Successful grouse hunt.

[Dand]

Took my sons grouse hunting Saturday.  My oldest has been itchy to use his new Benjamin Nitro .22 pellet rifle and my youngest wanted to carry the 20 ga for the first time.  One thing we learned, we need to really test the pellets for hunting and to be very careful on shot placement.  A couple grouse got away when the Gamo pointed pellets bounced off their wing feathers.  Another bird was wounded but ran around in the brush until the 20 ga did its thing.  So even with this potent rifle shot placement at 15- 20 yards proved critical. But 3 birds w the pellet rifle, 3 w the 20 ga, and I got 1 w a 22 pistol, 1 w a 12 ga.

[JonnyReb]

Hey Congrats are in order, you and the boys wore them OUT. With a pellet rifle at that. I've spent weeks in the N.C. Mountains hunting those birds and never have I seen as many as you took. That was a great hunt.  Jeff

[Dand]

Thanks Jonny,  these are Spruce Grouse and it seems we have a good crop this year.  Surprising since a lot of the summer was cold and rainy.  But apparently it was warm and dry enough during the hatching and early chick stage.  I heard some guys got 16 one day and I saw a flock of 7-8 in our neighborhood. I've seen a lot of singles along the roads too.  They are attracted to roads this time of year to collect grit for their gizzards for eating the harder winter food of seeds and spruce needles.

[JonnyReb]

 Only thing I can compare that too is our turkeys, who are having local population explosions. I'd rather the grouse thou:-) keep us up on your future successful hunts!  J