Small Game Hunting Ethics

[uncle buck]

It is not ethical to shoot a sitting rabbit, duck, or ringneck. However it is ethical to shoot a ruffed grouse sitting. Would I try to flush a grouse before shooting if I had the chance? No Way They Are Even Hard To Hit Sitting Still! LOL LOL

It would be ethical to shoot a sitting squirrel. Even with a shotgun. I quess quail should be flushed? What about other small game. Chuckars, sharptails, sage grouse, dove???????

 

[Nut]

It's not ethical to shoot a sitting wabbit?

That is not what Elmer taught me.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Shooting any thing sitting is unethical?

 

[Elkhunter]

That is like saying it is wrong to shoot a deer or elk because it is standing still. Do you think it really matters to the bird. Hell, it is going to die when you shoot it anyway. End result is the same.

 

[Water Wapiti]

I think when using a shotgun with shot shells it is only sporting that the game be moving. On the other hand, when using a rifle I always try to hold my shot till the game is stopped. Although I have taken deer and elk that were moving, with a rifle and rabbits/grouse when they weren't with a shot gun.

Most of the time now, I hunt them all with a rifle, hardly ever shoot my shotgun.

WW

 

[ELKCHSR]

A 22 pistol is the weapon of choice, it doesn't take up much room and you can take a ton of bullets.

Head shots work very well on most all them small varmints...

 

[1_pointer]

Except in UT where it is illegal to shoot any grouse with a .22 pistol and all rifles. Pistols can be used but the bullet has to weigh 1/2 oz or 219gr. Just some FYI.

I've not gotten too 'artistic' yet in my pursuit of grouse, if they're sitting I count it as easier!

 

[wilecoyote76]

Heck, If I have a chance to shoot 2 or 3 grouse with one shot on the ground it's their fault for being so dang close together. It's almost like they wanted to be killed. Besides, it saves $$$ on shells.

 

[Idaho Ron]

In hunters ed, we are training people to use the right gun for the right animal. Use a deer rifle for deer, and bird gun for birds. BTW, a bird gun is a shotgun.
I have allowed EVERY kid I take to shoot sitting birds if they want. This wet's the whistle for kids and they have success. After a while they need to learn that hunting is about setting SOME standards. For a deer hunter it might be to shoot a buck bigger than a two point, or bigger than last years. For bird hunters at some point they need to wing shoot.
Ron

 

[ELKCHSR]

I shoot for food as I go along, I do carry a 12 guage in the truck with me in my travels, then when I spy a grouse along the road, I can jump out of the truck (loaded weapons in vehicles is legal here) step off the road and let them have it. I can usually pull a dozen or so a year out of the mountains this way. The 22 I use is for my cross country foray's, when I am foreging for food and don't have the time to stop and set snares or dead falls to catch them. This is mostly also used for ground/tree squirrels.