Would You Shoot A Grouse?

[Swede]

Assume it is grouse season as well as bear and cougar season. Would you shoot a grouse while out on your elk hunt? Under what circumstances?
I would not. Arrows are over $10 each even with a small game point or blunt. It is hard to justify shooting a $2.00 bird with a carbon arrow. I don't carry a gun that I would consider using either, even if I saw the grouse during lunch break or near the truck. I do like eating grouse, but I don't pay much attention to them.

[Lsb]

Absolutely. I carry 1 if not 2 judos in my quiver. I shoot aluminum arrows, when one gets bent I straighten it out best I can and it's now a grouse arrow. There's nothing like fresh grouse sauteed in butter with onions and mushrooms.

[Old school]

Um, yes. Colorado 2017 - not many elk at all in the area, but we did stumble upon a dumb grouse and my son shot it.

--Mitch

[saddlesore]

I carry a .357 Smith,3" barrel .First two rounds are loaded with #8 shot that is good for about 25 feet.Usually shoot them while heading back into camp in the afternoon

[Indian Summer]

Relocated. That was the ELK hunting forum mister!

[Elkduds]

Would you shoot a grouse while out on your elk hunt? Under what circumstances?

I haven't been a grouse predator for many years. Back then it was mostly w rocks, sticks, even a soda bottle once. Always liked the primitive equipment for fool hens.

[Swede]

I.S., I disagree, but will leave it alone. The question relates to your focus on elk and what might distract you. Obviously there are no right or wrong answers, but a person obsessed with getting an elk would not have a grouse arrow in their quiver. A person that was all in for elk would not have bird shot in their pistol. I chose to ask about shooting a grouse, but it could have been something else.
I noted above that I would pass on the grouse, but many times I have passed on good buck deer too when I had a valid tag in my pack. It is just me. I enjoy hunting with people that will fish or shoot other things, or even investigate unrelated attractions. They seem to have a lot of fun on their hunts and not getting an elk does not bother them so much.

[saddlesore]

I am the type of person that I don't need to kill every wild thing I see. However, a grouse that is par boiled in a Soup Starter, then breaded and fried makes some darn fine fare on an elk hunt.

I guess I am on the "not alI in" side of elk hunting.Some days I might just take a ride thru country I haven't been in before. Other times I might stop and study some thing intriguing for a few hours. Might even take a nap mid day.Most days I am back in camp by 3 and might fire up the dutch oven to make some peach cobbler.. Last ML season, the outfitter I know came down to camp and said she was short of a guide for a day and would I mind taking a young fellow and his dad out for a day .I had not filled my tag. I left my gun in camp and took them out .The young fellow passed on three cows of which I could have very easily filled my tag with.I ended up going home without filling my tag after 9 days.No problem, I had fun. I don't need to kill an elk every time I go elk hunting.

However ,I won't shoot grouse in the spine. Couldn't resist Swede

[Lsb]

Here's one from this year

[WapitiTalk1]

Yep, “used” to carry a judo point in my quiver for mid-day stump shooting and grouse. Got away from it at some point over the years? Perhaps I’ll consider doing it again this fall; gotta remember to bring a zip lock in my pack for the bird tho.

[Swede]

However ,I won't shoot grouse in the spine. Couldn't resist Swede

I get it. No one wants to waste any of those precious grouse backstraps or tenderloins. I was thinking about asking it you would shoot the feet out from under them so they thrashed when they landed, and you could find them easier, but someone might take me seriously.
Lets face it 90% of what these threads are about is stirring up a conversation. The spine thread sure got a conversation going! My posts can be compared to Mexican cuisine. Chili today, hot tamale, but the Cayenne is always on the stove top. Which brings to mind another thread. Hot dog!

[saddlesore]

Heck if it weren't for you, we would go days without new threads.I for one appreciate them and don't take any too seriously

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

No grouse is safe in legal seasons or means! I've shot them with the .44 magnum a time or two! You either blow their head off with the bear load, or miss. In rifle season I will shoot their head off with the 30-06! Love eating grouse. If I'm not hunting Griz country I often have an original Ruger Standard on my hip for killing grouse and wabbits. I don't think elk react that strongly to the crack of a .22 pistol, honestly.

[Indian Summer]

Saddlesore that had me laughing!

I thought of you today. I followed a friend’s 13 year old son up a super steep ridge covered in leaves with soft mud underneath. It was rough going. The kid never needed a break. I thought “I’m old” Then I thought.... Saddlesore is 20 years older than me and still chases elk! Hats off to you man!

[Lefty]

OK I think I may have discovered a glitch I hit submit and Indian Summers post showed up.

So this is the edited version.I use to kill lots of game on other hunts, however i generally didnt go out of my way. I haven't killed a grouse elk hunting ever.
But hundreds of roosters and squirrels met their demise while running trap-lines.
I got a great pic of my daughter and here first archery grouse this fall . My rule, the small game arrows stayed in the truck or ATV,..never along while in the woods

[>>>---WW---->]

Used to shoot em until one took off with my $15 dollar arrow. That's when I decided if I wanted to shoot a grouse while elk hunting, I would pack my 22 pistol. Otherwise, I'd leave them alone

[Indian Summer]

Springfield XD40 with bird shot for me. Although I’ve killed many with good ol rocks.

[scubohuntr]

Grouse adds a little extra to that tag soup, for me. Without the grouse it gets pretty bland. I won't shoot one with my elk rifle, but I will carry a shotgun in the truck, and I always have a couple of blunts in the quiver (arrows, you meatheads!)

[Indian Summer]

Shooting a grouse takes 1 minute including bagging the breast. Not much of a distraction. I pass on deer because dressing it out and packing it off the mountain costs an entire day.