Im done with steel shot

[HookMeUpII]

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.

Canada's are actually very fast. They are deceptive because being so large, it doesn't seem like they are moving. They are in fact, moving quite fast. They tend to cup up way out as well. We've learned that with them, wait till they start backpedaling over the decoys. Trying to nail them cupped up is not always best.

In terms of toughness, well, it depends on what you compare them against. If you're talking divers like bufflehead, bluebills and sea ducks, it's hard to find a tougher duck. I've seen divers take 2 shots of #2 steel, dive, come back up and take another shot to finish them off. Brant, very fragile. Mallards, also semi-fragile. Black ducks are pretty tough. Snow geese, much more fragile than their cousin the Canada's. Can't speak to Specks as I've never gunned for them.

Steel works if the birds are in close. However, that's not always the case. The below pic was an early season hunt. At that time we were using all steel. I have to say, it wasn't pretty. We were chasing birds all over the field despite taking most shots at no more than 30 yds. The ones hit slightly farther out turned into a dumpster fire. Chasing birds across the field before they run into the hedge row, running after them left and right as other birds were coming in, etc. It was during our September resident-cull season here but still...I'd rather not go through that.

For me, bismuth is worth the money to not have to do that. In the odd event they aren't dead with one shot, another follow up almost always does the trick.

 

[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.

In my maturing as a waterfowler getting them within “bad breath” range as you say is the fun and challenge of waterfowl hunting, I will occasionally take a 40-50 yard shot but mostly I work them into the decoys and if they don’t commit I tip my hat as they have won that round. In the last couple of years of my Mississippi waterfowl lease I can’t count the number of 6 shot limits I killed of drake mallards (4) plus my 2 “bonus” ducks that normally consisted of drake pintail, widgeon or gadwall. But I’ve been hunting duck and geese since I was 6 and I’m 59 now and not quite as mad at them as I used to be.

 

[HookMeUpII]

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

I'm not exactly the tree-hugging type. I consider myself a hook and bullet conservationist. To me I always thought the ingesting of lead was overblown. However, talking to a fellow "HB Conservationist" who actually works for the state doing waterfowl research, management, and surveys...it is the real deal. I can't say whether it's habitat driven (more shallow dabbling habitat, etc) but he convinced me shot ingestion is the real deal. After showing me multiple pics of birds that ingested steel and non-toxic shot, I was a believer. He mentioned the condition of such birds and it was completely different from those ingesting lead in the old days. He said the lead-filled birds were typically emaciated, acting as if they were sick, and often were found dead to begin with, no shot holes in the body to be found. The non-toxic filled birds carried on about their normal habits until they fell to a shot.

In my mind I could not possibly imagine a duck/goose dabbling along picking up lead shot to eat. Especially since they are surrounded by aquatic vegetation, snails, mollusks, etc. Apparently though, they definitely do. This isn't meant to be persuasion or political. And to be honest, as I mentioned, maybe its a specific occurrence due to the nature of our habitat here. Maybe it doesn't even happen in other places. Here, dabbling ducks in particular, seem to eat the shot they find on the bottom.

 

[Hunt anything]

I agree with you about the lead, no doubt about it I think that you can still find spent lead shot in Catahoula lake in Louisiana. I can’t even remember when steel was mandated in the Mississippi flyway. HookMeUpll I really enjoyed hunting brant, geese and black ducks in your area back in the early 2000’s.

 

[HookMeUpII]

HookMeUpll I really enjoyed hunting brant, geese and black ducks in your area back in the early 2000’s.

Ironically, when people think NJ they don't think of a storied history of waterfowl hunting with people like Babe Ruth, Grover Cleveland and many more coming here to gun. Never the less though, as you know, we do have some unique opportunities here on mostly public land. I spent a few seasons gunning out of a Barnegat Bay Sneakbox. Now I run a two man rig, also born from NJ, called a Duck Invader.

There are many people here still doing it as they did in the old days. Not necessarily with oars but in 30, 40, even 50 or 60 year old restored sneak boxes, hunting over hand-carved cork or cedar "stools" (as they are known here). The black duck is the unsung hero of hunting here in NJ. Many guys are quite happy to head out before work to punch there 2 bird ticket of black ducks, head back, and into work. Brant get a little more mixed reviews it seems. Due to the low quality of table fare a lot of die hard local guys will give them a pass.

