12 gauge modified choke shot size for grouse

[caddisguy]

Hello!

I need a quick hand. I have to hit up CDN tire in Langley tomorrow and hopefully find a box of 12ga ammo for shooting some grouse this weekend.

I only have modified choke for my shotgun. Previously I was using #4 1oz loads. They seemed pretty good. I'd aim a few inches above the head and 20-40 yards, I would usually only end up getting the head with only one or two (or sometimes none) in the breast. Some of the closer ones I'd miss entirely though as I am aiming too high and the spread hadn't gone down far enough.

I don't want to shoot up the grouse too much, but would like to increase my odds of hitting a little. It looks like CDN tire only has 1 1/8oz. I have no idea where to go from here... #4, #5, #6, #7.5.

I am leaning towards #6.

One thing I noticed last weekend too was that for a couple years of whacking grouse with #4 1oz loads, it was soft on the ears and I wouldn't hesitate to pop grouse once in a while without plugs. I ran out of #4 1oz this weekend and shot a 7.5 1 1/8 oz cartridge at a bird and it blew out my ear pretty good. Felt the recoil difference too. Is that the extra 1/8oz or probably higher velocity round? I guess velocity is another consideration.

My typical grouse encounter is 7 - 40 yards.. soo... what the heck should I do? lol ... I am learning towards #5 or #6 1 1/8 (since no 1oz avail and dont have time to hit up another store)

Please decide for me HBC :) :)

[Wild one]

Whatever is cheapest it’s grouse hunting lol

[caddisguy]

Whatever is cheapest it’s grouse hunting lol

It's all pretty cheap but I'd feel bad if I turned a grouse into swiss cheese... I've never shot one with a 7.5 but I fear that might happen more times than not if I go buy a bulk cause of 7.5 to save a few cents :) (and I only shoot a dozen or so per year)

[WesHarm]

Buy a .22 and have more fun plonkin them in the head ;)

[Wild one]

It's all pretty cheap but I'd feel bad if I turned a grouse into swiss cheese... I've never shot one with a 7.5 but I fear that might happen more times than not if I go buy a bulk cause of 7.5 to save a few cents :) (and I only shoot a dozen or so per year)

If you’re worried check your pattern on paper that way you can stick to head shots comfortabley. You will loose range with smaller shot

I got a crap load of 4# along time ago and it’s all I use but I take head neck shots. I don’t know how many grouse I shoot a year but it’s way more then a dozen

Honestly have never put much thought into grouse hunting

[Wild one]

Buy a .22 and have more fun plonkin them in the head ;)

Wingshooting with a shotgun is way more fun and you have to be fast

[caddisguy]

Buy a .22 and have more fun plonkin them in the head ;)

Lol ya I like shooting them with the 10/22 as well and it's the cheapest way to go. And my grouse-panic makes me shoot them through the breast with the 22 half the time and it's probably as bad aiming dead center with 7.5 lol ... head/neck shots with a 22 are the best though if you have the time and discipline... usually don't have the time though

[caddisguy]

I think I'll just go with the #6 ... it should be reasonably close to what I am used to with better chance of hitting when aiming high to hit the head or winging them... and at worst I'll have a few more pellets through the breast. I won't really have time to practice and pattern the different round. It will be a live practice scenario :)

[WesHarm]

Sounds great!! Let us know how it goes this weekend!!!

[caddisguy]

I got a crap load of 4# along time ago and it’s all I use but I take head neck shots.

What choke?

[Wild one]

What choke?

I shoot an o/u so top is modified bottom is improved

[caddisguy]

Sounds great!! Let us know how it goes this weekend!!!

Will do! Should be fun. If work lets me off anyway. I want to take Monday off but it's a bit crazy... down some staff, trying to hire a couple guys and got one guy out with medical issues... if he doesn't come back this week I might have to cover the weekend. If all goes well, it will be the one weekend of the year I can sync up with my brother for a hunt. Figure we whack some birdies during the day but also considering going after the bear I saw last weekend. I've been thinking about him. Younger looking bear, nice coat and full of berries... sooo tempting. Anything could happen.

[wideopenthrottle]

with my old shotgun I used to shoot 71/2 mod choke for grouse...I would use #6 for early ducks and #4 for later in the season when the ducks had thicker feathers...sometimes a few #6 would end up getting used for grouse but I would usually have a 71/2 in the tube with a #6 second or third one out (longer shot in flight)

[Foxton Gundogs]

pretty simple 6 or 7.5

[caddisguy]

I ended up buying a variety (#5, #6 and #7.5) in varying weights and velocity. I'll see what I like best. It will probably be the #5 this time (1 1/8oz, 1200fps) around but I think my ideal load would be a #6 1oz 1200fps... they just didn't have any this time around.

Being easy on the ears (don't always get my plugs in) and not too many pellets in the breast (using #4 1oz 1200fps didn't get pellets in the breast half the time and when I did it was 1 or 2 max... only complaint was missing completely sometimes) is what I'm after. I have enough pockets, so might as well experiment :)

[SSG-man]

Full choke 7.5 to the head. #6 if farther out and I get right pocket.

[caddisguy]

The #5 seemed to work pretty good. I popped 3 of them. One on the ground, one in a tree and winged another.

I missed a couple though which was frustrating. One on the ground... was waiting for him to walk out from behind a tree... saw the head poke out and went for it. Should have waited longer. Another I have no excuse for. He was just chilling on 4 the o'clock sun oblivious to me. I took a shot from around 25 yards with the #5, miss. He didn't even move. Ran back to the jeep and grabbed a 6 and 7.5. Jacked in the 6 and he was onto me. Took another shot and he flew into a tree close by. Jacked in a 7.5 and took another shot, then he flew way off. No idea what the heck happened. Took my time and thought I had him lined up perfectly. I picture a grouse shaped gap in the shot pattern on all sizes or he had some kind of body armor lol

How does one miss 3x with a scatter gun and 7.5? Elmer Fudd here!! :)

[Wild one]

Lmao right now my grandpa used to say grouse were wearing flack jackets all the time if he missed

[wos]

Wow caddisguy i really enjoy all your posts but i think you are seriously overthinking the situation! Hunting ditch chicken isn't a science. Just grab whatever shells are handy or rolling around in the glove box and pull the trigger.

[caddisguy]

Lmao right now my grandpa used to say grouse were wearing flack jackets all the time if he missed

Lol ya I figure once they are alive and didn't even flinch after the first one, might as well walk away... you know they got some kind of horse shoes. Wished I had that ordeal on camera... not that I'd never ever post it, but for my own amusement

[caddisguy]

Wow caddisguy i really enjoy all your posts but i think you are seriously overthinking the situation! Hunting ditch chicken isn't a science. Just grab whatever shells are handy or rolling around in the glove box and pull the trigger.

I overthink everything. It's what I do... and there's buckshot floating around in there too so I have to be a little bit careful :)

You're right though. By the end of the day I was just grabbing anything.

[solo]

20 gauge full choke here. #6 for me, longer shot, pellets usually pass through, and they can knock down the occasional blue that we see. 5’s are handy if you are also taking rabbits. 7 1/2’s tend to stay lodged in the breast, and there tend to be more of them than if you use 6’s. Love grouse hunting, and is my favourite game meat to cook with.