Shooting game birds on the ground??

[Shoffy]

Some hunters view ground shooting as an un-ethical method. While there is no greater feeling that shooting a bird on a flush in the air, I have been guilty of shooting a grouse or two on the ground. I feel there is no problem with that. When I go hunting, I go to bring home birds to eat. If it's all about the skill of the shot, then why don't those guys just stay at the trap range and shoot clay targets?? Any thoughts??

[JimmyHoffa]

Safer to shoot grouse on the ground when you use a .22 rifle or pistol.

[floatinghat]

I used to have a friend who had the moto of go ugly early that way he knew he would get lucky.  To each their own but I don't do it.

[predatorpro]

i honestly could care less, unless your hunting released birds they most likely are gonna fly anyways before you see em standing around somewhere, the outcome is the same, if people wanna be so ethical well dont go kill anything, killing an animal isnt "ethical" in the first place is it? if its out there im shootin at it!

[Bigshooter]

I have no problem with shooting a grouse on the ground or on a limb. 

[RadSav]

No problem with grouse as there are usually not dogs involved.  But, shooting pheasant, quail and chuckar on the ground is a good way to get a dog killed.  Plus, a pheasant can take one heck of a peppering in the back and still get up and fly.  Give him a single pellet in flight and "game over".

[Swannytheswan]

i honestly could care less, unless your hunting released birds they most likely are gonna fly anyways before you see em standing around somewhere, the outcome is the same, if people wanna be so ethical well dont go kill anything, killing an animal isnt "ethical" in the first place is it? if its out there im shootin at it!

I don't think killing animals is unethical! Killing is part of nature and a fact of life.

[3nails]

 Grouse are WAY too delicious to give them the opportunity to get away when they present a shot. How many times have you quickly lined up on a flushed grouse only to have him take a drastic turn right as you're pulling the trigger, resulting in a 4' miss?

[Skyvalhunter]

I think that when you say shooting a grouse on the ground is unethical you are in the minority. Go for it or you will be eating Colonel Sanders.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Each species is seen differently to the hunter ..like pheasant hunting ..its all about the flush and hearing a rooster cackle...alot of grouse are shot off the ground..out here  its easy to shot grouse from the roads ..back east its almost unheard of ...the birds back there do not come out on the roads like here so its alot more fun because you have to flush them and try hitting one as he bolts threw the hardwoods ..Alot more challenging back there...and blue grouse are so dumb its almost a shame to kill em 

[ICEMAN]

I am not going to criticize any bird hunter for taking a LEGAL shot on any game bird. (Accept for skybusting on migratory waterfowl that I am workin... )

[CP]

Just aim at the X and let her rip.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Just aim at the X and let her rip.

   

[Rhinoron247]

Grouse off the ground no problem, however,  any shot below the waist when dogs are involved in the hunt NOT COOL even I the dogs aren't around!  Bad habit to even consider.  To me it has nothing to do with ethics is all about safety and control. 

[Rgrady35]

Growing up in Texas, we called them skillet shots. One shot, fill the skillet for supper. 

[Shoffy]

I've never ground shot a upland bird on the ground, other than a pheasant that was knocked down, got up to run and was getting away and was too far away. I don't own a dog, so all my bird hunting is jump shooting on foot. Grouse, I'll shoot anytime on the road

[lokidog]

No problem for me.  Safety is definitely an issue if dogs are around though.

Back in the eighties I was camped for a month of elk hunting in the OR coast range.  I shot 76 quail for my dinners, only two had bb's in the breast as the rest were head shots with the full choke as they ran through the brush off the roads.  Shoot one in the air in that area and it's going to be a long steep search without a dog.

[Heartsblood]

i honestly could care less, unless your hunting released birds they most likely are gonna fly anyways before you see em standing around somewhere, the outcome is the same, if people wanna be so ethical well dont go kill anything, killing an animal isnt "ethical" in the first place is it? if its out there im shootin at it!

I don't think killing animals is unethical! Killing is part of nature and a fact of life.

