# Sage hen shot size recomendation



## Winchester 1897

Ive hunted sage grouse once in my life, since we are by draw only here. When I hunted them I used 6s and noticed that they seemed a little light. What do you folks recommend? I have everything from 6s to lead bb. Finally drew again this year!


----------



## EasternShoreman

My upland experience has been limited to pheasant, quail, and chukar. My little bit of research tells me the Sage Grouse is very similar in size and weight to the pheasant (25-30in and 4-7# for male, and 20-25in and 2-4.5# for female). Someone that has hunted both may be able to correct me or provide feedback on the toughness of one vs the other. With that being said, I typically shoot #6s for pheasant without an issue. If I am shooting in heavier winds, and if I can find them, I will shoot #5s (for reference this is also from both 12ga and 20ga). As far as brands go, I don't normally get too picky with my upland loads but tend seem to shoot Remington more than others. As someone who has not hunted grouse take this for what it is worth but just my 2 cents.


----------



## Native NV Ducker

EasternShoreman said:


> As someone who has not hunted grouse take this for what it is worth but just my 2 cents.



Naww, you are pretty much spot on. They are not tough birds, very little down feathers, and main feathers don't shed shot well. 



Winchester 1897 said:


> When I hunted them I used 6s and noticed that they seemed a little light.



Typically, the bigger the bird, the tougher we think they are. Not always the case. Geese, for example. How many times have we heard "I hit him 3 times, feathers flew each time, at 25 yards, and he just flew off."
Well, it wasn't 25 yards, to start. Even if it was, the feathers you saw flying off were from his butt, because you didn't lead him properly. All the kill zones are in the front of the bird. 

Before recommending shot size, consider the target angle. If you are getting pure straight-away's, that shot has a LOT of stuff to get through before it hits a vital. Spalling (sp)(the effect of feather fibers gathering on the shot pellets) is more acute in upland like pheasants. So the shot gathers a layer or 3 of feather fibers as it hits the back end, and fails to penetrate properly. 
Compare that to a crossing, or quartering away shot. Now you have the head and neck, which make for easy kills. Even the front sides of the bird are open, and pellets penetrate easily. 

Me, shooting an O/U, would load 6's followed by 4's, I/C then Mod chokes. Odds are good I will have some head showing on the 1st shot, less likely on the 2nd. On a single tube gun, I would shoot mod, with 6/6/4's.

They are big birds, and the body draws the eye. Fight that, and get out in front of the bird. We have Blue Grouse here, and I hunt them with a 20ga. I shoot 8's. They are about 1/2-3/4 the size of a Sage Hen. They die easy. 

All that said, 4's are as big as you possibly need to go. I would use 6's. But, I hunt over dogs, and can walk to the sides.


----------



## nemont

As big as they are they are till easy to bring down with your regular upland loads. My kid took his first boomer with a 20 ga. 6 shot load and the bird was down with one shot. If you have load you like for pheasants that is plenty for a Sage Hen as well.


----------



## igo4dux75

I personally dont feel like huns, blues, ruff, sharpies, sage grouse are very hard to kill. Lead 6's work fine, and 7.5 will too, if you can put a bit of the pattern on them. Cant remember how many grouse that have still folded after I fired what I KNOW was a terrible shot! Sometimes I think I just scare them out of the air.


----------



## igo4dux75

Winchester 1897 said:


> Ive hunted sage grouse once in my life, since we are by draw only here. When I hunted them I used 6s and noticed that they seemed a little light. What do you folks recommend? I have everything from 6s to lead bb. Finally drew again this year!




I went to school in Quincy 20+ years ago, poor college kid who liked to hunt. Chased mountain quail every evening once it opened when I was there, fished Bucks and Almanor as often as I could. We had many a game feed. 

Good luck on your hunt!


----------



## Winchester 1897

igo4dux75 said:


> I went to school in Quincy 20+ years ago, poor college kid who liked to hunt. Chased mountain quail every evening once it opened when I was there, fished Bucks and Almanor as often as I could. We had many a game feed.
> 
> Good luck on your hunt!


You might have known my Grandpa. He worked at the College for 32 years in Grounds Maintenance. Those Mt. Quail are fun, and they had a really good hatch this year!


----------



## SwampRatNC

I normally use 7 1/2 for grouse out of a 20ga and they do the job if I do my part.


----------



## salthunter

An acquaintance of mine used copper plated turkey loads. he loved taking those 50 yard shots Wyoming sage grouse were his favorite bird..
40 years ago we use to use .22. The last 12 years Ive killed all of them with the grill of my F-150,.. hmm same thing with jacks,..only with front tires
Personally I believe they are way better tablefare than any other grouse and certainly better then ringnecks


----------



## Winchester 1897

salthunter said:


> 40 years ago we use to use .22.
> Personally I believe they are way better tablefare than any other grouse and certainly better then ringnecks


Last time we hunted em, we were wishing we could use a .22. They were getting up at 60 to 100 yards the first couple flushes, but after that they held tighter. I like blue grouse better, but I agree they are better than ditch chicken.


----------

