# Dusky's? Anybody having fun?



## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Went out opening morning and got one. Today 2. I was a bit surprised because we have been seeing a lot this year.

How about the rest of you?


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Tomorrow will be my first day so I'll report back. I haven't been on the hill much this year so I have no feel for their numbers.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

Where I elk hunt, they were literally everywhere on the ridges. I even saw the largest covey of grouse I’ve seen in my life, there had to have been at least 30, very concentrated in an open area surrounded by thick cover.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Ray said:


> Where I elk hunt, they were literally everywhere on the ridges. I even saw the largest covey of grouse I've seen in my life, there had to have been at least 30, very concentrated in an open area surrounded by thick cover.


Yep, and when you go back hunting them with a shotgun you won't see a single one.

It would be nice if Utah would add a few legal weapons to allow hunters to take these delicious pieces of meat. They need to at least legalize slingshots if nothing else.

Here in Colorado you can hunt them with just about any weapon that you have in your hand at the time. Shotguns, rifles, slingshots, pellet rifles, rocks, sticks, it doesn't matter. The real restriction that we have over here is that your shotgun needs to have a plug in it just like with migratory birds.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

😂 ain’t that the truth?!

The funny thing is, I was thinking about that slingshot bit last week. Would be nice to be able to quietly kill them while rifle hunting.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I have dispatched quite a few with a folding wrist rocket. I used to buy the ball bearing ammo for it but found that I can shoot a rock just as well. 

The truth of the matter is that I have quite likely killed more with something besides a shotgun than I can remember. There is a art to ground pounding them with a high power rifle to pop off their heads.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I was thinking about that slingshot bit last week. HA!! I had a conversation with a Wildlife Officer last year on the Elk hunt after he saw me smack two with a wrist rocket after slamming on the brakes and jumping out of the SxS to secure that nights dinner. 


He said he could ticket me for the weapon used to take the grouse, but he was cool and didn't. I now carry the .357 with birdshot shells in it for that purpose. That is legal but a slingshot isn't?? Just don't get it. :?


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Saw 3 today on the hill. Most I've seen in early September over my novice years. So dry and hot though. Only saw 1 currant the entire day. Most of the snowberry and currant plants look to be struggling. 

And lots of people hiking. Holey moley.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Critter said:


> I have dispatched quite a few with a folding wrist rocket. I used to buy the ball bearing ammo for it but found that I can shoot a rock just as well.
> 
> The truth of the matter is that I have quite likely killed more with something besides a shotgun than I can remember. There is a art to ground pounding them with a high power rifle to pop off their heads.


I was raised up by a father that was an expert with a "flipper"(he always called them flippers, as apposed to the true "slingshot" like that used by David to slay the giant"). He grew up living along the Missouri river hunting and trapping, literally carrying his "flipper" Huck Finn style in his back pocket at all times.
The modern day WristRocket is a perfect weapon for that silent kill of small game at close range.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

backcountry said:


> So dry and hot though. Only saw 1 currant the entire day. Most of the snowberry and currant plants look to be struggling.


Thats 1 more then I saw this whole past week while putting in lots of miles elk hunting. No feed up high. We saw a handful of birds, but most where much lower than normal.


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

Just reminder about handguns with bird shot and upland game:

Upland game
You may hunt and harvest upland game
with any of the following:
• Archery equipment, including a draw
lock
• A crossbow
• A shotgun no larger than 10 gauge
• A handgun
Ammunition for shotguns and handguns
must be one-half ounce or more of shot that
ranges in size from no. 2 through no. 8.

That said, I read an interesting article about the idea of clearcutting forests in some areas to simulate the natural burns that happened before humans got here and screwed it up. New forests have more low cover and berry bushes, providing a better environment for grouse.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I have found that while you can kill a bird with that bird shot out of a hand gun you better feel lucky if you do. 

A few years ago I had a friend take a shot at a bird 5 feet away, you could see all the pellets hit all around that bird. The bird just flipped him the finger and flew away.


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## Slap That Quack (Mar 2, 2017)

I got three yesterday.


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## Slap That Quack (Mar 2, 2017)

Here


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Went up fishing / camping for the holiday weekend, I threw in my sons new Montefeltro for kicks... as we were driving the dirt road around to the camping spot, 3 grouse ran across the road. For a split second I thought they were turkeys, big suckers. My son grabbed his gun, fumbled the shells, finally got'er loaded and took off into the brush. He bagged one, the other two got away.

That was the first thing he's ever killed with that new gun. He was all smiles.

So grouse for dinner tonight, fresh fish tomorrow. 8)


-DallanC


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

https://vimeo.com/455358312/3e896be5c7


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