Shooting grouse with a .22 rifle

[Shoffy]

I've always shot grouse with a shot gun but I'm thinking about bringing a scoped .22 for the birds on the gravel road that are out of shotgun range or way up in a tree.
How many of you guys use a .22 rifle??

[rtspring]

Killed a bunch of them using a 22. Might be careful about shooting them on the road!!

[Woodchuck]

Many grouse have died with a .22 rifle. 

[CP]

I can consistently kill a stationary grouse with my Ruger 10/22 out to about 60 yards, maybe a bit more.  But then again I can consistently kill grouse out to about 60 yards with a 12g, stationary or not.

[rasbo]

22 mag to said head

[Hunterman]

I have given many a grouse a splitting head ach with a .22,  and my .30-06, just to check my zero 

Hunterman(Tony)

[bobcat]

Much fun to be had with a 22 rifle and lots of grouse to shoot at

But if they're scarce I'll take a shotgun over the 22.

Problem is when you have a 22 it seems they know it, and won't hold still long enough to get a good shot off.   

[JimmyHoffa]

Yeah, it seems like when I have the .22 they like to bob their head around a lot.

[ICEMAN]

Why not take and use both?  .22 over 20 gauge savage... 

[bobcat]

Why not take and use both? 

Savage?  20 gauge or 410? My brother and I started out grouse hunting with a Savage 22/410. I just took it out again a couple years ago after not having shot it for probably 20 years and killed 3 or 4 blue grouse with it. (the 410, not 22)

[ICEMAN]

Yes, 22/20  I have wanted a 22/410 for years and had to pass on one last year, a bit too spendy for me at the time...

[high country]

You guys ever knock the heads off and have them fly straight up for a hundred yards then fall right back down? I have had it happen several times.

[Skyvalhunter]

I have a savage 222 over 20 gauge.

[wadu1]

You guys ever knock the heads off and have them fly straight up for a hundred yards then fall right back down? I have had it happen several times.

Not once for me with a center fire but id have one fly about 25 yards after getting it's head blasted with a .54 muzzy.

[ICEMAN]

I have a savage 222 over 20 gauge.

Nice!

[Special T]

Best all round  gun EVER! 22lr 20 ga. Only one that would come in a close second would be .223 12 ga... But not very many of those wer made and are getting expensive... I would LOVE one for calling predators!

[bloodhound]

yeah i use my proctor and gamble bolt action single shot for grouse. thing is deadly even with open sights i cant miss.

[MtnMuley]

I switched to the 17hmr years ago from the 22lr, and couldn't be happier.  Had a few grouse run/fly off with shots to the head and neck with the 22lr, and haven't had one with the 17hmr.......except the ones I missed, lol

[flinter]

If you shoot em with a 22 make sure you aim for head or neck. You will lose lots of them trying for body shots, not enough shock to put em down every time. If you must aim for body use a mag. or .17, but be prepared for some meat loss!!!

[dscubame]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

[Special T]

Hell ya i shoot em on the ground! or on a tree branch! Ove shot them on the wing with the shotgun, standing with the 22 pistol or rifle  and once running with my bow! 

[JimmyHoffa]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I shoot them off the ground quite often or from trees.  .22 with a scope and shoot them in the head or lower neck.  sometimes while they are walking. It's kind of like shooting prairie dogs that you can eat.

[rasbo]

Im a ground slucing head shooting sonagunna with the 22mag,no bbs in my birds and and great meat to boot

[MtnMuley]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I wasn't aware you could shoot turkeys with rifles such as the .22lr or .17HMR?

[h20hunter]

You can shoot turkeys in the roost easy with a .22 or .17!!!

 


Easy everyone...............easy.................making a joke!

[jeepasaurusrex]

I've tried to knock the heads off of em with the .270 a few times..... When you aim low, its like hitting a feather pillow with a M80... POOF!

[JLS]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I wasn't aware you could shoot turkeys with rifles such as the .22lr or .17HMR?

In MT you can use a rifle during the fall turkey seasons.

[Bob33]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I wasn't aware you could shoot turkeys with rifles such as the .22lr or .17HMR?

Sure you can.  Now if you're asking if it's legal, that's another question.

