Ptarmigan

[Encore4me]

I’m putting this question here because I think more people hunt these as an extra while hunting something else, like Caribou than just hunting them. Anyway my son and I are going to hunt the NBR for Caribou and I was going to take a single shot .410 for ptarmigan but I’m having a hard time finding nontoxic ammo for it. Would a single action .22 work? How far are the shots?


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[VernAK]

A good sling shot and a bit of practice.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

22 with a silencer and some cci quiet ammo.

 

[johnnycake]

I do a lot of ptarmigan hunting, but I'm doing it over my dogs with shotguns. That being said, for your situation, I would definitely go with the .22 over the .410. If you find some birds you should be able to make that work just fine. I think overall more ptarmigan in AK are killed with .22s than everything else people use combined.

 

[Alaska 4x4 Rentals]

We've used everything. You can walk right up to them sometimes. I've taken plenty with my bow and small game tips.

 

[rtrevith]

A slingshot and a handful of ball bearings are my choice. Alternatively a bow. Don’t have to be concerned about spooking big game and it doesn’t add much weight.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

Ptarmingan are like caribou...sometimes they are all around you,
other times not a ptarmigan within miles.

I hunt them in August with a labrador retriever and typically finding them is a function of miles covered.


Typically they are a low flushing bird which I do not like.
But a great bird for pup's first upland hunt.


They are dark-meat birds, like sharptails or spruce grouse.
In August, they are often eating berries and taste fine.

 

[mgray]

I was in Newfoundland hunting moose and my guide killed one by throwing a small axe at it.

 

[mooster]

I can vouch for the stick bow method!

 

[AK_Skeeter]

View attachment 659401
I can vouch for the stick bow method!

Nice sharptail!

 

[duchntr]

I’m putting this question here because I think more people hunt these as an extra while hunting something else, like Caribou than just hunting them. Anyway my son and I are going to hunt the NBR for Caribou and I was going to take a single shot .410 for ptarmigan but I’m having a hard time finding nontoxic ammo for it. Would a single action .22 work? How far are the shots?


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Not sure what the NBR is, but if there is no weight restriction on your hunt and you for sure want to kill birds then take a shotgun. My preference on big game hunts is a suppressed 22 pistol. Shouldn't be a problem to walk within 30yds of any game bird unless they've been pressured, so take whatever you want and don't over think it.

 

[406flyfish]

I’m also going on a NBR Caribou hunt. Will be using a Ruger 10/22 backpacker or 22/45 Lite pistol.

 

[Catchfish]

One time when a dry bag full of mtn house got left at the drop off lake we used rocks and out of shape baseball arms to supplement our diet.

 

[JMonty]

You can consider a collapseable .22 with the aforementioned suppressor/subsonic rounds to reduce your noise footprint. I wouldn't really bring a shotgun as it is overkill. Generally you want a shotgun for birds that are flying away and you need the spread of the shot to take them down. The Ptargmigan/grouse here just sit still so a .22 with ironsights or even a scope is ideal.

 

[TurkeyReaper69]

Going up with Ram Aviation this fall... I'm not much of a fisherman but I'm not much of an upland hunter either. Would you rather bring a .22 or .410 for ptarmigan or a fishing rod and catch grayling?

 

[Jackal7]

Fishing rod. Last two trips to NBR we shot ptarmigan for camp meat with our 10 mm bear pistols. That said, we had fishing rods along - there was no fishing but a million ptarmigan and they were fun to stalk with a sidearm. MTC.

 

[AK Troutbum]

He’ll, in a pinch, even a .454 Casull will work.
Edit: These were taken using .454 birdshot.

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