Grouse loads : Is # 8 shot too small ?

[Brush Buster]

My two cents worth is this ,regardless of the gauge of gun I am carrying ,I always load the more opened choke barrel with # 7 or 7 1/2 ,figuring ,the bird should be closer upon the flush ,I will have more shot in the air and still have good shot penetration at a close target ,and I load # 6 ,in the tighter barrel to make sure I get the most penetration possible for a down range target ,also if you have a runner and the bird flushes wild down range ,it may give you the ability for a longer than usual first shot ,and still give you a " Clean Kill " ,and really ,that is what it's all about , when hunting Pheasants ,sometimes later in the season ,I will even drop down to # 5 shot in my tighter barrel , this combination seems to work well for me ! Good Luck Hunting !

[Setter Man]

Russ,

In the past I have employed a similar strategy, especially in the early part of the season when hunting areas where there were more woodcock than grouse. Right barrel was loaded with 7/8-oz of #9 and left with 1-oz of copper plated #8's. Looking back on it, taking a shot at a grouse with a skeet load was probably a little irresponsible and I'd should have gone #8 and#7-1/2.

JDG