How do the COs determine if one used lead or non-toxic?
- Thread starter eltorro
- Start date
I don't think its a metal detector, but they have some sort electronic device for detecting the lead shot. I remember a number of years back being at a non-toxic shot seminar put on by MWF, and Manitoba Conservation and one of the CO's presenting had the device there to show.
The federal regualtions state( this is from memory from the manager of Fish and Wildlife on PEI)
"It is illegal to be in possesion of lead shot for the PURPOSE of waterfowl hunting.... blah blah blah"
He did emphasize the word PURPOSE. Now some areas do have 100 meter or 200 meter etc. zones, most of these regualtions were pre lead ban and some are still being enforced (not here)
How do they test for lead?.. yes they do have an electronic device. I asked a CO one day while out grouse hunting (1 week before waterfowl season) he showed me the device but when he tried to test my shell (which was lead of course) he realized that his batteries were dead!!!
Back to the possesion of lead issue, on PEI they have actually enactednew regualtions to complement the above. Knowing you can possess lead for grouse bunnies etc... they have since banned the use of buckshot for bird hunting including crows. There have apparently been alot of guy trying to shoot some mile high geese with buckshot, the reason they added crows to the legislation is that crows are a non regulated species here, the ONLY hunting law that applies to crow hunting on PEI is the buckshot rule, other than that just regualr firearm laws apply.
"It is illegal to be in possesion of lead shot for the PURPOSE of waterfowl hunting.... blah blah blah"
He did emphasize the word PURPOSE. Now some areas do have 100 meter or 200 meter etc. zones, most of these regualtions were pre lead ban and some are still being enforced (not here)
How do they test for lead?.. yes they do have an electronic device. I asked a CO one day while out grouse hunting (1 week before waterfowl season) he showed me the device but when he tried to test my shell (which was lead of course) he realized that his batteries were dead!!!
Back to the possesion of lead issue, on PEI they have actually enactednew regualtions to complement the above. Knowing you can possess lead for grouse bunnies etc... they have since banned the use of buckshot for bird hunting including crows. There have apparently been alot of guy trying to shoot some mile high geese with buckshot, the reason they added crows to the legislation is that crows are a non regulated species here, the ONLY hunting law that applies to crow hunting on PEI is the buckshot rule, other than that just regualr firearm laws apply.
Yuri Orlov
Regular
Where does it say that? I remember a thread on here a while back regarding someone shooting clays over water with lead. The consensus was that as long as they weren't hunting, lead was fine.
Alberta
Federal
Possessing for the PURPOSE of hunting grouse on your way to and from your blind then would not be illegal. Nor would possessing for the purpose of whacking the occasional crow or magpie that might investigate the dekes.
Federal
Possessing for the PURPOSE of hunting grouse on your way to and from your blind then would not be illegal. Nor would possessing for the purpose of whacking the occasional crow or magpie that might investigate the dekes.
egg zachary!
But of course... any province may set their own regulations!
I never have lead in the blind with me but I do carry some non tox when hunting upland animals as I often come across a stream, marsh, pond etc. Or thear that familiar honking sound.
I have never taken a goose while upland hunting but did have a few fly about 15 meters over my head just as it was getting too dark to shoot... no non-tox that day!
I have taken a few ducks while grouse hunting.
To be safe while going to the blind it never hurts to have some #6 steel or something similar.
I took a grouse one year with #3 TM, can't afford to do that now! Got a few $4 crows last year!
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M12shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- East St. Paul, mb
Some states run a wand over shot birds. The device looks like the wand airport security uses to detect metal objects on air passengers. Wand picks up ferrous metals like iron. I guess if shot birds contain no steel then the fish cops start to "dig" a bit further.
I have yet to shoot a duck or goose with steel where the pellets haven't all gone through and through.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
I have yet to shoot a duck or goose with steel where the pellets haven't all gone through and through.
You need to shoot more ducks and geese then.
I carry both non-toxic & lead shot shells all the time while hunting. Never had any problems with local wildlife officers as I always had both valid migratory game bird hunting license & small game license on me & have had both grouse, partridge & ducks in my possession at the same time.
If there really was a law that I couldn't possess lead shot within 100M of a body of water, I could never posses lead shot, as there is a large pond behind my house that is home to wild ducks every Spring/Summer. I don't hunt them & try to keep local kids/idiots from hurting them, but still within 100M....
With the many improvements in steel shot over the last 15 years, I'm not as wedded to the idea that lead is the "only" shot to use for ducks/geese, etc... While I'd still prefer to use lead, its something I can live without, even though problems with lead contamination of wetlands/waterways was something that was not, nor has it ever been, a Newfoundland problem...we just got caught up in the backlash caused by high lead concentrations in heavily hunted wetlands, ponds, sloughs, etc...on the mainland. It sucks, but it isn't a winnable fight. Steel shotshells, the originals, were terrible, however that has changed today.
As for other non-toxic shot...while I'd love to shoot Hevi-Shot and any of the other various Tungsten-Matrix, Polymer, Bismuth, etc...I'm not prepared to pay $4-$5 per shell when steel offers almost as good performance at a quarter the price.
If there really was a law that I couldn't possess lead shot within 100M of a body of water, I could never posses lead shot, as there is a large pond behind my house that is home to wild ducks every Spring/Summer. I don't hunt them & try to keep local kids/idiots from hurting them, but still within 100M....
With the many improvements in steel shot over the last 15 years, I'm not as wedded to the idea that lead is the "only" shot to use for ducks/geese, etc... While I'd still prefer to use lead, its something I can live without, even though problems with lead contamination of wetlands/waterways was something that was not, nor has it ever been, a Newfoundland problem...we just got caught up in the backlash caused by high lead concentrations in heavily hunted wetlands, ponds, sloughs, etc...on the mainland. It sucks, but it isn't a winnable fight. Steel shotshells, the originals, were terrible, however that has changed today.
As for other non-toxic shot...while I'd love to shoot Hevi-Shot and any of the other various Tungsten-Matrix, Polymer, Bismuth, etc...I'm not prepared to pay $4-$5 per shell when steel offers almost as good performance at a quarter the price.
From Sask. Hunting regs:
It is a violation to " possess or use shot other then non-toxic shot for the purpose of hunting migratory game birds"
That grey area again. I think you'd be at the discretion of the field CO and ulitmately the judge if you were written up. While I do carry lead shot for upland I make sure it is placed back in the ammo container and out of my possesion when I will be hunting migratory game birds.
The CO's carry a wand here and if it lights up they investigate further. I only use steel shot and never seen the wand light up to see what they'll do next
It is a violation to " possess or use shot other then non-toxic shot for the purpose of hunting migratory game birds"
That grey area again. I think you'd be at the discretion of the field CO and ulitmately the judge if you were written up. While I do carry lead shot for upland I make sure it is placed back in the ammo container and out of my possesion when I will be hunting migratory game birds.
The CO's carry a wand here and if it lights up they investigate further. I only use steel shot and never seen the wand light up to see what they'll do next
