Non-toxic shot mandatory for all
John McDougall looks at your options
With duck season upon us, it pays to familiarise ourselves with what ammunition is available to duck hunters. I’ve compiled a list of non-toxic shot loads which are now mandatory for all duck shooting (on private or public waters according to the Victorian Game Management Authority representative I spoke with), along with quail which must also now be taken using non-toxic shot.
The selection of loads from various importers is quite generous and comprehensive, although Remington and B&P loads won’t be on the shopping list. Eley and Federal (both Nioa), Gamebore, NSI (Bronzewing), Clever and Saga (both OSA) and Winchester all have a selection of non-toxic loads, mainly in steel with a couple of brands offering more expensive bismuth.
Boxes of steel shot loads, depending on size, usually attract a premium as while a slab of 250 rounds of lead would cost roughly $145, steel loads in 12-gauge are a little more expensive at around $200. Bismuth is unachievable for many shooters, costing between $700 and $1000 per slab of 250. With bag limits significantly reduced during recent years, I’ve chosen to shoot bismuth. Three packets for opening should be more than sufficient to take a bag of ducks (around 10 birds for the day) with cartridges left over for another outing.
So after 45 years as a duck hunter what can I share? The one thing I’ve learned is to shoot in front of flying birds, as they can reach deceptive speeds. Ducks out to 15m don’t require a great deal of ‘lead’, unless they’re zooming down a river or creek. Birds over decoys also require little lead and you don’t need hyper-velocity steel loads to harvest them. High-flying ducks need the most lead and usually high performance or high velocity loads and, if using bismuth which performs the closest to the old lead shot, a little lead is required. (Don’t confuse lead (ee) with lead (eh).
I enjoy shooting over decoys as birds set their wings and expose most of their body. ‘Home-ruling’ or shooting ducks on the water is considered highly unsporting unless you’re ‘swatting’ a wounded bird to put it out of its misery. And remember, steel shot ricochets so be very careful of the direction you’re shooting and ensure others are not in the ‘shot zone’.
Most steel shot loads around the 1300fps mark (396m/sec) will serve adequately without much difference in downrange performance inside 35m. It’s when ducks fly higher or further out that faster loads with larger shot should be used. For instance if birds keep turning away from a poor decoy set, it’ll be advantageous to up your shot size, extend your lead marginally and increase the velocity of the load for clean, humane kills.
I recommend size 4-6 steel shot loads to 35m travelling at 397m/sec and 4-shot loads doing 427m/sec for ducks out to 45-55m. For high-flying birds, size 4 and 3 steel at 427m/sec should be used, same as the lead shot we used previously.
Clever
This is an Italian firm which make highly respected shotshell loads in steel and bismuth. Clever Mirage 32-gram steel shot bio 4 is a specially-developed load, where shot pellets break down in water. Clever Mirage T2 soft steel loads are produced in size 7 shot and are ideal for ‘swatter’ loads to dispatch wounded birds on the water.
Mirage T4 Pro Steel 12-gauge is a 28-gram load in size 7 shot, again suitable as a swatter or for close-in ducks over decoys. Mirage soft steel hunting is a 35-gram load available in shot sizes 2-5 and is for more distant ducks out to 45m and beyond. Mirage T3 bismuth is 32-gram available in 4 shot. This is an excellent all-round load for ‘pass’ shooting, ducks over decoys and high-flying birds out to 50m. Improvement in bismuth manufacture has overcome the tendency for these pellets to shatter which is a positive for clean, humane kills.
Eley
Eley Hawk is an English company making three steel shot loads available in Australia through Nioa. VIP Steel is a 12-gauge, 32-gram load in a variety of shot sizes travelling at 1350fps. I’ve used these several times over rice fields in NSW and found them lethal out to 45m. Great for shooting over decoys.
VIP Lightning Steel is a 76mm, 12-gauge load available in shot sizes 2-5 doing 1410fps. Being a magnum load it has greater knockdown power. Again, I’ve used these on the rice fields of NSW and have dropped birds just beyond 55m. Eley Hawk VIP steel Pro Eco is a 28-gram loading of 7 shot steel travelling at 1312 fps. This are more a swatter load for wounded birds or for clay target shooting.
