Hunting Deer and Upland Game Birds at same time

[Harvest the Land]

Just wondering if some of you guys/gals bring a shotgun along with you while hunting for deer in areas where you're also aloud to take grouse or turkey etc.? For instance, if you're targeting deer, but only seeing upland game birds, do you also carry a shotgun out in the field with you along with your bolt action rifle or just leave a shotgun in the truck just in case all you're seeing is birds?

I'm a new hunter and just wondering if its a good idea to purchase a shotgun to go with my .308 while hunting for deer, because upland game birds are some of the best meat I've ever tasted!

Thanks in advance!

[Fella]

If you're hiking bringing 2 firearms will slow you down, add weight and will be a pain in the ass if you're hiking in close brush. Also, taking potshots at critters while trying to find deer means extra noise that you don't want to make. Keep the shotgun in the truck for the mid day doldrums.

[ssor77]

I agree with above. I'd say it Depends on terrain and whether you're road hunting or hiking as well,also if there is much hunting pressure in your area. We usually keep the bird gun back at camp/quad on deer outings/hikes

[HarryToolips]

If you're hiking bringing 2 firearms will slow you down, add weight and will be a pain in the ass if you're hiking in close brush. Also, taking potshots at critters while trying to find deer means extra noise that you don't want to make. Keep the shotgun in the truck for the mid day doldrums.
Exactly...I just usually shoot the upland birds while road hunting, though occasionally it's fun to hike around with just a .22 specifically out for grouse/rabbit..

[416]

I've used a savage combo and harvested both birds and a buck the same outing. At one time l worried about the extra noise, but not so much anymore, if my combo gets taken out for a date, l'll use both calibers given the opportunity.

[shortrange]

It's always a good idea to keep a 22 or 410 handy in the truck. You just never know. . .

[itsy bitsy xj]

Buy a slingshot and practice with it. Its light to carry, quite and will do the job on grouse

[ssor77]

Second that on the slingshot. Bought one as a hobby and got into it to the point we're molding ammo out of lead at the same time we make downrigger weights. It's quite rewarding when you kill game with one

[wideopenthrottle]

I never hunt bird until most of the big game tags are filled ...."bigger buck for your bang"...heheheheh

[Mikey Rafiki]

I've harvested a few grouse and ptarmigan with rocks while hiking back down from a morning hunt, but I feel they are a lot easier to bag just putting along the road heading into our out from your hunting spot, plus that's not so hard on the throwing arm.

[mrdoog]

Buy yourself a 12ga., very versatile firearm.
As someone else stated carrying two firearms will turn out to be a pain in the arse.
Don't worry about the noise created by popping a few grouse; your farting and coughing will scare more deer than the pop of a shotgun.
The slingshot option seems interesting, might have to check into that myself.

[Harvest the Land]

Ok great - thanks for the info guys! I will probably get a 12 gauge and keep it in the truck just in case. I will be hiking into the bush but probably no more than 1km at the most, so shouldn't be a problem to hike back to truck if need be. I do have a slingshot that I've used to keep coyotes away while my beagles are hunting rabbits, but did not think it was legal to use it on grouse; but if its legal then I will certainly give it a try. I did get a grouse years ago with a rock - that was awesome!

[brian]

Leaving a gun in the truck would always make me nervous. I don't want to give jackasses an even better excuse to break into my truck while I'm out there. But I have seen a ton of birds while out deer hunting. I could have practically bashed some of them on the head with the end of my barrel, but there was no way I was going to shoot them with my .270 so we always parted way amicably.

[itsy bitsy xj]

Leaving a gun in the truck would always make me nervous. I don't want to give jackasses an even better excuse to break into my truck while I'm out there. But I have seen a ton of birds while out deer hunting. I could have practically bashed some of them on the head with the end of my barrel, but there was no way I was going to shoot them with my .270 so we always parted way amicably.

