Who needs a dog?

[Jim P.]

My wife Eileen is allegeric to animals with fortunately one exception, me. But that means no dog when I kick up grouse.
So last weekend I asked her to walk the woods with me while I carried my 1906 20ga VH.
Close to camp in the newly cut habitat improvement area, she flushed this bird! One shot, one grouse.
"Here girl" takes on a whole new meaning, "heel" does NOT. Threw a picture of her in here, too, but I'll be in trouble if she finds out.

[Ed Blake]

Can we get a shot of her on point?

[Jim P.]

You're looking at it, Ed.

[Dean Romig]

A very nice brown phase grouse Jim.

Kathy did a little 'bird doggin' for me this fall too.

[charlie cleveland]

that grouselooks to be the size of a phezant....maybe bigger i never hunted grouse thats just because ive never seen one....looks like you would need large size shot of maybe 4 s or 5 s on these large birds...what did you use to kill this nice grouse with... charlie

[Jim P.]

Hi Charlie-thanks for your interest. This looked to me like a first year male and -I'd judge it like most fully grown grouse is about 3/4 the size of a pheasant but not much more. I use RST #8s in the right barrel (modified) and #6s (full) in the left. The 8s worked at about 20 yards; one shot. Using the two different loads is advice I've read in many sources.

[charlie cleveland]

thanks jim i guess the bird had me fooled in the picture he looked very big to me..ha at 20 yards a load of 8 s will do about anything in....thanks for the info and hope you get a nother chance atthem grouse soon...... charlie

[Dean Romig]

I like 5/8 oz. of #8 in the right barrel and 5/8 oz. of #7 1/2 in the left for late season grouse... but #8 in both tubes early in the season.