Im done with steel shot

[Red Leg]

Red leg, nice bag of specks! One of the reasons I got out of my Mississippi duck lease was a couple of younger hunters wanted to shoot group limits, shoot at any duck or goose that flew by and every once in awhile they would scratch one down it would reinforce this behavior. They would walk out with a few shovelers and scaup and I would leave with mallards, pintail, gadwall and widgeon. I think a lot of waterfowling is going in this direction. Outfitters pushing clients to shoot farther and mixing client groups. I also worked as a guide at times in South Louisiana in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Sort of off thread , sorry.

This thread is already drifting a bit.

70 - 74 I guided for the Chateau Charles guide service. We hunted Johnson's Bayou which was salt marsh not far from the Texas border. In those ancient days, pintail were a ten-point bird and it was not a rare thing to come in with thirty of them if my sports could shoot and the weather was right. Was going to McNeese and had afternoon or evening classes in the fall (many of which I am pretty sure I slept through.) On more than one weekend, would be up at 0300, meet my sports for breakfast at 0400, back in camp by 1100, change in the parking lot on campus a little before 1300, pick up my date around 1900, drop her back off around midnight and back at the club at 0400. I wouldn't last a single day at that pace now.

 

[Hunt anything]

This thread is already drifting a bit.

70 - 74 I guided for the Chateau Charles guide service. We hunted Johnson's Bayou which was salt marsh not far from the Texas border. In those ancient days, pintail were a ten-point bird and it was not a rare thing to come in with thirty of them if my sports could shoot and the weather was right. Was going to McNeese and had afternoon or evening classes in the fall (many of which I am pretty sure I slept through.) On more than one weekend, would be up at 0300, meet my sports for breakfast at 0400, back in camp by 1100, change in the parking lot on campus a little before 1300, pick up my date around 1900, drop her back off around midnight and back at the club at 0400. I wouldn't last a single day at that pace now.

I remember the point system well and shooting ducks with high brass 2 3/4” 7 1/2s. Shooting my grandfather’s feather weight model 12. I was in Guydan/ Lake Author area.

 

[Hunt anything]

I shoot a lot of waterfowl each year. I live in an area that is the prime destination for many visiting waterfowl hunters from the USA. Almost universally, those hunters think they need 3-1/2 “ super magnum shells, special long range chokes, and they shoot at any bird they see. Probably those choices come from the competitive nature of the hunting that they are accustomed to at home. I take a different approach. I scout carefully and so hunt birds exactly where they want to be, call and decoy them in close, and kill them very effectively with 2-3/4” shells loaded with 1-1/8 to 1-1/16oz of good 2, 1, or BB steel shot at 1500 or so FPS. We shoot mallard, snow geese, white fronts, lesser Canada and Greater Canada geese often on the same morning in the same location. Combined species limit is 36 birds per day. This experience has taught me expensive fancy shells are not needed, just don’t stretch the shots and make sure to hit the bird with the centre of the pattern. Tungsten and bismuth certainly work well, but are not necessary for success if you know how to hunt and shoot. View attachment 511466

That’s a seasons bag for a lot of hunters well done. I think back when the 3 1/2“ 12 was developed we needed the extra pellets and powder because of the crap we were forced to shoot. Now at least with me it’s a psychological thing, I killed tons of waterfowl with 3” steel with a lot of sailors off to be eaten by coyotes. I don’t hunt waterfowl as religiously as I used to, when I lost my last Chesapeake my interest wained a bit. But I still shoot the 3.5 black cloud when I do hunt as it’s a confidence thing and both barrels of my citori pattern it really well.

 

[Longwalker]

I did not intend to dispute experienced guides, but simply state my experience is different. I suspect much of the difference in opinion about steel vs better and more expensive alternatives would depend on the location and the type of hunting being done. I never hunt on big marshes, and when I hunt over water it is in a small pond that ensures the birds are coming in close because they have few alternatives. Same with field shoots. I hunt private land with the permission of the local landowner. Decoys are set exactly where the birds want to feed, not trying to attract random fly - by birds. I don't invite hunters who shoot too far or who are greedy and take all the shots. My hunting is never competitive. I stick with my assertion that steel shot is deadly and effective for me if used within its limitations. I might have a different opinion if I hunted with random guests, at a big marsh, or from a permanent pit blind in the USA. I'm quite pleased that cheaper steel shells work well for me!

