My boys used to carry their .22's when we went elk hunting when we lived in Colorado. They'd shoot any blue grouse we found, and I'd shoot any elk we found with my .270.
Here in AZ the grouse are much more scarce, and the law don't let you shoot them with a .22, only shotgun. I recently got a H&R 20-ga that works just fine. Boys are grown up now, and still in CO, still hunting grouse and other stuff.
Those grouse are mighty fine eating.
