losing Ruffed grouse

[Vancouver1234]

Hey everyone, fairly new to grouse hunting, actually my second season. Hunting out of region 2...anyway I have had some success but my only problem is I have lost a couple. Walking along a trail I spotted one flushed it to a tree and shot it right out of the tree, it was fluttering around like crazy on the ground...a definite hit. But by the time I put my gun down and safety on to hike down the embankment I could not find the grouse anywhere I looked for like 30 minutes and this happened twice...has this ever happened to anyone else? Thanks for your time

[B-rad]

Some grouse when wounded or even on their last breath will push for some kind of depression or hollow,,,,even if it's only a couple feet from where you shot them,,,,,always check root entanglements in thick brush or even a hollowed out end of a fallin tree

[adriaticum]

What B-rad says. They will burrow into the first hole they find. I had to pull one out this year.

[one-shot-wonder]

One of the many benefits of hunting with man's best friend is you they will not only find those hard to see grouse but they will go into the bush and bring them back to you......not sure what advise I can give you other than take a dog hunting!

[goatdancer]

Sometimes they get into real thick crap and are almost impossible to find. They blend in really well. They can run and crawl quite a distance, even when hit. Head shots will stop them from disappearing.

[BiG Boar]

Get a dog.

[fearnodeer]

It happens to a lot of us that don't have dogs, would take more than a lost grouse for me to get a dog.

[BRvalley]

it's just part of the hunt, it'll happen now and then

[Chopper]

Ya put the shotgun bead right on top of there head ... no more running

[Sasqman]

I find when I flush into the bushes and tress they disappear into another dimension................

[Dannybuoy]

Ya put the shotgun bead right on top of there head ... no more running

X2 this is why I switched to .410 from .22 ....haven't lost a grouse since and very few buckshot in body ...

[badgreenbird]

it can happen sometimes, but is still very frustrating. Use a shotgun. bring a dog (any dog!) if possible. try to reach the bird, or at least zero in on the exact location, while it's still fluttering. as others have said, check for holes, under roots, rocks, anywhere. look very carefully, since even when lying stone dead in the open, they can blend in with the surroundings very well. good luck!

[Ruffed]

I can identify with that, I lost 3 grouse on one weekend 2 weeks ago. It was very frustrating. 2 were ruffed and one was a blue. I find that with spruce grouse, any kind of a hit puts them down on the spot. That's not true of Ruffed grouse. I was going to start the same thread but you beat me to it. All 3 were fatal hits but all 3 flew away. I spent a looonnnng time looking and didn't find them. Yes a dog would help but I was deer hunting at the time.

[Ranger95]

Hey everyone, fairly new to grouse hunting, actually my second season. Hunting out of region 2...anyway I have had some success but my only problem is I have lost a couple. Walking along a trail I spotted one flushed it to a tree and shot it right out of the tree, it was fluttering around like crazy on the ground...a definite hit. But by the time I put my gun down and safety on to hike down the embankment I could not find the grouse anywhere I looked for like 30 minutes and this happened twice...has this ever happened to anyone else? Thanks for your time


People who shoot at birds without dogs should be flogged! It is completely unethical - no matter which way you try and defend it!

[happyhunter]

People who shoot at birds without dogs should be flogged! It is completely unethical - no matter which way you try and defend it!

Now people need to have a dog for grouse hunting? Get over yourself! Nothing wrong headshots with a 22 or shotgun.

[Murder]

People who shoot at birds without dogs should be flogged! It is completely unethical - no matter which way you try and defend it!

Move along troll

[Foxton Gundogs]

Hey everyone, fairly new to grouse hunting, actually my second season. Hunting out of region 2...anyway I have had some success but my only problem is I have lost a couple. Walking along a trail I spotted one flushed it to a tree and shot it right out of the tree, it was fluttering around like crazy on the ground...a definite hit. But by the time I put my gun down and safety on to hike down the embankment I could not find the grouse anywhere I looked for like 30 minutes and this happened twice...has this ever happened to anyone else? Thanks for your time

Nope I shoot over dogs with a shotgun :-D


It happens to a lot of us that don't have dogs, would take more than a lost grouse for me to get a dog.

I'm sorry for you.

[f350ps]

People who shoot at birds without dogs should be flogged! It is completely unethical - no matter which way you try and defend it!
I thought they punted you Kudu!! K

[slowjo]

move quickly to the bird once it is down and fluttering. often they will go into the nearest depression or under something like a log, bush or hollow. ruffed grouse can be extremely difficult to spot, even out in the open, a dead grouse blends in perfectly with the forest floor.
i avoid shots that would have the bird fall into heavy undergrowth. it's a tough choice to make, but it's ethical.
both guns, a .22 or a shotgun, have their advantages, and should be a personal preference. try both, see what you like better.
dogs can be a great help, but aren't necessary. especially if you don't have one.
put in a good effort searching, but don't beat yourself up if you fail to find one. it happens to everybody.
being quick to the kill is the best method.

