I'm a fan of 8's and open chokes. I think the heavier shot will penetrate the cover better and when it reaches the bird it provides a cleaner kill. As the foliage drops and shots become somewhat longer I'll use 7's or 71/2 and a IC/M choke set up.

That's an interesting thought. Number 8 shot would seem to be a decent compromise. I used to go to 8's in the winter when shots could be a bit longer. Even with the leaves down and cover opened up a bit, my shots are still relatively close and so I now stick to 9's throughout the season.

I’ll let my hero Wiilliam Harnden Foster weigh in here with a quote from his classic New England Grouse Shooting, first published in 1942. In my opinion, this is the finest book ever written on grouse hunting.

Speaking in the third person, Foster wrote:
“…….in his right hand barrel during the earlier part of the season, he finds No. 9 chilled shot the most effective with perhaps No. 8 in the left barrel for the longer ranges. Later in the season when the leaves are off, the shots longer, one may use No. 8’s in the right and 7 ½ in the left thinking to take advantage of the more sustained velocities of the of the heavier shot over the longer ranges. However, this is not the real answer for, with the change to the larger pellet, he is sacrificing his required density for it should be remembered that while there are some 585 No. 9 chilled shot in an ounce, there are but 345 No. 7 ½. This change to larger shot in a gun bored for the purpose of density of pattern with smaller shot is one of the chief sources of crippling and your thoughtful grouse hunter will prefer to stick to his No. 9’s (in the right barrel) and No. 8’s (in the left barrel) throughout the season and, at the same time, to his conservative ranges.”

[C.O.B.]

I would take into consideration that in Mr. Foster's day the birds were far more plentiful and one could pick and choose his shots. Unfortunately this is not the case in grouse country (or any game country) today. Also I don't shoot a 1oz load but stick to 7/8 in my 16's and if the woodcock flights are in I like a 3/4oz load in the 20.
What works for one person might not work for another but 8's early on and 7's or 71/2 in the later portion of the season has worked for longer than I care to admit

[Tom Flanigan]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

I would take into consideration that in Mr. Foster's day the birds were far more plentiful and one could pick and choose his shots. Unfortunately this is not the case in grouse country (or any game country) today. Also I don't shoot a 1oz load but stick to 7/8 in my 16's and if the woodcock flights are in I like a 3/4oz load in the 20.
What works for one person might not work for another but 8's early on and 7's or 71/2 in the later portion of the season has worked for longer than I care to admit

I agree with everything you said with one small exception. It's true that there were more birds in Foster's and my grandfather's day, but I doubt that they passed on any fair shots. My coverts are similar to what Forster experienced, so his recommendations hit home with me. And not only because I came to the same overall conclusions but because the rules haven't changed for my type of coverts. Less birds but those that offer shots, present the same type of targets at the same ranges.

As I mentioned, not all grouse coverts are the same. So I wouldn't be foolishly presumptuous and try to tell others what to use. I can only relate my experiences and those of some who came before me with similar circumstances.

I remember one old time grouse hunter telling me as a boy, "what you need for partridge is an ounce of #9 and it don't make no difference what gauge you fire it from." Not sure I totally agree, but I understood his point.