Handgunning birds

How many of you handgun birds, like grouse and turkeys? What do you use?

I use my Rugers and Browning autos for grouse (blue and ruffed) and for turkeys I'm a little more versatile. I use contenders mainly in 22 hornet and six guns with an assortment of calibers. 22 mag to 454 casual

I definatley do grouse with a handgun. Up until this season it has usually been with a Ruger Bearcat that I turned the barrel and adjusted the sights for CCI minimags. And no, I do not kick them into the air to be "ethical" ;^)

I picked up a Browning 1911 22lr a month or so ago, and it has a good chance to surplant my Bearcat. It like the Bearcat, is so small and light, that it can ride on my pack while out with other primary weapons. Or just be handy when doing the rounds on the ranch.

Craig

I love grouse hunting! I usually use a Ruger Single-Six or Mk III loaded with Remington Subsonics. Last year I took a couple with a .54 cal Great Plains pistol I built. I loaded it with a round ball and a light load of Goex 3F black powder.

Pigeons: .410 Contender,#5 shot out to 35 yards,2-3' lead, looks like a pillow being ripped apart!
Grouse: Ruger MKII, 40 gr. Win. Power Point(on the ground, of course, I ain't THAT good. Did shoot one in a tree with .38 SP. in a Python)
Turkeys: I've tried almost everything imaginable. They have gotten away from .357, .44s, .223s,.6.5/.284, AND 400 gr. .4570!! BUT they have not gotten away from 6.5 JDJ and my #1 turkey gun- FA 7 1/2" .454 Casull, 260 gr. Speer Mag. HP. Killed about 3 1/2 dozen with it, 0 failures, and very little meat damage-shoot wing butt and base of neck. This combo has the 5 Star Hit Man approval!

Sure wish we had grouse thick enough that they could be hunted with a handgun. Those things are like hens teeth around here and when they bust out go like lightning.

I have bagged a few turkeys with XP-100's.

I usually see more grouse during deer season than any other time, and then I usually have my Bisley 45LC on the belt which has accounted for quite a few head/neck shot grouse. I have rung the necks on a few that must have been concussed somewhat from a near miss, but it is still meat in the freezer. I do carry my 45/410 'Tender now and again, and have wacked a few birds and bunnies with it.

In OR it's illegal to use anything smaller than a 20ga with #5shot for Turkey and you cant use a single projectile for any birds. upland you have to use a min of a .410, Archery is legal but for turkey the bow must be at least 40#

I use 'tender 45/410 and encore 20ga fer turkey. We can't use single projectiles fer turkey.

Only bird I ever shot using 454....

Last spring I took a turkey with a TC contender that had 10 inch 45LC/410 ga. bbl at about 18 yards using 3 inch #4 Winchester shell. A few feathers, a few flops and he was done.

I need to correct myself from an earlier post I made under new members when I stated that the barrel length was 12 inches. It is only 10 inches.

Short guns for turkey is not legal in Indiana. Does not make much sense since it IS legal for compound and crossbows. To bad, because I have a pretty good spot for gobblers. Grouse are few and far between up in the North part of the state where I live.

wvhitman
I find my self carrying my FA 454 on most of my turkey hunts. Although I don't even come close to your #'s. Congrats!

Jamesfromjersey
Another good 454 pic

BTW Great picture Pab1. Have you got any other pic's?

I've always used a 22 for the grouse. In the spring you can only shoot Turkey with shotgun or bow, but i believe you can use any weapon you want on fall Turkey over in eastern Montana.

Pab1 and Doc please correct me if i'm wrong.

wheelguns
I've checked on that a time or two, your right. That is unless they've changed it in the last year or so.

Thanks wyote.

No birds may be hunted in Arkansas with a handgun or rifle that I know of. We have no grouse or any kind of small prarie chickens. Only dove and you must use a pellet blaster. I suppose that you COULD use a Contender in 45/410 but I have never been a good wing shot. The hogs that have become king of the woods have thined out the turkey population in Arkansas until we have a very late and very short spring season and most of the state is closed to fall hunting. A few years ago you could kill turkey pretty easy in the spring now its mission impossible or at the very least mission highly not likely.

For doves, I have used my Contender with a 10" .45/.410 bbl. and 3" no.71/2 remington shells. Strategically located for pass shooting or flushing them out of stading corn and high stubble is a blast! Now if I can find the proper way to roast the breasts without destroying them I'll be ok.

All very impressive guys...I would be all about spring turkey if you could use a wheel gun here in Pa.

Yep.....we are limited to shotgun or archery in the sping season. But in the fall we can use about anything we want!

Back years ago when I lived in Colorado I use to take Sage grouse and blue grouse with a ruger bearcat I had. I also use to use my Black powder remington model 58 I built from a kit. That black powder gun was responsible for many a prarie chicken in the pot. As well as rabbits.

I use my "Super 14" 45/.410 T/C Contender with 3" #5's and have killed Turkeys out to 40yds. I've only killed 2 Grouse with it both with #6's.