   Part of the cycle. The belief that humans are somehow outside of this cycle, in my opinion, would be disconnection from reality. But that's just me... 

[jackmaster]

anyone who says they wont shoot a ruff grouse on the ground, or tree or hidin in a stump, they are nuts, or they dont care if they ever get one, i would rather shoot them out of the air but i shoot them on the ground as well, now when we are talkn ducks or geese, i can honestly say that i will not shoot them when they are sittn on the water if we have a kid with us we will let him or her pick one out and shoot in on the sit but after that not

[MtnMuley]

I shoot grouse and turkeys on the ground.  No other game birds unless they are running wounded faster than me.

[rotty33]

I ground sluice grouse all the time. But pheasants, chukars etc. I let fly. It's pretty rare for them to sit still long enough for a ground shot anyways.

[dawei]

I grew up in the east hunting pheasant, grouse (we called them partridge), and waterfowl. It was considered very unsportsman like to ground shoot a bird. There were two exceptions, the only bird that was permissible to routinely shoot on the ground was a wild turkey. Secondly was to recover a wounded duck or pheasant trying to run or swim away. For those two situations ONLY, it was permissible to shoot a bird on the ground or water. Later in my military career, while stationed in Virginia, and Arizona; I was introduced to dove and quail hunting. Here too it was considered unsportsman like to "ground sluce" a game bird.  Where I grew up in upstate New York and North Eastern Pennsylvania grouse were very wary; they were only shot over bird dogs. Here in the Pacific Northwest grouse are not wary; their intelligence level is just slightly above a Democrat politician.


Back east they hunt grouse, here; we just shoot grouse.

[runamuk]

to each there own if its legal and safe  why should it matter to anyone how someone else hunts birds 

[Pathfinder101]

I'll do it when runnin' the mountain roads for grouse.  I won't sluice anything else on the ground or water though, unless it's wounded and I am finishing it off.
Those are my rules.  I don't judge anyone who plays differently.

[BIGINNER]

ONE TIME AS I WAS WALKING BACK TO MY CAR AT A PHEASANT RELEASE SITE,.. I CAME UP ON A PHEASANT WALKING DOWN THE PATH.  I GOT READY TO SHOOT,.. WAITING FOR IT TO FLY, BUT IT JUST WOULDN'T FLY,.. SO I WALKED UP CLOSER  ABOUT 5 YARDS WITHIN THE BIRD,.. AND IT STILL WOULDN'T FLY,.. I THREW A ROCK AT IT IN AN ATTEMP TO MAKE IT FLY,.. DIDN'T WORK,  SO I ENDED UP WALKING RIGHT UP TO IT AND GIVING IT A GOOD KICK,..      IT FLEW OFF ABOUT 15 YARDS AND GOT BLOWN OUT OG THE AIR.      

[Curly]

Here in the Pacific Northwest grouse are not wary; their intelligence level is just slightly above a Democrat politician.

Back east they hunt grouse, here; we just shoot grouse.

 
Sometimes grouse will get educated and surprise you.  A democrat politician.......they don't seem to learn.

[bobcat]

Grouse can actually be quite a challenge to hunt, especially if you get out and walk while hunting them. Many, many times they have only given me a split second to shoot, and usually it's through brush and tree limbs. I will take the occasional grouse that will sit in a tree or on the ground for just long enough for me to get a shot off, but it doesn't happen often. The "dumb" grouse are usually the ones seen from a vehicle while driving gravel roads. Even they very often will not give a person enough time to get out of a vehicle, load their gun, and get a shot off before flying away. I really don't think grouse are given the credit they are due, as a game bird in this state. People, get out there and actually get out of your vehicle and try hunting them. See how many times you can come home with a four bird limit.

[MtnMuley]

to each there own if its legal and safe  why should it matter to anyone how someone else hunts birds 

Because the author of this topic asked for any thoughts.

[jechicdr]

It's too hard for me to shoot grouse out of the air with my bow...so I stick with the ground shots.