 

[Hunt anything]

For those younger waterfowlers out the point system that has been mentioned is a limit system. Each species was allocated a point value and you limited when the last duck put you at or over 100 points. In the early days teal, widgeon, gadwall, pintail and scaup were 10 points, drake mallards were 25, wood ducks, hen mallards, black ducks and red heads were 70 and canvasbacks were 100. I don’t remember what ringnecks and others were. It was open to A LOT of abuse rearranging the order of ducks killed a so forth. Later it was amended to to each species point values were upped to reduce total bag limits. I think 10 pointers went to 20 , drake mallards went to 35 and the 70 went to 90 and canvasbacks were closed.

 

[503]

For those younger waterfowlers out the point system that has been mentioned is a limit system. Each species was allocated a point value and you limited when the last duck put you at or over 100 points. In the early days teal, widgeon, gadwall, pintail and scaup were 10 points, drake mallards were 25, wood ducks, hen mallards, black ducks and red heads were 70 and canvasbacks were 100. I don’t remember what ringnecks and others were. It was open to A LOT of abuse rearranging the order of ducks killed a so forth. Later it was amended to to each species point values were upped to reduce total bag limits. I think 10 pointers went to 20 , drake mallards went to 35 and the 70 went to 90 and canvasbacks were closed.

That sounds terrible. I'm glad I missed all that. And again, steel works under its limitations however those limitations are severe and I'm tired of having to wait until the birds are at bad breath distance to shoot them because past 30 yards it gets real iffy.

 

[Hunt anything]

That sounds terrible. I'm glad I missed all that. And again, steel works under its limitations however those limitations are severe and I'm tired of having to wait until the birds are at bad breath distance to shoot them because past 30 yards it gets real iffy.

It wasn’t good unless you had a lot of 10 point birds and you HAD to be good at your duck identification! I had a friend at first legal light pulled the trigger twice and killed a black duck and a hen mallard, I think I killed a good mix of pintail and drake mallards. We were on a draw hunt on a NWR so no rearranging on that one.

 

[Red Leg]

Louisiana game wardens would carry a thermometer. God help you if a canvasback was warmer than a teal.

 

[503]

I never understood these crazy limits on waterfowl. They act like we're running out of them or something. There's ducks and geese everywhere. Geese especially.

 

[K E Johnson]

Doesn’t show 25 pt ducks. I was big into duck hunting 1980’s and early 90’s. My girlfriend at the time brought his back to me from Texas. It is for 83,84 season.
I have never fired a shot in Texas. We could still use lead shot when this was in effect.

 

[MS 9x56]

Just got back from duck hunting in Arkansas. I had a great time with my friends and my son.

However I think I'm finished using steel shot. I think I'll permanently switch to tungsten. It's $$ but the cost for ammo is low compared to the cost of the whole trip and everything. Especially if you're only hunting a few days a year it's totally worth it.

Several times birds were hit with steel and flew away and/or showed little effect. It's surprising how hard it is to kill ducks past 35 ish yards with steel. I hit one cleanly at around 25 ish and it dropped but the dog still had to chase it halfway around the field.

It's amazing how lead #4 will easily kill a turkey at 40 to 50 yards but steel will barely kill a duck at across the street distances.

From now on I'm spending the extra money for the good ammo and saving the steel for crows and varmints.


Fellow duck hunters, your thoughts?

503

I came to that same conclusion 30 years ago and haven’t hunted waterfowl since. It took all the fun out of duck and goose hunting.

 

[Milo]

I am so spoiled hunting in Alaska. Limits of 7, 8 or 10 ducks PLUS 10 seaducks. No species limits except 2 canvasback, 6 harlequin and 6 oldsquaw. Makes life easy.

