Upland Game Bird Hunting for Seniors
What to Bring. What to Use.
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You don’t need special equipment to hunt upland game birds—some hiking boots, cargo-type pants, a windbreaker, and ball cap should be adequate. You’ll need a day pack to carry a lunch, snacks, water, and hopefully a few grouse.
These days I use a short-barrelled, lightweight 20-gauge shotgun that is easy to pack for a long day in the field. Shotguns have different types of chokes, which improve cylinder variety. I find a wide pattern with #7-½ size shot ideal for close shots at upland game birds. For pheasants, I’ll generally use #6 size shot.
As for what gun to use, when I was a kid, I spent a lot of time hunting blue grouse, ruffed grouse, and spruce grouse in the Crowsnest Pass area. I hunted with a .22-calibre rifle, taking head shots so as not to waste any meat.
For Merriam’s Turkeys I use a 12-gauge shotgun with a full choke (tight pattern) with a special load for these large birds, the idea being to target their heads.
CONSERVATION MAGAZINE
Many upland game bird hunters use a lightweight .410-bore shotgun for potting grouse on the ground.
FALL WINTER 2022
article and photos by Duane Radford