[Heartsblood]

Grouse can actually be quite a challenge to hunt, especially if you get out and walk while hunting them. Many, many times they have only given me a split second to shoot, and usually it's through brush and tree limbs. I will take the occasional grouse that will sit in a tree or on the ground for just long enough for me to get a shot off, but it doesn't happen often. The "dumb" grouse are usually the ones seen from a vehicle while driving gravel roads. Even they very often will not give a person enough time to get out of a vehicle, load their gun, and get a shot off before flying away. I really don't think grouse are given the credit they are due, as a game bird in this state. People, get out there and actually get out of your vehicle and try hunting them. See how many times you can come home with a four bird limit.

   Agreed. I've still never limited. I've still not hunted grouse over dogs either. I'm willing. Just haven't yet. On bothe accounts. 

[halflife65]

i honestly could care less, unless your hunting released birds they most likely are gonna fly anyways before you see em standing around somewhere, the outcome is the same, if people wanna be so ethical well dont go kill anything, killing an animal isnt "ethical" in the first place is it? if its out there im shootin at it!

I don't think killing animals is unethical! Killing is part of nature and a fact of life.

   I have no problem shooting birds, especially grouse, on the ground.  I've shot more with something other than a shotgun than I have with a shotgun, anyway.

[huntinguy]

It's too hard for me to shoot grouse out of the air with my bow...so I stick with the ground shots.

why do you let them fly away with your bow? 

[jechicdr]

It's too hard for me to shoot grouse out of the air with my bow...so I stick with the ground shots.

why do you let them fly away with your bow? 

It was a big grouse and it caught me off guard.  Before I knew it, he had my bow and was flying off with it.

Reminds me of a funny grouse story.  Elk hunting up in the wilderness and come upon 4 grouse.  I'm only 10 yards away.  Take an arrow and shoot...misses neck by a half an inch.  Grouse I shot at did not move but 2 of the others scatter.  The 4th was in the bush...will get back to that one.  I take a second shot (wasting my broadheads ) and this time decapitate the grouse.  Now I go to retrieve the bird...and my arrows.  I pick up my first arrow and come around the bush and there is one just standing there, out of my reach...oh but wait, I have a 29 inch stick pointed stick (a.k.a arrow).  I skewer the bird (not sure if this is a legal means to take a grouse).  I then go to get my other arrow, and pinned right underneath the arrow is the third grouse.  Lets just say I ate well that night.

[netcoyote]

Whew! I thought it was just my little secret. I much prefer a bird take a good flush and try to take him with a graceful, well-placed shot. That said, I've been known to take a few that just refuse to fly and seem to be on a death wish. Especially after a long day stomping through the woods without even seeing a bird and then have one standing in the middle of the trail on your way back to the truck. BANG! ...dinner.

[Ellensburg]

Hell ya I shoot em on the ground every chance i get with grouse. I even shot a pheasant on the ground last year because it wouldnt fly. I could care less and if you are too stuck up to do it, thanks. More for me.

[singleshot12]

Release pheasants I try to give them a little chance and shoot em on the flush and even that is too easy and doesn't seem fair. Wild birds on the other hand is a differant story. Shooting the head off a sitting rooster is always a nice break after the ten before him eluded you 

[lokidog]

I had to flip a release bird into the air out of a snowbank using my gun barrel once so Weathergirl could shoot it.   

[DOUBLELUNG]

Run like a rabbit, die like a rabbit.

[h20hunter]

Grouse on the ground.....boom.....grouse for dinner. Found two standing stock still on a log. It was like a gift. One facing me, one facing away above it. But the bead on the lower birds head and popped them both. One lost its head the other took the shot in the back and wings, not a pellet found in the breast. We still talk about that one.

[fethrduster]

To each his own, but in my opinion I think it depends on what you're expecting or wanting to get from the experience.  If all you have is a rifle or bow, then of course, have at it.  But with a shotgun, are you out to see your dog work, to soak up the outdoors, and for the challenge?  If so, why would you shoot one on the ground?  There is zero challenge in that.  Do you really need a bird that bad?  I'm not going to go so far to say it's unethical, because it is legal, but I think the birds deserve better personally.  They are a precious resource.  After all, if all you want is something for dinner, why not just go to safeway and get a chicken? 

