Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Anybody shoot small game while hunting elk?

While pretty cool, and certainly an option in a deer stand, I can't fathom hauling that thing up an elk mountain.

And no, I don't carry a sidearm when elk hunting here in Montana - when I'm elk hunting, that's what I'm doing. Nothing else.

Yeah, wouldn’t want to lug all that up and down hills. Works OK headed to a stand.

DF

I've killed a couple of grouse with a rock while elk hunting, the extent of my small game hunting while chasing elk.

I always take a good pellet gun and have used it for grouse, squirrels and rabbits in CO while elk hunting.

Yep , mountain chickens "grouse" with blunt tipped arrow or thrown rock. Always brought some foil and seasoning to cook in the coals.

While out scouting before the season, I occasionally kill a grouse or two for dinner, but once the season is open, I don't want to mess with them while elk hunting.

Another thing that I come to understand as I got older is that I didn't need to kill everything I came across while I hunted elk.

Early years, the grouse I shot were too darn tough unless you happen to run across a young bird. Pine squirrels tasted like pine cones and ,were tougher than the grouse, and too hard to skim. Usually the rabbits were snowshoes and the ranked right up there with eating jack rabbits.

I think I only bought two bear tags in my whole life. If I had deer tag in my pocket I didn't hunt them until I had an elk hanging. I enjoyed catching a few brook trout and frying them up while I waited for others to fill their tags/

The grouse in CO are dumber than dumb. They will sit on a tree branch 7 yards in front of you thinking they are invisible. They taste delicious. Just don’t over cook them. Bacon is a good match with them on the grill. To your question, I’m still searching for the perfect grouse gun for elk season. Tried all sorts of .22s. I prefer revolvers as they can shoot shorts and CB rounds with almost pellet gun quietness. Thought the NAA little revolver would be great but the sights are crude and the POA/POI was 6” off at 9 yards. Still managed to kill a few. Picked up a SW 317 thinking it would be the Holy Grail. It’s 11oz or so, holds 8 shots and has adjustable sights. The pros: it’s ultra light weight. Cons: everything else. I’ve tried just about every .22 ammo out there including Olympic match Eley. Best 8 shot group at 10 yards is about 2.5”. Most are 3-3.5”. Front sight is horrible. No idea on a currently manufactured better option under 16oz.

Grouse vs. Rock or stick if handy= dinner. Foolish to pass up free meal.

Its called elk 'hunting' for a reason... Sometimes little distractions are good.....and tasty.

I carry enough weight, a pistol is not in the daily gear, while elk hunting. On another note, the black squirrel he observed might be a whiskey jack.

Grouse season, “around here” is waaaay to long to fuuck up a elk hunt. 👊🏻

No extraneous rounds as I don't want to risk spooking that yet unseen elk.

Whether or not you want to smoke small game or a grouse this is still entertaining.

We archery hunt elk and all of us have one arrow with a judo point in our quiver . It only takes about 15 minutes to catch several trout from a stream where we set up camp. Grilled trout and grouse go together pretty well

x2,

I love ruffed grouse, it is my favourite of all wild game meat. When I am hunting big game I like being as silent and invisible as possible. Lots of expense goes into hunting elk or moose, they live in their environment 24/7 365 days a year and I believe can recognise the slightest variance in their area, which makes them skittish.

Every time I see a Ruffie, I say to them "You are one very lucky bird today" lol

Cheers ~

They are tasty are tasty and wonderful birds. This one was up on a ridgeline.

I am not afraid.

Nice job Judging the grouse.😀

We killed them with rocks and sticks when I was younger. When I used to archery hunt I carried a judo to shoot them with. They made a welcome meal addition a few times. I try to have my own decent food now without shooting birds.

I don’t know that I ever didn’t get an elk because I shot a grouse, but I do know I won’t get a grouse if I don’t shoot it…

Never spooked an elk while hunting grouse, have shot grouse and had elk bugling right near us.
Judos points with the bow or we have a 22 in the truck for road hunting birds.
Elk hear all kinds of noises during Fall, rifle shots only spook the very close elk, they don't spook out of an area due to small caliber shots. At least in my experience.