3 birds short of a one many limit. On original topic - taken with Hevi-X tungsten #4.

 

[Hunt anything]

View attachment 511485
Doesn’t show 25 pt ducks. I was big into duck hunting 1980’s and early 90’s. My girlfriend at the time brought his back to me from Texas. It is for 83,84 season.
I have never fired a shot in Texas. We could still use lead shot when this was in effect.

I think it was 20 points and then when they re-did the points they went to 35, never any 25 pointers, it was a long time ago!

 

[wesheltonj]

View attachment 511485
Doesn’t show 25 pt ducks. I was big into duck hunting 1980’s and early 90’s. My girlfriend at the time brought his back to me from Texas. It is for 83,84 season.
I have never fired a shot in Texas. We could still use lead shot when this was in effect.

That poster brings back memories. ______ and Longnecks, no place but Texas.

 

[Dirtdart]

I don't have the time to contact all of the guys in these photos to ask permission to show their face, hence the dimes. EVERY bird pictured was taken with steel shot. I would say that a Canada goose is at least as tough physically as any waterfowl. Not as fast on the wing as some but they hold their own.

 

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

Before I went duck hunting for the first time and was asking around on what to expect an old timer told me “nothun kills like lead”. My modest waterfowling experience has led me to the same conclusion.

Like so many other terminal ballistics discussions, I find myself reverting to my high school physics class “force = mass x acceleration”.

 

[IvW]

Never used steel shot nevermind TSS here we use leadshot.....

 

[Hunt anything]

Never used steel shot nevermind TSS here we use leadshot.....

Consider yourself lucky but unfortunately it’s probably just a matter of time until non-toxic hits RSA!

 

[IvW]

Consider yourself lucky but unfortunately it’s probably just a matter of time until non-toxic hits RSA!

Lots of other toxic going on so we should be ok for a while....

 

[HookMeUpII]

My two primary activities are fishing/offshore fishing and waterfowling. There are many times a transformative product comes onto the marketplace. In terms of waterfowl hunting, bismuth and tungsten are revolutionary products. They've been around a while but I guess only now the manufacturing tech is out that makes them semi-affordable to use on a regular basis.

I now only shoot Boss bismuth. The change has been remarkable. I've gone from shooting #2-#3 steel for ducks, #2-BB steel for geese to never even switching out my Boss #5 most of the time. The #5 bismuth hits like #2 steel and dare I say it, even steel BB. Twice the pellets, with same if not more devastating impact. It's absolutely wild. With steel, nothing hurt more than to see a bird flinch, that you know you hit, and have it keep going at a full wing beat. With bismuth (Boss), 90% of the time it's game over, with a good shot, very quickly.

What I've really noticed, and ethics come into play here as well, is the distance it's effective. Here in NJ, birds get very wary. Especially our mascot black ducks that NJ/NY is famous for. Often times, they will short stop the decoys and try to land outside at 40-50, even 60 yds. I've on more than a few occasion taken these birds at 50-60 yds with one shot, stone dead as they hit the water. Now, the problem here comes into guys thinking 60 yd+ pass shots are now ethical. That I can't say I agree with. Below is a pic of what Boss #5 did to a black duck that came back around a little closer at 20 yds when I shot his buddy.

It is so, so much more forgiving on barrels and chokes too. One of my staple guns is an A300 Xtrema with the Optima HP choke system. Beretta missed the mark putting a thin-wall, high performance, choke system in a 3.5" waterfowl gun. Without digressing, now there is absolutely no need to be shooting big #2 or BB shot with high speeds that's just hammering the barrel and choke. I shoot an IM or full choke with #5 Boss almost all the time. Never a second thought about my choke or barrel systems.

Boss gets mixed reviews but I think a lot of that is just hate for the loyalty users have to the brand. Definitely give them a look. They have amazingly fast shipping, awesome customer service, and Brandon (the owner), stands behind what they make.