Best Gun for Hunting Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock

[CoalTrain49]

I used to hunt Ruffed grouse around here, (western WA). They almost require a special type of gun. I didn't have anything that I thought was suitable so talked to a lot of bird hunters online in MI, MN and the NE, where there seems to be a lot of grouse. I concluded that they like light, fast, short barreled guns with open chokes and light loads.

I eventually purchased a light British game gun from Hill Rod and Gun in MT. It was a 12 ga. sxs with 28'' barrels that weighed 6.5 lbs. There were a few things weird about it that most wouldn't consider having but it worked like magic. First, it was a double trigger gun which allowed one to choose your choke on the first shot. Second, it had a 2.5" chamber. Third, it had no choke in the first barrel, second barrel had mod. I found that double triggers were easy to master. Most of the time I didn't have to think about it because birds would flush inside of 10 yds. and the first barrel was open. Sometimes they flushed closer than that, like 5 yds. Late in the season when the leaves were off the trees I might get a second shot out to 20 yards. That didn't happen very often, I could probably count the number on one hand. Usually just too much vegetation for a second shot. I built my own 2.5" shells by cutting down 2.75" hulls, put a card over the shot and rolled crimped. The ammo is actually available from several mfgs. A 1 oz load is plenty for grouse. I killed one with one pellet in the breast.

That would also make a pretty decent quail or woodcock gun. For huns, chukars and pheasant it was worthless. I hunted those also with a different gun and a pointer. Got to have a dog on those birds.

 

[expat_alaska]

I used to hunt Ruffed grouse around here, (western WA). They almost require a special type of gun. I didn't have anything that I thought was suitable so talked to a lot of bird hunters online in MI, MN and the NE, where there seems to be a lot of grouse. I concluded that they like light, fast, short barreled guns with open chokes and light loads.
For huns, chukars and pheasant it was worthless. I hunted those also with a different gun.

I don't think it would be worthless on pheasants. I have no idea about huns and chukars. I hunted pheasants in Nebraska and Michigan. The roosters tend to run down the cornrows and if you can push them to flush and if you can get a quick shot or two off at 15-20 yards, an I/C choke is more than enough and a Mod choke will tear the bird up at that range.

My fave is a Rem 870 12 gauge vent rib I/C choke with a shallow drop at the heel at 2-1/2" to see all of the barrel. Best skeet gun ever.

Jim

 

[CoalTrain49]

I don't think it would be worthless on pheasants. I have no idea about huns and chukars. I hunted pheasants in Nebraska and Michigan. The roosters tend to run down the cornrows and if you can push them to flush and if you can get a quick shot or two off at 15-20 yards, an I/C choke is more than enough and a Mod choke will tear the bird up at that range.

My fave is a Rem 870 12 gauge vent rib I/C choke with a shallow drop at the heel at 2-1/2" to see all of the barrel. Best skeet gun ever.

Jim

Yeah, it all depends on where you hunt. I hunted in the wheat fields of eastern WA. Wheat stubble and some rose thickets in the draws. Birds were running or in the air most of the time and 30 yard shot were common. Knocked some down at 30 yards and they ran. I liked to have a full choke for a second barrel. Same with huns and chukar. Way out there and leaving the county.

I bought my 870 in 1970. The last shotgun I will sell. I know exactly what you are saying. Hunted with lots of guys who swore by an 870.

I shot all of my skeet with a 101 O/U in N. Africa. Trained by a European low gun champion.

 

[d2wing]

Fausti 20g over under, used to shoot a Spanish 20 SxS but like an idiot I sold it.

 

[expat_alaska]

I shot all of my skeet with a 101 O/U in N. Africa. Trained by a European low gun champion.

Not a O/U fan but not downgrading them, either. When my Dad got older in the 70's he preferred his 12 gauge Ruger Red Label over his beloved Model 12.

The Win 101 is a very nice gun. I was not a O/U fan because the left arm has not much to do!

When I shot skeet long ago I started challenging myself to shoot in the international low gun position with the 870, and it made me a better bird hunter. If the gun fits you it is not a problem whatsoever. At the range the safety was not engaged. In the field the safety was always on until a bird presented itself, so I shot skeet with the safety on until I called "pull" and saw the bird. Some of my friends thought I was nuts so as to limit my score.

Two years later when home on leave from the USAF I borrowed my Dad's Model 12 16 gauge full choke for a day hunt. Longest shot I ever made at 65 paces on a rooster. Not bragging but shooting skeet from the low position really made a difference.

Kudos, CoalTrain49

Jim

 

[CoalTrain49]

Not a O/U fan but not downgrading them, either. When my Dad got older in the 70's he preferred his 12 gauge Ruger Red Label over his beloved Model 12.

The Win 101 is a very nice gun. I was not a O/U fan because the left arm has not much to do!

When I shot skeet long ago I started challenging myself to shoot in the international low gun position with the 870, and it made me a better bird hunter. If the gun fits you it is not a problem whatsoever. At the range the safety was not engaged. In the field the safety was always on until a bird presented itself, so I shot skeet with the safety on until I called "pull" and saw the bird. Some of my friends thought I was nuts so as to limit my score.

Two years later when home on leave from the USAF I borrowed my Dad's Model 12 16 gauge full choke for a day hunt. Longest shot I ever made at 65 paces on a rooster. Not bragging but shooting skeet from the low position really made a difference.

Kudos, CoalTrain49

Jim

You know the same thing I do about low gun.

It's a handcap at first but once you pick it up it vastly improves ones field shooting.

I couldn't shoot skeet or sporting any other way now. I took my sxs Merkel to a sporting clays shoot and shot every thing low gun. I got some pretty strange looks but my scores were very respectable. People were flummoxed.

Cheers

 

[ChanceMcCall]

I don't think it would be worthless on pheasants. I have no idea about huns and chukars. I hunted pheasants in Nebraska and Michigan. The roosters tend to run down the cornrows and if you can push them to flush and if you can get a quick shot or two off at 15-20 yards, an I/C choke is more than enough and a Mod choke will tear the bird up at that range.

My fave is a Rem 870 12 gauge vent rib I/C choke with a shallow drop at the heel at 2-1/2" to see all of the barrel. Best skeet gun ever.

Jim

You must have hunted a different part of Nebraska than I did when I was invited out. Those birds would have made the average Annie Oakley seem short range. I was very under-gunned and red faced. At least I didn't spend much on shells.

 

[huntsman]

You know the same thing I do about low gun.

It's a handcap at first but once you pick it up it vastly improves ones field shooting.

I couldn't shoot skeet or sporting any other way now. I took my sxs Merkel to a sporting clays shoot and shot every thing low gun. I got some pretty strange looks but my scores were very respectable. People were flummoxed.

Cheers

Once a year before bird season started I’d head over to the local skeet field, Shoot a couple of rounds always low gun. Sporting was better practice but too expensive, a trius trap in the backyard saw the bulk of my use.