Grouse bow hunting gear

[bogtrotter]

I would like to do some early season grouse bow hunting. I'm a bit frustrated by the requirement to have a 40 # bow though I do understand what the reg is there for.
I don't want to spend a lot of money - any suggestions about what kind of gear to buy would be appreciated.

[Archive]

https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTAwMFgxMDAw/z/96wAAOSwb0Bd~IF4/$_12.JPG?set_id=880000500F

Made lots of these hoop style in the past out of rebar tie-wire. Cheap.

[Blockcaver]

I literally have shot over a 1,000 wood shafts at grouse, rabbits, ptarmigan, stumps etc. Have about 100 in inventory too. I used 23/64" diameter wood 90# shafts full length and capped them with a .38 Special empty cartridge case. I'd swage 4 each .177 lead pellets into the case before putting them on the end of the shaft. Then drill tiny holes perpendicular to the case and drive finish nails through the holes. Clip of the ends of the nails with nippers...leaving about 3/8" protruding from the shaft. Sort of a Judo point and deadly on rabbits and grouse.

[mike31154]

Samick Sage or similar recurve take down (I have a Fleetwood Edge) should work well at a reasonable price. Get some lighter limbs to practice your form & then the heavier ones to hunt. I have 50# limbs on mine but at my draw length I'm pulling less than that, maybe in the mid 40's. A good tip to use is a judo tip. If you miss, the claws will slow it down quickly & you're less likely to lose the arrow.

[pricedo]

... don't know whether I'd go broke buying arrows or starve to death first hunting ruffed grouse with a trad bow ... that's several degrees of skill above my pay grade ... I've shot lots of game birds and several deer & black bear with a scoped recurve crossbow ... but with trad bows you either have the brain circuitry for accurate instinctive shooting or you don't & I don't ... I'm lucky to hit a 10" aluminum pie plate at 10 yds with a trad long or recurve bow ... nowhere near the accuracy needed to hit a ruffed grouse walking thru the foliage ... "a man's gotta know his limitations"

[hawk-i]

Why not just use a compound bow that you'd use for big game...easily as accurate as a 22lr at most common grouse distances with practice. JMHO

[J_T]

For years we took grouse with our trad gear. It was a good challenge and kept our shooting skills up while we hunted. Moving to a compound, we stopped shooting grouse, penetration and accuracy (and cost of an arrow). I wouldn't bother with a firearm. But, using trad gear, fair difficult, fair chase and fair fun. I don't feel everything should be a gimme.

[mike31154]

Some years ago I was able to nail a Quail at about 8 meters with my recurve & they're smaller than most grouse. Judo point on the arrow.

[pricedo]

For years we took grouse with our trad gear. It was a good challenge and kept our shooting skills up while we hunted. Moving to a compound, we stopped shooting grouse, penetration and accuracy (and cost of an arrow). I wouldn't bother with a firearm. But, using trad gear, fair difficult, fair chase and fair fun. I don't feel everything should be a gimme.

I hunt with guys that can nail ruffed grouse without fail with a trad bow so I know it can be done ... I can nail black bear, deer & moose but am nowhere good enough and never will be good enough to consistently take ruffed grouse with a trad bow ... just wasn't born with the "targeting chip" in my brain ... it's like painting ... there are house painters and there are Rembrandts ... I'm a house painter