Shooting game birds on the ground??

[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.