Choke question

[Tater]

Hi all. This is my first year hunting birds with a shotgun with an interchangeable choke. I'm wondering what choke would be best for hunting grouse. Thank you

[Jack]

What kind of grouse, Tater?
Ruffed grouse in the east, where you're hunting woods edges and abandoned farmland with a lot of scrub growth- open chokes. This time of year, with the leaves on the trees, I'd go cylinder or improved cylinder if hunting over a dog, improved cylinder if no dog.
Later, when the leaves are off the trees, improved and modified would be good.
Other kinds of grouse/terrain, I can't answer with any kind of experience.

[rainydays]

Originally Posted by Tater

Hi all. This is my first year hunting birds with a shotgun with an interchangeable choke. I'm wondering what choke would be best for hunting grouse. Thank you

All the years I hunted grouse in Idaho, my 20 ga. with improved cylinder choke served me well. I have to admitt though, that sneaking up on them with a .22 revolver was a whole lotta fun also. Have fun on your opener.

[Nulle]

Modified has worked for me

[Mr. 16 gauge]

For ruffed grouse in heavy cover, I have always used IC followed by a modified choke in a SxS (fixed chokes), and I have had good success with a cylinder bored 18.5 " pump slug gun.
For sharptails in more open terrain, most hunters say modified


BUT!!!!! Remember that "choke", as we talk about it, is influenced by multiple factors, including (but not limited to): shot size, shot hardness, shot payload, velocity, buffering, barrel constriction, ect. The best way to find the best "choke" is to pattern your gun.
Good luck and good hunting.

[wrenchman]

does idaho make you youse steel shot if so go as open as you can i youse a improved when hunting grouse shots an be fest and close and thats when they flush were you can see them.

[skeet]

Well the only grouse I have shot seriously is ruffed. I always use a Skeet choke in the brush they like to live in. but for serious grouse huntin I use a handload of 3 1/4 dram 1 1/4 ounce because of the heavier cover. Not much gets to the bird. Some use 6's but I used 7 1/2s most of the time. I did use 6's on Ptarmigan up in Alaska. Fun to shoot if it wasn't too cold. I guess they are a type of grouse. We have blues and a few ruffed here but only blues I have shot was with a 22 pistol. They just sit and kinda look at ya most of the time..like the moose if ya don't have a license.LOL

[Jack]

I used to use 7 1/2 or even 8's for ruffed grouse when the leaves were all on the trees. As the leaves fell, I'd go to 7 1/2's or 6's, and when the leaves were all gone, 6's.
I must say, for a while, in the very early season, I used 9's, and they worked fine. Grouse aren't hard to kill.
My loads were all relatively mild 20 gauge loads, like a skeet load (no joke intended).
In ruffed grouse cover, especially early, most of your kills will be pretty close- if they get 30-35 yards away, they are out of sight. Once the leaves are down, longer shots can happen.

[buckhunter]

If I have my O/U I will coke it skeet/IC in the early season with leaves on the tree's. As the leaves fall I will go to IC/Modified. Use 8-9's in the early season and then switch to 7 1/2 and the woods clean up. Usually have woodcock and ruffed grouse on the menu so the need for a heavy shot isn't necessary.

If I hunted with a single barrel gun I would start with a skeet and switch to IC.

[Rapier]

Small shot like 8s and an open choke, big pattern and a lot of shot to fill it.
Ed