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Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1310 Location: Western WA

Citori16, Your remarks have stirred some recollections here. Low 2 has been the bane of my bird hunting history, not the easy floating incoming clay target, but low screamer pheasants inbound at 75 mph. I’ve had several but missed them all, drats!

And the grouse habits out here will seem foreign to eastern and Midwestern hunters. They are hunted here mostly on logging roads, and more often than not they will simply stare at you as you approach. It doesn’t seem quite sporting to bag a bird that lets you walk up to it like a farmyard chicken. I once had a spruce grouse chase me down while I rode my motorcycle. But those that flush are a tough target like those back east.

B.

LOL!…I hunt quite a few logging roads (especially if they are gated!), but yeah, we only have the occasional stupid bird. I had one that ran across the road 10 feet in front of me & the dog, and she immediately went on point (first season). Off I went to follow it, and it started strutting in front of me, fan up & everything. I had to kick it up like a pen reared pheasant, and then it went rather unhurried towards a nearby birch like it was going to land in it. I took it just as it reached the tree, if only to improve the gene pool. I have come up with a saying that I drilled into my son’s head: Stupid birds taste good!

Regarding incomers, I’ve only had a few with grouse, but 2 really stand out in my mind, both very similar to a station 8 hi house. On the first one, the dogs had gone way into the woods trailing either a running bird or a good flock, not sure which. I was 1/2 mile from the truck on a 10 mile round trip down & back, very tired, and thinking about the lunch in the cooler at the truck. So I opted to watch, and I thought to myself “This would be the time for a bird to fly at me”, and a moment later, one did, like a feathered rocket. I fired a salute and couldn’t turn fast enough to see him clear the road. The other time, same road, different year, but with an audience: my wife, who doesn’t hunt. This time only a 1/4 mile from the truck, dogs went in and the bird came out directly towards me but about 10 feet up, then veered around me but came back to his original flight path…he knew exactly where he wanted to go. I fired my customary salute with a swing this time and punched a hole in a wall of small spruce that had been brush-hogged. While I always follow up a shot like that, I was really trying to find that bird down, even though I knew I missed, cuz in my head I can hear my non-shooting wife saying ”How’d he miss a bird that close?”

And that’s why I shoot skeet.

sometimes , birds are just destined to be eaten !! Was about 13/14 or so and started deer hunting a tad early - 97 winnie . Was on the edge of a 100' ravine and a bird lands maybe 15ft from me and starts edging closer ! Had a birdshot with me and got it in the gun Bam - DINNER !! now anyone who knows 97's know that's impossible to unload/load without the bird flushing , but I did it !.... A yr earlier , we were hunting around Dansville if I remember - birds EVERYWHERE - missing most ! Winnie 37 . Got an apple pricker in my leg 2 or 3" deep - ouch ! Put the gun and my pants down and start working on that bugger ! It wasn't letting go . You guessed it . Darn bird flies right up and lands 10 - 15' away and is watching the operation ! Had to move to the gun , cock it and turn around and the bird is just watching . Blew his head off again , and it was the only bird I got out of maybe 30 shots with a single shot ! Thank you Mr Dumb bird !! Maybe the only 2 birds I ever shot on the ground !!(tree)