ETHICS or ELITISM...That is the question

[Dave Workman]

https://americanhandgunner.com/discover/ethics-or-elitism/

My grouse hunting escapades with a pistol raised a little ruckus
Give this a read. Give it some thought. 

[ducks4days]

You could post that the grass is green on the internet and get enough replies arguing with you to fill an afternoon. Deer rifle hunters harp on archers for using less effective methods. Archers harp on rifle hunters for lacking challenge. Both of them are wrong.

As long as the harvest method is effective to minimize suffering, anybody being a jerk over method of take can pound sand.

[Sandberm]

Its a huge part of our culture now to always have an adversary. And when one isn't blatantly obvious we turn inward and pick apart our own. People LOVE to argue and they do not need a good reason to do it. Its stimulating to a lot of folks to always have a running battle.

By the way....a true grouse hunter only shoots at birds with traditional archery gear 

[metlhead]

So, is it wrong to aim my .270 at the gravel by their feet?

[Dave Workman]

Its a huge part of our culture now to always have an adversary. And when one isn't blatantly obvious we turn inward and pick apart our own. People LOVE to argue and they do not need a good reason to do it. Its stimulating to a lot of folks to always have a running battle.

By the way....a true grouse hunter only shoots at birds with traditional archery gear 

 

[KNOPHISH]

What about caveman style? With a rock. Don’t throw yer arm out. 

[Mtnwalker]

There's no question regarding ethics in my mind. I grew up plinking grouse with a .22, some of my fondest hunting memories as a kid. Just a bunch of elitist dorks engaging in recreational outrage because you don't do it the way they think you should. Man I get so sick of petty sportsmen denigrating each other over method of harvest.

A limit of ruff's over $8000 worth of dog and gun is the same amount of dead birds as a limit by a 10/22, who cares. And despite what you might like to think, your fancy dog isn't performing "art" while he's sniffing around out there. 

I enjoy your content and contributions Dave

[metlhead]

My first grouse fell to my Crossman 760 Pumpmaster as a kid while terrorizing the songbird population

[MADMAX]

Use a farm gate
Only works when they flush though
 

[scotsman]

You guys and your high horse elitism, Captain Obvious knows a real grouse hunter uses a traditional bow with wood arrows. (Pic taken about 30 years ago, haven’t shot  another one since) sigh.

[Huckleberry]

Elitism. I have started moving backwards in life. Growing up my folks banned the use of BB guns for very obvious reasons. They were too efficient and didn’t teach us much. Instead we went full on Denis the Menace and became very proficient with slingshots. From dollar store garbage and filbert nuts we advanced to marksman. With an endless supply of rocks and a belt pouch to carry our bounty we eradicated most every song bird and small game animal for miles.

After years of alpine hunting and passing up snowshoes and grouse during the  deer season I spent $15 at Walmart on a fold up and splurged on some marbles. First shot in almost 30 years got a rabbit for dinner. Solo packing my deer out bagged a grouse that would have otherwise gone unscathed. Elitism because most people were eating some crappy mountain house instead.

Metal head…it’s very wrong to aim a .270 at their feet. You’ll break a tooth that way. Just aim for the neck and be done with the nonsense. No reason to miss on purpose.

[High Climber]

You guys and your high horse elitism, Captain Obvious knows a real grouse hunter uses a traditional bow with wood arrows. (Pic taken about 30 years ago, haven’t shot  another one since) sigh.

Awesome pic where is that?

[hunter399]

Elitism. I have started moving backwards in life. Growing up my folks banned the use of BB guns for very obvious reasons. They were too efficient and didn’t teach us much. Instead we went full on Denis the Menace and became very proficient with slingshots. From dollar store garbage and filbert nuts we advanced to marksman. With an endless supply of rocks and a belt pouch to carry our bounty we eradicated most every song bird and small game animal for miles.

After years of alpine hunting and passing up snowshoes and grouse during the  deer season I spent $15 at Walmart on a fold up and splurged on some marbles. First shot in almost 30 years got a rabbit for dinner. Solo packing my deer out bagged a grouse that would have otherwise gone unscathed. Elitism because most people were eating some crappy mountain house instead.

Metal head…it’s very wrong to aim a .270 at their feet. You’ll break a tooth that way. Just aim for the neck and be done with the nonsense. No reason to miss on purpose.

I don't think he is talking about missing.
He saying rocks and bullet shrapnel will kill the bird.
I've seen just the wind from the bullet knock a grouse down.

I've also seen a guy that would wing them with a rifle.
Which is just barely knicking there back.
But still have the breast intact.

[salish]

Elitism. I have started moving backwards in life. Growing up my folks banned the use of BB guns for very obvious reasons. They were too efficient and didn’t teach us much. Instead we went full on Denis the Menace and became very proficient with slingshots. From dollar store garbage and filbert nuts we advanced to marksman. With an endless supply of rocks and a belt pouch to carry our bounty we eradicated most every song bird and small game animal for miles.

After years of alpine hunting and passing up snowshoes and grouse during the  deer season I spent $15 at Walmart on a fold up and splurged on some marbles. First shot in almost 30 years got a rabbit for dinner. Solo packing my deer out bagged a grouse that would have otherwise gone unscathed. Elitism because most people were eating some crappy mountain house instead.

Metal head…it’s very wrong to aim a .270 at their feet. You’ll break a tooth that way. Just aim for the neck and be done with the nonsense. No reason to miss on purpose.

Some people don't know about marbles. They're my favorite wristrocket ammo.

[UplandSetter]

Upland guy with a setter and a single shotgun here. Moved to WA a few years ago and never realized when I got here that people legally shoot grouse out of trees, on the ground, etc. My initial reaction: "Man that's a cool new way to do it." Still how I feel.

Somedays I take the dog out and brave the westside thickness for maybe a shot at a bird, but only if the dog points it. It ain't hunting -- it's dog training. It ain't better or worse than the way anyone else is doing it, I'm just doing it for a different purpose in mind.

Other days I take the wife on a gated logging road and plink grouse with no dog involved. Still fun. It ain't better or worse. It's cool and different.

When I grew up getting into bird hunting I always wondered why bird hunters were so elitist. But as I've grown up I realized it's not just bird hunters. They might be loud about it, and the stereotypical, wealthy, elitist in the hunting community. I've realized that it's just who the individual people are more than anything. Annoying people exist in all these communities, whether it involves grouse or not. A lot of us on this forum just seem to prefer the salt-of-the-earth hunter, the respectful hunter, which is how it should be. Bird hunters with dogs and shotguns still exist out there like that, they're just not loud and annoying 

Summary: I think Ducks4Days had it totally right in the first comment. I really enjoyed your article!