Federal
Made in the US and distributed here by Nioa, there are two loads offered in a variety of gauges and shot sizes. The Black Cloud FS contain 60 per cent round steel pellets and 40 per cent ‘Flight Stopper’, which are round pellets with a ring around their diameter. These are reported to cause greater wound openings for instant kills. Black Cloud FS comes in 12 and 20-gauge with shot loads ranging from 32 to 36-gram, being 3” loads with velocities around 1600fps. For the 32-gram, 2¾” version, velocity is cited at 1450fps. Also available in 20-gauge, these Black Cloud FS loads are lethal out to 50m. Available in shot sizes 2, 3, 4 and BB.
Federal’s second non-toxic shot load is the Speed-Shok Waterfowl, available in both 12 and 20-gauge. The 32-gram, 2¾” version travels at 1500-fps and the 36-gram, 3” at 1450fps. Both come in the most popular shot sizes of BB to size 6 and I’ve enjoyed great success with these on ducks out to 45m.
Gamebore
Hyper Steel 12-gauge loads in 70mm cases and size 4 shot in a 32-gram load doing 1450fps, is an excellent performer on ducks out to 55m. Super Steel loads of 5 shot in a 32-gram load, also loaded into 70mm case with velocity cited at 1400fps, are lethal out to 45-50m. Silver Steel in 32-gram loads of size 4 shot travelling at 1400fps, is preferred for its environmental protection by using a biodegradable wad that’s soluble in water. This one also uses a 76mm case.
Super Steel in a 32-gram load of 4 shot doing 1400fps is excellent for all-round duck hunting, while Super Steel 12-gauge in size 7½ shot with 24-gram payload is ideal for ‘swatting’ wounded birds on the water. Bismuth is available in a 30-gram, 12-gauge load travelling at 1400fps. Gamebore also offer sub-gauge loads of 16, 20 and 28-gauge for duck hunting and currently have stocks of Baschieri and Pellagri steel travelling at 1320fps in size 4 shot and 12-gauge only.
NSI
Nobel Sport Italia are made in Italy and distributed by Bronzewing Australia. They’re excellent loads at affordable prices and lethal on ducks out to 45-50m. Game Steel is a 32-gram, 1362fps 2¾” load available in 3, 4 and 7 shot which is good for taking birds over decoys or pass shooting out to 45m. Waterfowl Steel is a 35-gram, 2¾” load in size 2 shot doing 1450fps, well suited for taking ducks at longer distances out to 50-55m. NSI non-toxic steel shot loads are well priced and excellent performance-wise.
Saga
Made in Spain and distributed here by OSA, the only Saga non-toxic load is their 36-gram, 12-gauge in a 2¾” hull. This is cited as travelling at 1200-1250fps and would be suited to ducks flying in close (out to 35m) due to its relatively slow velocity. Available in size 4 shot, this one’s a budget load.
Winchester
Over the years of using non-toxic steel shot in this country, Winchester Australia has whittled down its US offerings to four, including a 32-gram, 2¾” option called Winchester Expert in 4 shot travelling at 1400fps and a 36-gram, 2¾” load of 4 shot called Winchester Drylok doing 1300fps. The two Expert Game/Target loads in shot sizes 8 and 9 can be used as swatter loads or for quail. Extensive testing of various products in previous years has proven 4 shot in steel loads to be most effective for taking ducks on the wing. The Drylok and Expert in size 4 are both excellent for taking birds out to 45-50m and reasonably priced.
In conclusion
Australia’s lucky to have such a selection of non-toxic shot loads to choose from, though I suggest you shop around for best prices. I remember when you could take 20 birds for your bag limit on opening morning, and I’d buy a case of 500 Black Ranger Winchester lead shot shells for less than $200. These days I shoot bismuth for gun care and humane kills, taking birds mainly over decoys. Since bag limits have been more than halved, three packets of bismuth costing similar to those 500 Black Rangers more than suffice. And it’s always a good idea to visit your local gun club for some practice ahead of opening day.