GUNS Magazine March 1956 - Jeffersonian
GUNS Magazine March 1956 - Jeffersonian
GUNS Magazine March 1956 - Jeffersonian
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is the stately sage grouse or sage hen, as<br />
they are commonly known. They are found<br />
from British Columbia down through most<br />
of the western and Pacific Coast states. Once<br />
their numbers were badly depleted, but<br />
careful management is bringing them hack<br />
in some of their former haunts.<br />
Several years ago I hunted sage hens oul<br />
of Bodie, California. Behind this old ghosi<br />
town was a long canyon or valley. Sloping<br />
sagebrush-studded ridges scarred with rock)<br />
ledges climbed from the valley creek-bed- 1<br />
have a hunch the sage chickens were shading<br />
up under the runty willows that lined tht<br />
trickling creek. For I ran smack into one oi<br />
the heaviest concentrations of these hird:<br />
I've ever found.<br />
It was early September and warm. Or<br />
opening morning the valley rocked with gun<br />
fire as if a small war had broken out. Big<br />
sage chickens were zooming up the brush!<br />
slopes everywhere. I watched one sail int(<br />
a dense stand of sage. They get wild ant<br />
smart quick. This one got up a good 31<br />
yards away and was probably 45 yards ou<br />
when my load of chilled 6's rattled agains<br />
his caboose.<br />
Hit hard he slanted down, but manage(<br />
to stay in the air for 500 ~ards. I had t(<br />
run him down, and finally shoot again t(<br />
salt the cuss away. Later, when 1 picked thi<br />
bird, I found he had been well centered ii<br />
the pattern-just simply too tough to bi<br />
knocked down easily.<br />
A big, old cock will weigh as much as !<br />
pounds, but the young or females run be<br />
tween 3% and 5 pounds. It's a lot of bin<br />
anyway you look at it. I decided then an(<br />
there for future sage hen hunts to carry i<br />
full choke gun and No. 4 shot to go witl<br />
it. I've never been sorry about this decision<br />
Smaller shot will drop the big fellows oka!<br />
until they begin flushing wild. Then you nee(<br />
something that connects with a wallop.<br />
The many varieties of grouse are seldon<br />
numerous in any region, but remain scatter<br />
gunner favorites wherever they are found. I<br />
you find them before they find you, out witl<br />
your shotgun. You'll have a good chance ti<br />
connect with a lively game bird, and a mighq<br />
tasty dish later for supper.
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