Grouse with Judo Points? Any Grouse Hunters...?

[wingnut]

I got a bunch of MA3 seconds last year and cut em back 1/2 inch with a dremmel tool.  A little sharpening and mount to a flu flu and they are a deadly accurate combo for small game.  We only took one grouse with them.  (poor shooting on our part) But the practice session showed them to be just what we wanted.

Rusty is going to hunt rabbits in Texas with them this winter.

Mike

[Talondale]

How about some pics of these setups?

[GrayRhino]

What is a wrecking ball?  

My problem with lost grouse is that they weren't solidly hit.  They are a pretty small target once you get past all the feathers.

I'm hesitant to use old broadheads because of their tendency to skip and glance off the ground resulting in lost arrows.

[Stu]

"I think you'll be fine with the blunt as long as you run the case inside. It's not the same head otherwise."

Do you mean the rubber blunt with the .357 case inside? I can do that.

Is that a "wrecking ball"? I'll do a search here after I exit. Thanks again,

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by LBR:
Like I said, my grouse hunting is limited, but I did see a spruce grouse take a solid hit to the chest (so solid the arrow actually bounced back a little), from about 15 feet.  The bird fell maybe 3 feet, then flew to the top of a tall tree.  Another arrow was shot, it missed, and the bird flew away.  I was floored--the arrow that hit was shot from a 65# bow and weighed over 600 grains.  That bird probably died, but we didn't see it happen.

If I ever go grouse hunting again (sure hope to) I won't ever consider using just a regular rubber blunt.  We also lost birds due to marginal shots with regular steel blunts and judos.  Every bird that was hit with a hex-head blunt went down--convinced me.

Chad

My limited experience pretty much mirrors Chad's. Last year in Ontario I shot a bunch of grouse with Ace Hex Heads. One day I got the itch to try hunting them with regular steel blunts. After having to run down a few grouse, I switched right back to Hex Heads.

[Steve O]

I have only shot pheasants.  I've had Ace Hex Blunts, regualr blunts, and Judos bounce off them.  Feathers are an INCREDIBLE shock absorber.  This is why you don't shoot turkeys in the body with a shotgun!

I won't used a broadhead because dogs are involved.  

I have found a field point with a zwickey scorpio to be the best.  No bird is flying away with a 30" arrow sticking out of him.

[Pete W]

The only thing I use is a big old 2 blade BH like a tusker Aztec.
 I have not lost one since I started using a Flu Flu tiped with broadheads.

[AkDan]

Pete,

YOu dont have issues zipping right through and having them fly off?  Had that happen a couple of times...not to mention bh's aint cheap!

[Juniper Bow]

There has been some good advice said already, my hunting camp has shot quite a few grouse and here are our conclusions.

1) The grouse that I hunt are ruffed and blue. Obviously there is a big difference between the two in size, a big blue grouse is one tough critter.
2) Grouse heads/necks are small targets. The neck is about as big around as your pinky finger and the head moves quite a bit. If you are a good shot or don't mind missing quite abit head shots are fine. But if your hunting camp rations are down to canned veggies and some pickles you might find a body shot with a bit of meat damage acceptable.
3) No field points. It is nice that they are cheap and fly straight, but that is about it as for benefits. I will never, ever shoot another animal of any kind with a field point.
4) Judos are not good for body shots. Blue grouse can be hit with a judo point in the chest with a 65lb. bow and fly away with the arrow (true story) and if the animal is retrieved the judo makes a mess of the breast meat.

My prefrence is to use old, damaged broadheads for any small game animal. Do not cry if you accidentaly hit a grouse in the breast. As unfortunate as this is it can be saved as long as you clean it immediatly and gently rinse it off, blood in the meat does not taste bad.
Have fun, there is nothing more fun than chasing grouse!