I took one last year with my 30-06 at about 15 feet I got another with a stick and a rock. Nailed it with a stick which knocked it over and finished it with a rock. Caveman style

[rides bike to work]

When I started hunting all I had was a 12gauge wing mAster. We where hunting birds near kerameous and spotted a buck bedded in a little dip so I through in a slug and belly crawler to 30 yards and gave it to him. Depends what your doing hunting birds with a chance at a deer or hunting deer with a chance at a bird

[stevo911_]

I've started carrying a 20 gauge backpacker shotgun with me on my afternoon forays (lightweight, folds in half to ~15 inches long, and fits in a back scabbard, I just picked up a browning sling that you can use like backpack straps, so I'm going to give that a try).
So far all the only grouse i've shot are 308 headshots, but there's quite a few I've passed up on due to no backstop.

[brian]

Depends what your doing hunting birds with a chance at a deer or hunting deer with a chance at a bird

Betcha if I was hunting deer I'd see more birds and if I was hunting birds I would see more deer. I should take up bird hunting.

[Alec]

There is a fellow in Alberta that makes a steel insert for rifles that looks like a cartridge case, It is powered by the "Ram Set" .22 cartridge blanks and shoots lead balls from your standard cartridge rifles. The "GAME GETTER" as he calls it, comes in a kit with a special swaging device for the balls, a bunch of balls (SSG size lead pellets), and the rest of the parts to get you in business for small game. I tested one in 280 and found it to be very accurate to about 30 yards. Others may have info. and/or comments. Only pack one firearm but change to GAME GETTER for shooting small game. Like a .22 only in 30 cal.

[Harvest the Land]

thanks for the reply Alec! Another forum member suggested this to me as well. I think this idea is brilliant and i'm pretty sure I'm going to buy one for my .308 and give it a try

[crownandanchor]

Carrying two rifles is a pain.

If you're concerned about noise, try a .22 with the subsonic type ammo. It's super quiet and stealthy and is kind of fun to shoot as well.

[Sofa King]

only time I shoot grouse are on the main roads/trails.
when I'm deer hunting, I'm doing just that, deer hunting.
nothing else matters except the deer, and they can show themselves at the most unexpected times.
hard to get that big'un if you are wasting time on measly little grouse.

[J_06]

I carry a few rounds loaded with trail boss and 110gr vmax for my 30-06.Just little pop, does the trick quite nicely as well as being frangible eliminating any ricochets I might have from sluicing a bird.

[250 sav]

stick with snare wire, rocks, gamond game getter insert for the rifle

[wideopenthrottle]

only time I shoot grouse are on the main roads/trails.
when I'm deer hunting, I'm doing just that, deer hunting.
nothing else matters except the deer, and they can show themselves at the most unexpected times.
hard to get that big'un if you are wasting time on measly little grouse.

agree 100%..grouse hunting is for after the meat pole is bloody...focus ....I am sure some here would even pass on a deer while elk hunting...

[northernbc]

I would counsel new hunters to not use a shotgun,use a iron sight 22 and practice head shots only, if you miss no big deal and it really improves your muscle memory for the big game hunting.

[boxhitch]

X2 on the combo gun.
20 ga. birdshot/buckshot/slug and a 30/30 with pointed (aka .308) bullets

[Jedcote50]

I find that mulies and blue grouse like the same habitat. If you walk/stalk correctly the chickens quite often won't flush (or go too far) before you see them first, so once you've checked out the area for big game go grab your shotgun.
The combo gun is a great idea and so is the "game getter" cartridge, but both have their limits. The combo gun usually won't have a scope so long shots (100 yd +) with a single bullet are a bit difficult. I've never tried the game getter but seriously considered it, my biggest concern would be the soft lead ammo fouling the rifling in my long range rifle.
If I'm out for a long hike I have a 410 that folds in half and attaches to my pack, the extra weight really isn't a huge factor. The pop from the little shotgun generally doesn't clear out the country side of game any more than the activity of gathering up the chickens once they're shot. Early in the season when the blues are still in their family group, I like to try to line up 2 or more so their heads are right beside each other in line, and get a multiple. I have no problem sluicing them on the ground.
I've never tried a sling shot to kill anything since I was 10 or 12, but I do remember being very accurate with them, especially when we used marbles for ammo. But then, you're not allowed to use sling shots to hunt or at least not advertise that's what you do.

[Gumsehwah]

I took one last year with my 30-06 at about 15 feet I got another with a stick and a rock. Nailed it with a stick which knocked it over and finished it with a rock. Caveman style

One of my students at school "ran one down" paleolithic-style. just chased it until it died.

Talk about "old school". 8-o