Got a fall bear hunt in south central Alaska and Im wanting to shoot some birds after I (hopefully) get my sons their first bears.

If anyone can guide me on bird gun choice and any good reference material for how to find them. Ive heard an.22 is good, but Im more use to shotguns for birds. But Im a total newbie to hunting these birds.

Thanks in advance.

Either one would work fine. Ptarmigan might be hard to find depending on the timeframe, I have mostly hunted them in the winter. I mostly spot and stalk grouse. If they fly off they usually don't go too far and you can track them down.

I always used a 22 or my 32 revolver given the choice. I shot hundreds of grouse and ptarmigan and only once got into ptarmigan where I thought they were skittish enough to warrant wing shooting.

The first time I ever shot any grouse when I first moved up I of course took a shotgun since we were bird hunting. I shot 6 grouse out of the same tree after throwing sticks in an effort to make them fly. As I shot them off the limbs none ever even flew to escape!

I once headshot either 7 or 8 ptarmigan off the same tussock about as fast as I could work the bolt on my 77/22. I guess they were walking by and hopping up on the hump in a single file line. Had them all in a stack like a shooting gallery!

Whatever you choose have fun and enjoy them as they’re fine eating.

Hold on Sitka Deer is reading an article on this and will then reply.

Pistoles are a given.

Scatterguns a lark.

Hint...……………...

It depends on what you want to get from shooting the birds. If it is about making a neat little stack of bodies a 22 is tough to beat. If you actually want to shoot them flying the shotgun is your only real choice.

A Contender with a 45Colt barrel with a screw-in tube shooting 410 shells is compact and the shells are fairly light.

Hunting European red grouse is reverred around the world yet most seem to make snide cracks about them here. I have not shot one sitting in years. In addition to the red grouse, which is actually our willow ptarmigan, we have rock and white-tailed ptarmigan. I might be misremembering, but this may be the only place where you can hunt all three.

They have an interesting call and after flushing they regroup. Bring a chucker call with you and tap it fairly fast with the finger tips and birds will call to let you know where they are.

They will tend to be in the blueberry patches at or above tree line... right where the bears will be hanging in the fall.

Just the type of comment many will give about our tame birds. Everywhere else birds that "hold tight for the dog" is thought of as a good thing. It is all about what you want out of the shoot...

Pard's .410 revolver has produced both types of chickens for camp.

This is the type of call I use.


https://www.amazon.com/Primos-Hunting-347-Magnum-Chukar/dp/B001OPTJUC

In calm weather you can tap it fast and light with just your fingertips and they will often start calling which is a big help in big country.

In the fall it will be hard to tell young birds from old but the sexes in adult birds can be told by the red eye patches in the males. The birds in the videos are obviously spring males because they change to spring colors early as these birds are. Hens turn gradually over the whole body.

1) Eatin' type?

2) Flinchin' type?

Spruce chikkens and ptarmy chikkens.

I mostly shoot sitting birds. Just in case tho, I favor carrying my 20.

I have a came-to-me very gun/loud-noise-shy dog that I'm working her out of, so last fall I used an air rifle. Didn't even try a flying shot. First hunt I had to show her what to do. Second hunt, she was "I got this! - still don't like guns."

Will graduate to sub-sonic .22 next, then real ammo, and if that works ok, the 20. She's a smart dog and a hunting fool now. It will work. But she won't ever like guns.

I really don't give a crap if they are sitting or flying. Well, actually I do, but then I'm not very PC...... and am ammo conscious.....

Head shots are good with either firearm for meat in the pot, but the 20 is more certain for ANY meat in the pot, especially flying . flying shots are more fun when they work.

Wow, aren't we a racissss?

What about ruffed chickens? Sharp-tail chickens? Rock chickens? White-tailed chickens? Willow chickens?

Species-ist.

Sniff! Sniff!

Dat's one of the nicest things you ever said to me!

I'm going a different route. I'm looking for an O/U 28 gauge for those jokers.

I've taken an interest in the 28 as well.

I got a 410 O/U for the job...

A 22LR Rifle,prolly takes 95% or better of the victims here.

Hint...............

There is no game bird that I hate enough to shoot them sitting any more. It is all about what you are looking for. I used to think great big piles of birds was where "it" was at, too.

I'd rather knock the head off a Sitter,than dig pellets outta a Flyer.

It improves tablefare.

Hint..............

You are supposed to hit 'em?!?!

Damn! Wish I had knowed that before hand!

I have about 300 .410rounds. Need gun! Gotta start working yard sales for a cheapie. Single shot would do.

That pellet rifle on sitting birds works pretty well. Neither the gun nor I is/am accurate enough for head shot at 30 yards, but I haven't found any pellets in the bodies either. But 5 last fall isn't really that large a sample.

Does that qualify as "great piles of bodies"?

Salvage and Rossi make combo guns - .22 LR / .410

Best 'o both worlds.

The combos are pieces of schit.

A GOOD 22LR is tough to keep pace with.

Hint..................

I don't run a combo gun - mostly cuz you can't get one in SS.

I run a T/C G1 Custom Shop 221 FB for my needs. Load it down to Horny velocities.

I've killed 'em with everything.

Pass the Vudoo and hold the fluff.

Hint..............

Cool, pretty stoked. Now dumb question, will the crack of a 22 clear the area of black bears? Wanna keep the main thing the main thing, but I mean if they are just sitting there....

Bears could give a fhuqk less about shooting.

Hint................

Oooopsie!



Hint.................

True - but I've found grouse don't like "warning shots" much.... .

Even less when they don't get one.