Blue Grouse Hunting?'s

[Couzer]

Every year I see Blue Grouse on a hike we do. Looks like they are in season now and I'm thinking about packing a shotgun with me in case we see more this year.

I picked up a old light weight breakdown savage .410 today so I could pack this into the area we are going.

Is a .410 sufficient enough at a 30 yard shot using 3" #4 shoot? The hike is about 15 miles, and this little gun weighs 4lb and can conceal in my pack easy. Last year I got within 30 yards pretty easy on these birds.

Thoughts?

[azslim]

used to shoot their heads off with a .22lr years ago in Wy, they aren't too bright and you can get close so .410 is sufficient

[Couzer]

used to shoot their heads off with a .22lr years ago in Wy, they aren't too bright and you can get close so .410 is sufficient

Ok thanks azslim. Another question is can you call to locate them?

[rcdinaz]

They do call so I guess you could try. I didn't see that anyone makes a call for them so it may be tough.

[Couzer]

They do call so I guess you could try. I didn't see that anyone makes a call for them so it may be tough.

Good to know, I've been doing some looking around and nothing yet

[yotebuster]

I would use 6's or 7 1/2's. the name of the game with uplan birds is putting a pellet in the head. Either of these two pellets will penetrate a grouse head at 30-40 yds and the capacity of a 410 is severely limited. I'd be surprised if there's more the 50 # 4's in a 410 she'll. you'll double pellet count by going down to 6's. post pics when you get them! They're amazing eating too!

[Couzer]

Thanks for the info yotebuster. I went out and bought #4's, #5's, and #6's. So I'm thinking maybe going out tomorrow after work to see how they all pattern with this gun. I cut open one of the #4's to see how much shot was in the round and I counted 95 in it (11/16oz), in the #5 counted 115 on a (1/2oz) and #6 shot counted 145 (11/16oz). Ill put a target up 30 yards to see how the all do. This is definitely going to be a 24hr trip from the valley to the spot. I'll take lots of pics, and hopefully get to see some birds taking a dirt nap.

 

 

 

[lancetkenyon]

3" .410 shells? Wow, I did not know they came in 3". Mine was a 2 1/2" chamber.

 

As for shot size, I agree with #6-#8 shot size. #4 is like pheasant loads. Grouse are not a lot bigger than a big Gambel's Quail for the ones I have seen.

[.270]

I've shot lots o' grouse with a bow and a shotgun. To me a .410 is ideal. I use 8 shot. 6 is fine. Light loads. Grouse are so tame that when I'd see em I'd hafta back with a 12 or 20 gauge to keep from tearing them up. Double barrel side by side .410 is perfect. Seem to like the north sides best. They aren't hard to kill. Bigger than a quail. Real good food. Real good. In Colorado a .22 useta be legal, might still be, but az is shotgun or bow only. You need a stamp too. Good luck. Lark.

[Couzer]

Lark is it just the state and federal migratory stamp I need? Thanks for the info

[lancetkenyon]

No stamp needed for Blue Grouse.

[lancetkenyon]

[Couzer]

Cool, yea I just double checked myself, thanks lance!

[Couzer]

Just found this:

These animals are a primary small game species hunted in Arizona. Hunting small game requires only a valid Arizona regular hunting or combination hunting/fishing license. A game bird stamp, which is available free of charge at Game and Fish offices, is required to hunt blue grouse. A U.S. Forest Service Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests map is a handy tool.

 

http://www.wmonline.com/area/gamefish/grouse.htm

[naturegirl]

Seen them in 4a before years ago, but it was in the protected area. It was my first time seeing them and I didn't know what they were. I had to look them up to figure it out.

 

I got pretty close on foot. They didn't seem too bright in my opinion compared to other birds. Very cool to see though.