[Ranger95]

I thought they punted you Kudu!! K

whats the mater f350 - do you stil wet your bed at night dreaming of the slapping kudu gave you?.:-D he really is not hiding behind every bush! :mrgreen::mrgreen:

[.30-06 camsavbc]

I also lost a grouse this year from a 20 foot shot from a branch. It fell into steep, very rooty undergrowth. We looked for an hour, digging beside root hollows, using the machete to clear branches, moving dead wood etc., no luck! We could not believe it. Found a 5 point elk shed from last year in the process. We haven't lost one since. Speed is the key.....get to the grouse instantly. I assumed that from the head shot and a fall straight down that I could do like you, put the safety on, put the 22 in the truck and pick up the grouse......never again. Shoot and run to the spot as quick as safely possible and if this is not possible, I will not shoot. This was my first year hunting grouse and boy did I learn more than I thought possible.

[badgreenbird]

Just lost one this weekend. First time in a number of years, that I remember. Two flushed up in front of me and had just made it to the far side of a screen of fir saplings and I blazed away, dropping one. Another pair came up and I missed the easy second shot. I started to crash through the thick brush to find my bird, and heard fluttering. Not the 'death' flutter, but the "I'm outta here - wait, I can't fly!" fluttering. Obviously I had just winged the bird. I cleared the first line of brush to be confronted by a nightmare of dead pine blowdown. I heard some rustling on the far side of the pile, about 20m away. By the time I fought through the mess, there was no sign of the bird. I looked around for 10 minutes but no luck. A dog probably would have tracked it down in short order, but I just couldn't find it. Not sure if it hunkered down & hid very well, or ran out the other side. some predator will have an easy meal :mad:

[Gateholio]

I've never used dogs, never lost a grouse. Go right for it, quickly. Been a few times that I walked past a dead grouse before finding it.

[adriaticum]

Jetboatjim and i were trolling for moose the other weekend and stumbled upon some grouse.
He took a rock and banged one for the taxidermist.
Didn't get away :)

[Singleshotneeded]

I've seen a few find a hole to die in nearby when hit by either too open a choke or #7 1/2 shot...in an unpressured area where you're
getting close to them use an open choke, but if they're getting skittish at a good distance and you have longer shots then switch to modified choke. I've always used #6 shot instead of #7 1/2 for two reasons...one is the larger #6 shot is easier to find and remove, and the important reason is, on longer shots especially, the #6 shot carries more energy and penetrates better than the smaller shot. This translates directly into more grouse that die where they're shot or move very little, and hardly any that get away and hide. In over 30 years of shooting hundreds of grouse, I've had two get away on me...one in cracks in a rock face, and one down a steep ravine. Carry heavier loads of #6 shot and you'll hammer the wanna-be Houdinis... :-)

[troutseeker]

I love shooting, and eating grouse! My new pound rescue dog ain't hunting stock, but he listen well and comes when I call so he stays close. So far he's flushed a few that I got with my new to me combo gun. He is a little confused about searching after the shot, but made progress yesterday.

like they say, get to them quick and really zero I. On where they fell, they won't be far!

[todbartell]

One time I shot six in one go, took 45 minutes to find the last two!

[DarekG]

This season during a few empty handed hunting trips I shot 2 grouse with a .22 and lost both of them, it was very demoralizing and I felt bad for losing the poor buggers - But scavengers gotta eat too I guess.

Then this last trip I instantly dropped every small game animal I shot at!

http://i.imgur.com/czliNF8.jpg

Turned out the secret was the ammo we were using, my dad had purchased some garbage "silent" rounds that just flew right through everything, if it ever hit it at all. We switched out to rounds with a tiny dimple at the end of the bullet and center of mass shots took down all the small game on the spot with surprisingly little to no damage to the meat.

[325]

Knowing how aggressive a wounded grouse can be, I always try and anchor them with my first shot. It's just too scary going into the thick stuff after them.

[.30-06 camsavbc]

This season during a few empty handed hunting trips I shot 2 grouse with a .22 and lost both of them, it was very demoralizing and I felt bad for losing the poor buggers - But scavengers gotta eat too I guess.

Then this last trip I instantly dropped every small game animal I shot at!

http://i.imgur.com/czliNF8.jpg

Turned out the secret was the ammo we were using, my dad had purchased some garbage "silent" rounds that just flew right through everything, if it ever hit it at all. We switched out to rounds with a tiny dimple at the end of the bullet and center of mass shots took down all the small game on the spot with surprisingly little to no damage to the meat.
Hollow points are the only way to go. The cheap lead round nose are for plinkin' cans and targets.

[Daybreak]

Had to happen sooner or later... shot a ruffed the other day off the road and it flew 20 ft up into a tree and expired on the branch. Tree was too big to shake and too small to climb. I managed to make my way up it enough to dislodge the bird with a long stick.

[Paulyman]

I shot one on the Montieth fsr this year, the bird dropped and i saw no more movement. I went up to the spot where i saw it drop and it was nowhere in sight. After a few mintutes of looking I saw a it's tail feathers sticking out of a 6" hole in the ground. Trust your gut when you think you downed one, they can hide very well.

[hoochie]

I shot one on Friday, jumped out of the truck and tip toe'd toward him. He started to move like he was getting ready to fly off. I take the shot and he flies straight up in the air. Im standing in the middle of the road thinking "shit!" my only shot is to send pellets straight down the road;
so the bird flies to where he thinks there is cover, but the small cut of trees was only 6 or 7 feet deep off the road. The bird lands in this grass land area and I see him land. I head to where it was and start looking. Where the hell is it???
I look between my feet, and the rock is actually the bird!
Whammmo with the buttstock to his head.
not the normal grouse hunt, but got er done!