Grouse patrol

[rtch77]

So here in NY state I find the grouse scene skimpy this season despite a lot of scouting even in favorite coverts. Hows your luck out there? The key to success in times like these will be careful accurate shooting. I tried swinging a soda can on a rope and shooting it ... mimic moving target (bouncing branch too) it was lots of running back and forth, borders on unsafe shotgunning. No one volunteered to stand there and swing it for me (haha)

Now any clever/cheap moving target ideas?

[Lng Rng]

Grouse hunting has been a joke. I have been bow hunting/bear hunting in the woods this year enough to know that grouse hunting won't be worth my time. There are no young birds, they had a bad hatch.

[Upland Idaho]

RTCH...there are numberous cheap ways to practice your wing shooting. One involves a cup on a shelf and another just pretending to shoot birds you see everyday. The secret I think is to get yourself into the zone when shooting. The other thing is to have shouldered your gun enough times that it is done correctly without thinking. Lots of advice but the way I was shooting a couple weeks ago you may not want it.

In the Zone

[Peeshooter]

I don't know how cheap you need to shoot, but we use a hand-trap and clay targets. Unfortunatly, it requires another person to throw the targets.

It's excellent practice and when thrown from the sides, can teach the proper lead necessary to hit crossing birds.

A Trius ground trap doesn't seem to give as good practice, but one person can do it and shoot.

This year, Maine grouse have been much better, in spots. Northern Maine was quite good.

Picher

[rdnckhnter]

what i like to do to get ready for the season is go clay pigeon shooting but now with ur standard 3 and 4 inch clays. i use the 1inch clays they are real hard to hit but when u get it down going into the woods after those birds seems like cake..hope this helps