Legal # of shells in gun?? For Pheasants

[fishin58]

How many is it?? Is a plug required?? I just read in a hunting book from ND that they have a 3 shell limit, compared to Minnesota that does not have a limit? I went throught the regs yesterday and they did not say anything specific to pheasants. They was a quote right above it for snipe I believe. Anybody?? Thanks

[Eric Wettschreck]

While pheasant hunting you can have as many shells as you want in your gun. For what it's worth, however, I still keep my plug in my gun and use steel shot. Why?? Cuz many times while pheasant hunting I jump ducks and if I don't have steel or a plugged gun I can't shoot at them. Also, after 3 shots most roosters are out of range, or close to out of range.

[fishin58]

Thanks boiler, that is what I thought but I could not find it in the regs. I don't shoot ducks so no worries

[Shack]

Ya, if you hunt public land or WMA's, double check the regs on signs about hunting with steel shot for any kind of bird!

Almost walked out with lead last night, untill I read sign and it said "Steel only" for small game! At least I had three steel shot shells with me!

[BobT]

Thought ocurred to me. If steel shot is required, is the plug also required even if hunting pheasants only?

Bob

[Eric Wettschreck]

Plug not required when pheasant hunting. Steel shot only required when hunting WPA's, or waterfowl hunting. If you are anywhere besides a WPA and pheasant hunting only you can use lead in an unplugged shotgun.

However, take a shot at a duck without a plug in your gun or with toxic shot on you and you are asking for trouble. This is why I said I keep it plugged and use steel all the time.

It's also easier for me to actually hit what I'm shooting at when I do not switch from steel to lead to steel to lead and so on and so on.

[Shack]

The one thing I thought about (kind of splitting hairs here), but the sign says not to be in possession of a lead shot or gun loaded with lead shot, now could a person have this in his truck or car parked in parking area of a WPA? I thought about the lead shot rounds I took out of vest and gun and put into truck!

Again, splitting hairs here, but I thought about this yesterday and figured I would ask today!

[Eric Wettschreck]

I spose that would be a CO discretion kind of thing. I'm thinking that if you left your pickup with only steel on you and had a box of lead in the truck you would be fine. It's obvious that you are taking only steel with you into the WPA.

I think getting a ticket for that would be pretty ticky tacky.

[311Hemi]

In ND's reg book it states:

"Possession of Shot other than Nontoxic Shot" means in the gun, or in the pockets, or within reach while in the process of hunting.

I don't think MN states this but I would hope CO's use this in their thinking.

[LABS4ME]

"Possessing" in those terms is 'on your body'. In your truck you would be fine.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Shack]

I figured as such!

Just thought about it while I was loading my dogs last night. All it would take is a CO to cruise up to my SUV with the back hatch open and see a box of lead shells, like I had sitting there last night! I would hope some smooth talking and having a couple steel shells with me would get me on my way! During my loading up of my truck last night, a couple trucks came in and did a circle round. I figured one of them was going to be a CO.

This brings up another question I was thinking about. I figured when I was walking out to hunt and only had 3 steel shells with, if I had shot at grouse enough and used all 3 rounds, I would have to make sure and pick up my empties just in case I did run into CO!

That is my question? Leaving your empty shells behind is littering correct?

Some times on my Rem. 1100 they fly in the thick stuff and I try to find them! Most people (my walk along a trail showed me this) shoot at god knows what on the trail and leave a pile of shells sitting their like they are bio-degradable (they must have been clay shooting on a WPA, wished they would have been caught)! Which almost lead me into another situation? The larger spent piles of shells were lead shot. I like to pick up other peoples spent shells and throw away when I get home! I almost picked up shells, until I noticed they were lead! Now, imagine if I would have been searched by CO, because he seen the box of lead shells in the back of my SUV and then to find my large vest pockets full of spent lead shells! I would have not gotten out of that one!

[livintofish]

Shack, yeah I agree with labs too and what you said possession is what you have on you. In your pockets, or anywhere else where you could pull that lead out and use it on waterfowl or in wpas that restrict lead. I also read something about no lead on wpas designated for dove hunting these are mainly South of the metro, so you guys that hunt down there I would bring steel. I don't think steel or lead matters too much on pheasants anyway as far as killing power if your using small sizes of steel, could be wrong though. I know lead to steel makes a big difference on ducks.

[BLACKJACK]

Quote:

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It's also easier for me to actually hit what I'm shooting at when I do not switch from steel to lead to steel to lead and so on and so on.

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I'm with you on this boilerguy, I don't want to swap back and forth from lead to steel to lead and affect my shooting. Plus why hassle with swapping shells in and out of your vest according to where you're hunting? Once I used up my lead a few years ago, I just buy steel, except for trap shooting. And if I could find steel trap loads, I'd buy them also.

[Shack]

Duck or pheasant, steel maybe a good option, maybe! But if I can use lead, that is what brings down the grouse for me! I tried to switch totally to steel 4 or 5 years back and my percentage of bringing down a grouse dropped to a point where is was not funny. I think the round steel shot bounces off of them like silica beads against metal in a sand blaster! After a dead on hit at close range, I could see bird fly away and land on a log and ruffle his feathers (I assume to get the beebe’s out). Since then I have gone totally to lead and will never go to an area hunting for grouse the is all steel. Too much good area’s to choose from! Where I went the other night was a shot in the dark chance I made, because of my late start and the pressure of rain! I just got dogs out! I will not go back to the area for grouse again!

The one thing I have against lead is its toxicity! I sure loves to spit out a lead shot pellet at dinner time!

As for it effecting my shooting, I never seen an issue with my accuracy between the two! I have seen were steel will kind of push away a clay pigeon, verses blowing it apart, at the right angle and distance! Where’s a lead shot would have blown it apart! Just another observation of mine!

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

When I got my M2 a couple years ago I was peeved it only held 4 when I was used to 5. I since bought a mag extension that now allows for 6 but generally just put in 5. The mag ext seems a little chinsy for such a nice gun but it work fine.

[Mr.Seaguar]

Quick solution here is to buy 2 guns. Thats what I did. Now I use one gun when I am using lead and another when I use steel. OK, It didnt realy solve the problem, but it justified my purchase of this reallly chery 1970s Browning Auto5 his summer.

[Wanderer]

Good reasoning!

A cheaper way to go is get a second vest to fill with no-tox shells. We do this so there isn't down time while stopping at a WPA or private during the day to swap out shells. Just grab the right vest.

I shoot tungsten on WPA's. Yep it costs more but I don't shoot a bunch of rounds anyway and it behaves alot like lead in speed and knockdown power. And its OK for ducks.

I'm O/U for roosters so a plug isn't a worry.

[Shack]

Wanderer,

Good idea! I have a couple of vest I do no use!