[Greg30-06]

Ruger10/22 is all I use anymore

[bobcat]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

It's better sometimes to shoot them before they fly. Once they fly, you can't see them anymore in all the brush. I will shoot them on the ground or out of a tree with a shotgun and have done it many, many times. But a .22 is more challenging. I've used both a 22 rifle and a 22 pistol. But I have killed far more grouse with a shotgun than anything else. 20 gauge is my favorite! I've also killed grouse with a 264 Win Mag, a 270 Win, a 30-06, and a 54 caliber muzzleloader. Oh, and a bow! 

[Shoffy]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I shoot them on the ground all the time with a shotgun. Mostly a 20Ga. I have never once ruined any breast meat from ground slucing a grouse. This September though, I'm gonna start bringing my ruger 10-22 and try head shots. I don't think I've ever flushed a grouse and wing shot it and I cant understand how people do The country and brush where I grouse hunt is so thick it's impossible to swing the shotgun. I've walked and heard them flush, but never even saw them through the trees. After missing a few, I went back to the truck and back to hunting the roads  I don't think there is anything un-ethical with road hunting. You cover a lot of ground and drive some beautiful old mountain roads, sip your coffee, listen to some tunes or a game on the radio. It's good relaxing time for me

[MtnMuley]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I wasn't aware you could shoot turkeys with rifles such as the .22lr or .17HMR?

Sure you can.  Now if you're asking if it's legal, that's another question.

I think you know the point I was making Bob.

[Shoffy]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I wasn't aware you could shoot turkeys with rifles such as the .22lr or .17HMR?

Sure you can.  Now if you're asking if it's legal, that's another question.

I think you know the point I was making Bob.

It should be legal. A .22 or .17 cracked in the head of a turkey would be a pretty clean kill. It's not like you would shoot it in the body. You aim for the head/neck with a shot gun, why not with a rim fire?

[Stilly bay]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I wasn't aware you could shoot turkeys with rifles such as the .22lr or .17HMR?

Sure you can.  Now if you're asking if it's legal, that's another question.

I think you know the point I was making Bob.

It should be legal. A .22 or .17 cracked in the head of a turkey would be a pretty clean kill. It's not like you would shoot it in the body. You aim for the head/neck with a shot gun, why not with a rim fire?

probably not a good idea, some people would aim for the body. or some would aim for the head and be slightly off and blast the birds beak off, and not be able to recover it.  there is a reason why the accepted method to kill turkeys is with a tightly choked shot gun or an arrow with a big old broad head- their vitals are very small.

[CP]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I wasn't aware you could shoot turkeys with rifles such as the .22lr or .17HMR?

Sure you can.  Now if you're asking if it's legal, that's another question.

I think you know the point I was making Bob.

It should be legal. A .22 or .17 cracked in the head of a turkey would be a pretty clean kill. It's not like you would shoot it in the body. You aim for the head/neck with a shot gun, why not with a rim fire?

probably not a good idea, some people would aim for the body. or some would aim for the head and be slightly off and blast the birds beak off, and not be able to recover it.  there is a reason why the accepted method to kill turkeys is with a tightly choked shot gun or an arrow with a big old broad head- their vitals are very small.

You could make that same argument about shooting grouse with a rifle and yet it is legal and never questioned.

[Ducknut97]

22's are quieter, but you've got a lot better change with a shotgun

[Stilly bay]

Don't you guys find it hard to shoot them on the fly with a .22?  Surely your not shooting them stationary on the ground... or in the tree like a turkey in the roost... or like a duck sitting on a pond? 

I wasn't aware you could shoot turkeys with rifles such as the .22lr or .17HMR?

Sure you can.  Now if you're asking if it's legal, that's another question.

I think you know the point I was making Bob.

It should be legal. A .22 or .17 cracked in the head of a turkey would be a pretty clean kill. It's not like you would shoot it in the body. You aim for the head/neck with a shot gun, why not with a rim fire?

probably not a good idea, some people would aim for the body. or some would aim for the head and be slightly off and blast the birds beak off, and not be able to recover it.  there is a reason why the accepted method to kill turkeys is with a tightly choked shot gun or an arrow with a big old broad head- their vitals are very small.

You could make that same argument about shooting grouse with a rifle and yet it is legal and never questioned.

interesting point. maybe its because a grouse is so much smaller than a turkey and it really doesn't take much to put one down. knick a grouse with a high caliber bullet or even a 22 and they are usually subdued, while the turkey is a much tougher bird, that can survive more of hit or at least run or fly farther after taking a hit.
 
another thing to think about is how many shootings there would be if you could hunt turkeys with high powered or long range weapons? there are enough already with close range weapons. blaze orange would be mandatory.

