Rules for hunting grouse in autumn
Black grouse are cautious, timid birds. Therefore, you should look for them in places where there is both food and natural shelter from enemies. What does the grouse eat depending on the season, and where to look for this bird:
- beginning of autumn - berries, thorn flowers, growing in clearings. You should look for grouse where the grass is tall enough for the bird to feel safe. Height range – from the knee to the chest of an adult;
- mid-autumn – birch buds, so you should look for birds in birch forests;
- Also, in an unfamiliar area, you should ask local hunters about the habitats of grouse.
You can only hunt males.
You can't kill the entire brood.
You should go hunting in the morning, while it is still dark. The black grouse's track is clearly visible from the fallen dew.
A good time for hunting is a cloudy, windless day. In such weather, black grouse walk all day in search of food. Also, wet leaves and branches do not rustle so much underfoot, which allows the hunter to get closer to the birds.
Different ways
Grouse hunting is divided into several categories:
- chassis;
- ambush
Walking hunting includes : from the approach, with a dog, on the current.
Ambush hunting: with decoys, with stuffed animals.
Let's look at different methods of hunting grouse.
From the approach
Approach hunting involves the ability to silently approach a bird within shooting distance and kill the game on the spot.
The black grouse is a rather cautious bird, so you need to approach it under the cover of vegetation, carefully, noticing the moments when the bird feeds. During this period, she can let the hunter get close enough.
In the fall, the young animals have already moulted, so it is not difficult to distinguish a cockerel from a hen by eye. Suitable shot for shooting:
- at the beginning of the season, for young animals – No. 7-6;
- in October - Nos. 5-4.
The weapon of choice is usually a double-barreled shotgun.
With stuffed animals
Hunting with stuffed animals is a type of ambush commercial hunting. They hunt in this way at the end of autumn, when the birds gather in fairly large groups to feed.
The hunter prepares a hut in advance in which he will sit in ambush, as well as stuffed black grouse. The hut must be made in such a way that it does not stand out in the area and blends in with the landscape and vegetation.
When it starts to get colder, black grouse do not fly far from their feeding areas to spend the night. The hunter only needs to watch the birds carefully to spot such places. Then, in the middle of the span, place a hide. The hut is installed in such a way that nothing interferes with the view and shot. After installing the hut, you need to give the birds a few days to get used to it. You need to take 4-5 stuffed animals.
How to place stuffed animals:
- it should be as similar as possible to a sitting black grouse;
- the chest of the “grouse” is directed against the wind;
- when there is no wind, the orientation of the scarecrow is according to the sun: in the morning - to the east, in the evening - to the west;
- Stuffed animals should be placed at dawn before the birds fly to feed;
- the scarecrows are placed on several trees, placing them at different heights.
Familiarize yourself with the rules for winter hunting for grouse on holes
With decoy
Hunting with decoy takes place during the autumn grouse season. Early in the morning, a hunter, listening to the koscha muttering, quietly creeps up to him within shooting distance. You only need to go when the scythe is snoring. However, males are quite cautious, especially those that display on the ground. Therefore, for a successful hunt, the hunter approaches him about 100 meters and then begins to beckon. You should imitate the voice of the male first, and then the female. You should shoot when the scythe approaches to a distance of 30-35 meters. There must also be a good view for the shot to be productive.
However, before hunting with a decoy, you need to practice properly. Having heard the falsehood, the kosach will call out to the hunter, moving further and further.
On current
Grouse leks are permanent places. They are easy to find by sound. The sound of a black grouse can be heard over a distance of 200-300 meters, and its muttering can be heard almost a kilometer away. They breed early in the morning, so the hut for hiding should be installed during the day, when the birds have scattered.
You should arrive in the dark. It happens that black grouse even spend the night near the lek. Therefore, if the hunter is late and comes to the lek when it is dawn, the birds will fly away and will not return that day.
Sometimes it happens that there is a fairly large population of black grouse in the lands, but there is no clear current. Here and there single males are mating, or two or three whales flock together. In this case, hunters place stuffed orcas near the hut and also “chuff” them, imitating displaying males.
Suitable season
The best time to open the hunting season for grouse with stuffed animals is considered to be mid-autumn.
It is recommended to start fishing for grouse in the fall. This is the optimal period for hunting such game.
Hunters should be aware that fall grouse hunting does not go well with decoys. The bird tries to land at a distance from the bait.
Before the onset of cold weather, the black grouse continues to land on the ground. Therefore, it makes sense to start hunting it from the end of October, when the birds move to the trees.
How to catch a grouse without a gun
You can catch black grouse without a gun using self-catchers. Use:
- fallen samolov, for example, slopets;
- live traps arranged on the principle of cages, for example, cats, mortars.
The disadvantage of a litter trap is that a grouse can also fall into it, but grouse from live traps can be released into the wild, leaving only grouse as a trophy.
See also! Shot for grouse
Small thing
The small-caliber gun, popularly nicknamed the “small gun,” won the hearts of hunters thanks to its following qualities:
- quiet shot;
- small recoil;
- low price.
Small rifles chambered for 5.6 mm rimfire are allowed for black grouse.
