Walked up grouse

[Townie]

Good afternoon all.

I'm vaguely kicking about the idea of a walked up grouse day or two next season as a single gun.

I've done plenty of walked up days, but never involving grouse and I'm pretty clueless about who to approach and what to look out for.

Any thoughts, views, advice please?

[matone]

If you have no inside knowledge I`d pay your money to a recognised agent specialising in grouse lettings. There are plenty of heathery hills to be taken for a walk on with little or no chance of shooting or indeed seeing a grouse.Hth.

[enfieldspares]

1 hour ago, Townie said:

Good afternoon all.

I'm vaguely kicking about the idea of a walked up grouse day or two next season as a single gun.

I've done plenty of walked up days, but never involving grouse and I'm pretty clueless about who to approach and what to look out for.

Any thoughts, views, advice please?

Yes. Don't shoot any hares! You, by tradition, as the one that shot it is the one that will carry it. As for advice of gun and cartridges I'd say carry no more than thirty cartridges and take a gun that carries well, broken, over the arm. Lighter is better as to choke that depends on if you shoot them early on in the season or late. It's one of the very very few times I'd favour 1/4 and 1/2. Later in the season the birds will rise earlier so maybe 3/8 and 5/8 choke? And remember there's no clay ground rules so if your gun will handle it go for "full fat" 32 gram loads with English #6 as you'll need both pattern AND (as these mostly but not always) going away birds penetration. Also of the estate allows it maybe even plastic wads if in your gun they also give a better more evenly all over spread pattern. Last for practice the low house on station 5, 6 and 7 on English skeet is good practice. And the high house on station 1 and 2. Also the old advice in Charles Lancaster "The Art of Shooting" with its diagram about shooting under a going away bird has value.

Edited Monday at 19:19 by enfieldspares

[London Best]

Just to put the car amongst the pigeons, apart from not shooting hares I would disagree with all the above advice. 
25 grams of No.6 or 7 from a 20 bore choked no more than Imp. Cyl and quarter, or up to half if you must, will be plenty of gun, load and weight to carry. 

[enfieldspares]

3 hours ago, London Best said:

Just to put the car amongst the pigeons, apart from not shooting hares I would disagree with all the above advice. 

Ah the pleasure of P/W that we can have these differences of opinion. Choke selection also depends on how much "law" you give your grouse before you take the shot or how slow your reactions are to the bird rising! Or if your shooting companion has missed what was "his" bird and you've now got a chance as it curls around, at distance, across your front. My own view is that 25 gram of #6 in an improved cylinder barrel is far too few pellets in the pattern especially for a bird at distance and shot going away. It's only 248 pellets and improved is only 50% at forty yards. I'd want more shot. The pellets, yes, still have enough energy to kill a bird in the vital parts but I think the pattern is too open to guarantee that and if there's snipe involved (as there may be in Scotland where lead is still legal for such) it may well disappoint. Which leads to remind the OP that in England (and Wales) if snipe are also to be shot he'll need to use non-lead or decline the chance of the shot. 

Edited Monday at 23:27 by enfieldspares

[London Best]

12 hours ago, London Best said:
25 grams of No.6 or 7 from a 20 bore choked no more than Imp. Cyl and quarter, or up to half if you must, will be plenty of gun, load and weight to carry. 

Works for me! 
Do not get into the habit of taking long shots at game. Forty yards is plenty far enough, and is further than most people think.
Do not use a choke which will fill game with shot at normal, sensible ranges. 
Do not overthink the theory. Just use a load/choke combination which has proven it’s worth over the last century or so and go shooting.

[Old farrier]

A good pair of boots and a small light game bag with some water in it 

hopefully you are fit as it can get very demanding 

as far as gun and cartridges go with the one you shoot best with that gives you a good pattern 

cartridges put half in a plastic bag to keep them safe as your sure to get into a peat bog at some point 

there’s a few agents that’ll cater for you or. Possibly a good pointer club maybe give you a little advice on the best moors 

[JohnfromUK]

42 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

A good pair of boots and a small light game bag with some water in it 

hopefully you are fit as it can get very demanding 

as far as gun and cartridges go with the one you shoot best with that gives you a good pattern 

cartridges put half in a plastic bag to keep them safe as your sure to get into a peat bog at some point

Very much this /\.

I've done about 35+ years of it and have given up now as the estate we stay on don't do it any longer and although I do still go up and walk the hill just for old times sake, it is VERY different walking on full alert with a gun to shoot to just enjoying the activity and scenery. 

You work hard for your shots (and hopefully birds) - and it is very rewarding - but you do need to be quite fit and also be capable of walking all day on uneven ground and thick heather/peat hags which can be very demanding walking in places.  If the weather is wild, it can be seriously challenging.  It is fair to say it doesn't suit everyone!  For those it does suit, many regard it as the finest form of sport.

[Townie]

Thank you everyone.

I'd better get poking about down the back of that sofa for some loose change.