Funny enough though, people come here from all over to score a black duck and even more so brant. Some days after bagging 2 black ducks...it's all you see here. I imagine it's similar for people to come to SA or Africa to take an impala or gemsbok when they really are so abundant the locals just assume them to be a fixture of daily life. It really is a great place with almost unrivaled public land access. Granted, you need a boat for most of it.

 

[Hunt anything]

I can almost smell the mud! That picture brings back great memories, especially some of the work of one of my Chesapeake BR.

 

[woods0824]

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.

I agree wholeheartedly. I get great patterns out of my factory IM or F chokes in my SBE3 with Boss No.4. I recently hunted late season mallards and honkers in western Nebraska and the Boss really is devastating. 5s would have been plenty but I brought 4s as I had a day or two to hunt after duck season closed where we'd only be shooting big honkers in typically very windy conditions. Below is some ShotKam footage from a stellar couple days of mallard hunting over a warm water creek.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0sGWZuqDGabdSJ

 

[HookMeUpII]

I agree wholeheartedly. I get great patterns out of my factory IM or F chokes in my SBE3 with Boss No.4. I recently hunted late season mallards and honkers in western Nebraska and the Boss really is devastating. 5s would have been plenty but I brought 4s as I had a day or two to hunt after duck season closed where we'd only be shooting big honkers in typically very windy conditions. Below is some ShotKam footage from a stellar couple days of mallard hunting over a warm water creek.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0sGWZuqDGabdSJ

First off, I have to say, that is some fine shooting. The way those mallards crumple is just a perfect example of why I shoot only bismuth now. I tell people, just try it for yourself. I think some of the dislike of it stems from not understanding that the only choke you need to shoot it effectively is either a factory full or factory IM. I personally have had great luck with it from the Carlson's Delta Tubes and the bismuth Bone Busters as well.

I can almost smell the mud! That picture brings back great memories, especially some of the work of one of my Chesapeake BR.

Before discovering duck hunting the months of December through April were torture for me. Then fishing started up in May and went through November so all was well. Now I only have February and March to decide what to do with myself!

I have a love hate relationship with the mud. Ducks love it, hate walking on it, but it does get my blood flowing thinking of those mornings in the marsh smelling that low tide smell!

 

[IvW]

Ironically, when people think NJ they don't think of a storied history of waterfowl hunting with people like Babe Ruth, Grover Cleveland and many more coming here to gun. Never the less though, as you know, we do have some unique opportunities here on mostly public land. I spent a few seasons gunning out of a Barnegat Bay Sneakbox. Now I run a two man rig, also born from NJ, called a Duck Invader.

There are many people here still doing it as they did in the old days. Not necessarily with oars but in 30, 40, even 50 or 60 year old restored sneak boxes, hunting over hand-carved cork or cedar "stools" (as they are known here). The black duck is the unsung hero of hunting here in NJ. Many guys are quite happy to head out before work to punch there 2 bird ticket of black ducks, head back, and into work. Brant get a little more mixed reviews it seems. Due to the low quality of table fare a lot of die hard local guys will give them a pass.

Funny enough though, people come here from all over to score a black duck and even more so brant. Some days after bagging 2 black ducks...it's all you see here. I imagine it's similar for people to come to SA or Africa to take an impala or gemsbok when they really are so abundant the locals just assume them to be a fixture of daily life. It really is a great place with almost unrivaled public land access. Granted, you need a boat for most of it.

View attachment 514791

Looks like camouflaged croc bait....

 

[HookMeUpII]

Looks like camouflaged croc bait....

LOL. Thankfully we don't have crocs or hippos here. Equally precarious would be running boats like that in January, in 19 degrees, with a 30 knot wind across the open water. Being less than 6" off 34 degree, or sometimes freezing water, definitely makes you a little more careful.

Now if we had crocs or hippos...I don't know if that would be my first choice in a boat nor would I still be duck hunting!