However, purchasing a small gun also entails other expenses, namely, a rangefinder to track the effective shooting distance.
What you need to know when purchasing a small-caliber rifle:
- is it allowed to hunt with it in this particular region;
- a small bullet can fly up to 1 km, so the shot should be fired strictly above human height.
ATTENTION! Sharpen your shooting skills! Do not shoot at grouse further than 100-130 meters!
Pneumatics
The advantage of an air gun is that it is an accurate weapon for a reliable engagement distance of 50-70 meters. For black grouse they take a caliber of 5.5 or 6.35. Depending on the caliber, as well as the shooting distance and game, a bullet is selected.
Therefore, before hunting with an air gun, you need to be clearly confident in the gun so as not to cause wounded animals. To do this, you need to shoot at different targets made of different materials (can, plasticine, board) with bullets of different weights from different distances.
REMEMBER! The strength of the wind also affects hitting the target.
This way, you will select the optimal bullets and the optimal distance for you.
Rifled
Hunting with rifled weapons is permitted only in the autumn-winter period.
A rifled weapon is necessary for those types of hunting when it is necessary to make a long shot. For black grouse they take 5.6-7.62x39.
The cutting pitch of the barrel should also be taken into account. If it is more than 230, then the bullet, when it hits the scythe, will tear it into pieces.
Black grouse are tough to wound. A wounded animal, filmed from a considerable distance, can go into the thickets, hide there and die from its wound. Therefore, the accuracy of the shot in this case plays an important role.
For rifled weapons, the flight range of a bullet can be about 5 km, therefore:
- you can hunt with rifled weapons in vast areas;
- remote from the possible location of people;
- there must be a good view over a long distance in all directions;
- shoot above a person's height.
REMEMBER! Autumn is the period of “quiet hunting”. Don't shoot the mushroom pickers.
Carbine
Carbines can be either smooth-bore or rifled. They are used for shooting at game from a considerable distance - more than 100 meters. However, it is not recommended to shoot at 250-300 meters.
When using a carbine, you also need to have optics, and ideally also a rangefinder.
Shooting accuracy must be excellent, otherwise the hunt is fraught with wounded wounds and disappointment. Self-loading automatic or semi-automatic carbines allow you to fire several shots in a row, but practice shows that usually only one shot is fired at one group of birds. Carbines are quite heavy weapons - from 3.4 kg, therefore, if you are planning a long walking hunt, the weight of the firearm must also be taken into account.
On the scythes
Hunting for deer deer with stuffed animals is less common among hunters than for geese or ducks. I decided to share my experience in making stuffed profiles for scythes.
Hunting for scythes with stuffed profiles begins after the leaves fall on the birch trees. The best hunts were achieved with at least minimal snow cover. I place the profile-stuffed animals on the flight path of the orcas from their overnight roost to the fodder birches. Stuffed profiles are displayed in the crowns of birch trees. I have been hunting deer in the second half of autumn for a long time. I have a lot of stuffed animals in my arsenal.
I’ve tried stuffed animals made from hunted braids, but they are not durable and, when carried in a backpack, take on a “non-marketable” appearance. I tried to make it from black shoes (felt boots, galoshes, boots). But such stuffed animals are very difficult to attach to the crown of birch trees. When wet, the felt boots became very heavy. When there is a gust of wind, they quickly fall from the crowns. And they take up a lot of space.
At the next stage, I made rubber ones from the inner tubes of volleyballs or simply from rubber inner tubes by gluing (vulcanization). At the bottom of the scarecrow he left a hole for a pole. The stuffed animals did not crumple and were quickly displayed and removed. But they seemed too scary to me (and the braids too).
In the 90s, stuffed braids made of propylene appeared in stores (I could be wrong, I’m not good at naming modern materials). Acquired some lungs, hunted, fine. The bird avoids less than homemade rubber ones. I wasn’t happy with the fact that there were 3 pieces and the backpack was full.
Modern stuffed braids sell a set of 3 pieces made of black matter. My inquisitive mind couldn’t resist, I bought it and tried it out. First, when stuffing them, you need filler on hand. Like grass is always at hand, it won’t roll in the snow. Yes, and raised into the crown they seem somehow angular.
That’s why I use manufactured stuffed profiles. The suitable material is isoplast or plywood no thicker than 5-6 mm.
Manufacturing.
1. Using a felt-tip pen, apply a stencil of the future profile on plywood or insulation.
2. We take a hacksaw and start sawing according to the drawn shape, we remember about the electric jigsaw, but after sighing, we continue what we started by hand.
3. Use a file to smooth out the edges of the cut out shapes.
4. Then paint with regular black paint (several layers are possible). For those who have the ability, draw red eyebrows. Do not overdo it. It's not spring.
5. The holder (handle) itself is made of bicycle spokes attached to an iron tube. Which is hollow and can be easily placed on a pole in the hunting area. All.
A hunt requires 4-5 stuffed profiles. Not heavy to carry, durable. They are installed on a pole cut nearby. The braids fly like iron to a magnet. There was a case when a goshawk attacked. The effigy-profile was not harmed. I will be glad to anyone who can benefit from my experience.