[JimmyHoffa]

Rifles are legal in other states for turkeys.  A few guys I used to know in the south would use .222/.223/.22-250s for turkeys.  There wasn't any additional problems with safety.  A dangerous person is dangerous with anything you give them.

[CP]

Rifles are legal in other states for turkeys.  A few guys I used to know in the south would use .222/.223/.22-250s for turkeys.  There wasn't any additional problems with safety.  A dangerous person is dangerous with anything you give them.

 
You can’t even shoot turkeys in this state with a shotgun and #2 shot.  What’s with that?  What idiot makes up these laws? 

[Bob33]

Rifles are legal in other states for turkeys.  A few guys I used to know in the south would use .222/.223/.22-250s for turkeys.  There wasn't any additional problems with safety.  A dangerous person is dangerous with anything you give them.

 
You can’t even shoot turkeys in this state with a shotgun and #2 shot.  What’s with that?  What idiot makes up these laws?

I think the restrictions may be more about fair chase than safety.  Shooting a turkey at 200 yards with a 22-250 may be safe, but that's not how turkey hunting should be conducted in the minds of many.  Call them in close, and make the kill.

As for shot size, all the turkey hunters I know aim for the head and neck, and out to 50 yards a quality #6 pellet will go completely through.  I don't see any value in using shot larger than #4, although I'm not sure why it is restricted.

[seth30]

Rifles are legal in other states for turkeys.  A few guys I used to know in the south would use .222/.223/.22-250s for turkeys.  There wasn't any additional problems with safety.  A dangerous person is dangerous with anything you give them.

 
You can’t even shoot turkeys in this state with a shotgun and #2 shot.  What’s with that?  What idiot makes up these laws?

I think the restrictions may be more about fair chase than safety.  Shooting a turkey at 200 yards with a 22-250 may be safe, but that's not how turkey hunting should be conducted in the minds of many.  Call them in close, and make the kill.

As for shot size, all the turkey hunters I know aim for the head and neck, and out to 50 yards a quality #6 pellet will go completely through.  I don't see any value in using shot larger than #4, although I'm not sure why it is restricted.

Im going off hersay on this but I hear you cant go past #4  due the chance of  a person accidently being shot will survive.  Once again before I get bashed and slammed its what I was told by a turkey hunter.

[Stilly bay]

that makes sense to me. or maybe with #4 or larger you have less pellets in your pattern? once you get up to size #2 or larger taking a shot 40+ yards would open up all kinds of holes in your pattern, you would still hit the turkey but there would be far fewer pellets puncturing the vitals ?

[CP]

I’ve killed many a turkey with #2s and still own most of a case of  12g 3” #2 Remington Nitro Mags (Good old lead – like God intended shot to be made of).  I can’t use them for anything in this state (grouse and East side pheasant I guess).  I’ll take them back to Texas next time I go and put them to better use there.

[Dhoey07]

Rifles are legal in other states for turkeys.  A few guys I used to know in the south would use .222/.223/.22-250s for turkeys.  There wasn't any additional problems with safety.  A dangerous person is dangerous with anything you give them.

 
You can’t even shoot turkeys in this state with a shotgun and #2 shot.  What’s with that?  What idiot makes up these laws?

I think the restrictions may be more about fair chase than safety.  Shooting a turkey at 200 yards with a 22-250 may be safe, but that's not how turkey hunting should be conducted in the minds of many.  Call them in close, and make the kill.

As for shot size, all the turkey hunters I know aim for the head and neck, and out to 50 yards a quality #6 pellet will go completely through.  I don't see any value in using shot larger than #4, although I'm not sure why it is restricted.

#2 or #3 would make sense if shooting steel, that's about it.

On another note.  I shot a grouse last year with my .22 pistol, twice and she just stood there.  Kinda crazy, i expected her to start doing the funky chicken, but nope.  So i had my dad shoot her with the shotty before she flew away. 

[deerhunter_98520]

This one was just over 50yds....ive only shot them with my 10/22 till i got my buckmark

[WildBear]

I've always used my marking .22 for them birds. Few years back I shot a couple just to have them run or fly 10 or so yards into the brush and blend in quite well. After that I switched to a 20g

[andy*]

I enjoy using my .22 rifle for grouse. But then I've also been known to use my .38 caliber longrifle, my .54 Hawken copy or my flintlock northwest gun in .20 gauge.
Good luck to all who go out for grouse this year.
Andy