To have gross for dinner most gunners shoot 20% or less on the flush.
Very interesting, CZ. Having never hunted them I had no idea that the average was that low (assuming "gross" meant grouse).
At first, I thought that ClapperZapper may have been referring to eating Ortolan.
But that 20% or less success figure for flushed ruffed grouse sounds to be a fairly reasonable average. I understand that some grouse species are not nearly as wary or challenging to shoot, but ruffed grouse are unpredictable with a good dog, and even more unpredictable without a dog. If you are a shooter who needs to establish a smooth swing or sustained lead, then that 20% figure will be wishful thinking in a lot of grouse cover. They seem to have a knack for holding tight until you are the most unprepared to shoot, such as when you are fighting through very thick stuff, or out of balance while stepping over rocks, vines, or fallen tree limbs. They also have a very noisy flush for their size. What I find most remarkable is how they seem to know when you can legally shoot them, and when you can't. During grouse season, their flight always seems to be very quick and evasive, and you often lose sight of the target even when most of the Fall leaves are down. You very rarely have much time to shoot before you lose sight of them entirely. A double shotgun is perfect for them because there won't be many times you could get a clear third shot, if you missed the first two shots. Getting a double is a real accomplishment. Often, you hear the flush, and never see them. But then, a few weeks later during deer season, they will often launch straight away from a logging road or open area. Many times, I've pulled up on one flying gently straight away while carrying my flintlock rifle during deer season, and swear I could easily hit it in flight with an open sighted rifle. Visibility in the late season, if we have one, is often better due to a snow covered background.
I mostly hunted ringneck pheasants until they became near extinct in my state. Pheasants are way easier than ruffed grouse.