[ICEMAN]

Deserve better?
 
A moving shot is better for the bird than a quick shot on the ground? Not sure I get where you are coming from.
 
Hunting is what it is....hunting. We do not do this just for the food, but the fun, and part of the fun is scoring an animal that we can take home and enjoy, unlike your safeway chicken.  If I passed on a bird on the ground, only to kick it up and miss....am I having more fun?

Maybe the most ethical shot is the one where the bird is setting still and not moving?

[steen]

I don't have a problem with shooting one on the ground, as far as dog safety I wouldn't shoot if I didn't know where the dog was.  If the dog worked hard for the bird and not shooting it on the ground would result in it running in blackberries, tus losing it, I'd definately shoot.  There has been times I waited also just because I wanted to shoot a flushed bird, altho, it has resulted in a miss before.  Most of the time we just want to have pheasant for supper and when you only get two and pay $90.00 for a tag for release birds you shoot 'em however they come.  It is an expensive dinner either way with alot of good excersise in the process.

[h20hunter]

the couple I have hosed were usually near camp when I was not toting my deer rifle.  No dog to worry about, no game to scare away. Just whacking a forrest chicken.

[Bluemoon]

I do quite a bit of guiding for NFL players and very wealthy well to do clients with my dogs.  The ground rules are set very clear before we go into the field, no ground shooting of birds period,  for the safety of the dogs and other people in the group.  Twice I have had that rule broken and twice the outcome was the same.  The hunt is over and no refund for their stupidity end of conversation.   I saw a dog take a load of 4's at Cooke canyon and last year at Scatter creek no bird is worth that.  Yes, I might sound like an A$$ but when my dogs are on the ground I'm the boss.  And when spelling it backwards I am the double SSOB.
As it was stated earlier if you need a bird that bad go get a chicken.

[BOWHUNTER45]

ONE TIME AS I WAS WALKING BACK TO MY CAR AT A PHEASANT RELEASE SITE,.. I CAME UP ON A PHEASANT WALKING DOWN THE PATH.  I GOT READY TO SHOOT,.. WAITING FOR IT TO FLY, BUT IT JUST WOULDN'T FLY,.. SO I WALKED UP CLOSER  ABOUT 5 YARDS WITHIN THE BIRD,.. AND IT STILL WOULDN'T FLY,.. I THREW A ROCK AT IT IN AN ATTEMP TO MAKE IT FLY,.. DIDN'T WORK,  SO I ENDED UP WALKING RIGHT UP TO IT AND GIVING IT A GOOD KICK,..      IT FLEW OFF ABOUT 15 YARDS AND GOT BLOWN OUT OG THE AIR.    

    my dog usually catches most release site birds... I never take a gun 

[fethrduster]

Deserve better?
 
A moving shot is better for the bird than a quick shot on the ground? Not sure I get where you are coming from.
 
Hunting is what it is....hunting. We do not do this just for the food, but the fun, and part of the fun is scoring an animal that we can take home and enjoy, unlike your safeway chicken.  If I passed on a bird on the ground, only to kick it up and miss....am I having more fun?

Maybe the most ethical shot is the one where the bird is setting still and not moving?

What I mean is that if I wait until it flies and I miss, then fine, the bird wins a chance at life.  Are you having more fun?  Depends on what you mean by fun.  If fun only involves a successful kill and bringing meat home, then I guess not.  If fun means having had a chance to be successful, but I wasn't that particular time, but I still got to experience the thrill of that encounter, then yes, I've had a ball.  You win some, you lose some.   As I said, I think it depends on what we expect or want to get out of the experience.

[bobcat]

For hunting pheasants, chukars, quail, huns, especially with a dog, I never shoot birds on the ground. But to me, grouse are different. Even if I have a dog with me I will shoot one out of a tree. With grouse you don't get much of a chance. If you wait for the dog to point a bird before you ever take a shot, you might not ever get to shoot at a bird. If I shoot one out of a tree the dog at least gets the chance to retrieve a bird.