Yes, there is a reason we call em fool hen around here.
Is it sporting enough if you hunt them with a tree limb, or a rock. I have done both, and had grouse for dinner each evening.
As a kid I spent a week one time riding the mountain roads on the back of my cousin's XL350. He would holler "GROUSE" and slide the bike to a stop in the middle of the road. I would hop off and step off the road, then shoot the birds head off with a 20 ga modified 870. I got my limit five days in a row, and we ate every one of them cooked over the fire.
I used to climb off my horse to shot them with a model 70 in 30-06. 165 gr bullet over 60 gr of H4831. The rifle shot dead on at 300 yds. I have killed grouse out far enough that I had to hold five inches low to take their head off. Ain't that giving the bird a chance???? Just watch the back stop. I can not remember ever losing any meat to the shot.
Though I did watch my buddy turn a couple to grouse burger. One was hit in the breast with a 270, 130 gr speer boat tail at max velocity and about ten yds range circa 1980. We all got meat rained upon. The other, he hit too low with the 357. A Speer 125 JHP at max velocity. No, he did not believe in leaving any airspace under the bullet.
As long as the meat gets ate, and all kills were within the F&G regs. There is nothing to be ashamed of.
Though today, I would not want to bet that rocks or sticks are legal methods of kill. I sure hope the statute of limitations has expired at fifty years.
People who choose to brew up their own storms bitch loudest about the rain.
