Lead Is Toxic Shot

So why don’t we use lead shot at waterfowl any more?

Why do they have upland Non-Toxic Shot areas?

Does it affect people too?

Is it really that bad?

Lead is Toxic Shot. It has been proven beyond a doubt that exposure to lead is harmful. There are restrictions on the use of lead in gasoline and paints as well as restricting imported products containing lead. Over exposure to lead can cause Vomiting, Diarrhea, Convulsions and Coma. It may also do damage to the Brain and Nervous System. Even Death.

The affects on wild life are the same as humans. The thing to remember is that animals are much smaller and only need a very small amount to do the same. It’s not the animal that has been shot that it affects. It’s the others around it. Lead must be ingested to be poisonous. Waterfowl can be poisoned by the lead at the bottom of a lake or in a field. The same goes for upland game and predators. Lead is mixed in with their food source and accidentally ingested.

Lead poisoning is not a fast and painless death. It is long painful and drawn out. Even more painful and drawn out, in total, is the predators that feed on dead or dieing animals. Now not only has the pray animal suffered but so has the predator.

The same goes for humans. No mater if you shoot the animal with lead bird shot or with a lead slug and you happen to ingest it, or if you happen to eat a animal that has ingested lead prior to you consuming it. The results are the same. Tragic!

That’s why the federal government has stepped up. Not only that, but 23 states have gone above and beyond to dedicate land that only Non-Toxic Shot may be used. Check to see if your state has any of these dedicated lands.

There are effective and affordable alternatives to lead shot. Steel shot is one of the most common and the least expensive. There is a wide variety and selection of steel shot, also many stores and companies carry these products. There is Heavyshot and Bismith to name a few others.

Remember these regulations have been put in place for the good of game and ourselves.

The last thing and most important, have fun, be safe and pass on the knowledge and the love for the sport to others. The youth is our future and with out us passing it on it will never last.

John Rotter JR

Duck Junkies pro staff member

Are your decoys marching soldiers? (on website)

If you have spent much time watching real ducks in real situations your either a birder or a hunter. We duck hunters are known for stopping to watch at local ponds, golf courses and in the marsh to gain some perspective on how ducks arrange themselves, how they sound, and what their behavior is like. If we are lucky we might notice a thing or two that could help us next season with our decoy spread, or with our calling.

One thing I've noticed, and tried to emulate with my decoy spreads is this...Don't make your decoys look like marching soldiers.

If you are using floaters you most likely have two attachment points for the weights on the underside of your decoys, one on the front of the keel, and one on the rear of the keel. Now most ducks will face in to the wind when their is a breeze, but not all. Just like in real life, ducks will be swimming around, turning, diving etc...If you hook all of your decoys only on the front of the keel, when the wind blows, they'll look like marching soldiers.

This is not a natural look for a flock of ducks, and could potentially scare away a group of birds trying to find a place to land. If fact a group of birds facing in to the wind with head held high is a signal that the group is going to take off at any moment. Here's what I do to add variety and give a more natural look to my decoy spread.

On every 3rd or 4th decoy in your spread attach your weight to the rear attachment point on your decoy. When the wind blows, or when a wave passes by, this will orient your decoy away from the other plastic birds. This should give a more natural look to however many decoys you might be setting. My advice, if you hunt with one or two dozen hook every 3rd bird at the rear. If you have a larger spread, say several dozen, hook them every 4th or 5th bird at the rear.


Try this tip and see for yourself if your decoy spread doesn't look more natural.

P.S. - If this tip works for you and you want to add yet another twist, drill a hole in the center of the keel on a few ducks in your spread and attach your weight. This will give the appearance of ducks swimming across the spread, again, a more natural relaxed look.

Nathan Woodard
Duck Junkies Pro Staff
Phoenix, AZ

View this article on the website.

Iowa

Well the turkey season went really well. We hunted almost every day of the two seasons that we chose to hunt. They gobbled every morning and it was great. Its cool to listen to them gobble and the hens yelp to. My dad shot a nice doubled tom during second season and i put on on the ground in third season. Turkey hunting is a great and fun sport. It summer now, out of school, ready for work to start. It will be a great summer and hope it goes fast so i can start playing football and hunting ducks.

Pro Staffer Shannon Smith Takes Second Place

Shannon Smith, Round 3 TexasOpen Real Duck. Placed 2nd!

Wednesday, June 2nd, Duck Junkies Pro Staffer Brock Perry

will be discussing River Hunting on the Kelly Outdoors Online Radio Show.