first time bird hunting, shot question

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MyRoad

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For those who don't want the story, here's my primary question: Can you hunt birds with lead shot? Or does the lead poison the meat?

The long story...

Today I was invited to go quail hunting tomorrow, kind of last minute. It's my first bird hunting trip. My buddy has a 20 guage, all I have is a 12. He told me that using a 12 can pretty much blow apart the birds, since some shots may be as close as 50ft. So, I went to a sporting goods store, told them my situation, and asked for the lightest loads they have so I don't destroy the meat. The guy at the hunting counter recommended two kinds, they were not very expensive, so I got one box of each. One is Remington Premier STS (7.5 shot) the other is Gun Club Target (9 shot). As I'm packing everything up for the trip, I read the boxes more carefully and the STS specifically says its lead shot. I don't see how that can be healthy. Do people use lead shot on birds they plan on eating?

Also, for close range targets, would I be better off using the 18" barrel and letting the patterns open up rather than using the long barrel?

Thanks for the education - sorry if this newbie question is kind of stupid.
 
Lead shot

We use lead shot on pheasants back home. Never had a problem. The reason they do not let you use lead for water foul is it lands in the water, and then it lets out the toxins. I would not worry about it. Good hunting and stay safe.
 
You would want to use the 18" barrel, but you can just use the improved cylinder for the barrel that came with the gun. You will want to take it out some where first and see how the pattern is before you go out so that you know how close abouts you can take a shot without blowing the quail apart and not having any meat left on the it. Just remeber to stay safe when your hunting.
 
I would recommend that you use the STS 7.5, and not worry about blowing apart birds. You won't get close enough for that really to happen. Feathers will fly, of course, when you hit one, but that is very clearly not the same thing.

Lead shot is the normal shot for hunting, clays, etc. Lead poisoning of the prey species would to take a very long time, which won't happen because it is killed more quickly by being shot than lead would have a chance to get done, and there won't be enough shot in the ibrds that there will be a problem with eating them afterwords. If you are worried about lead poison of yourself, just relax and enjoy the vacation. It would take more than the 3-6 shot per bird, Very small job, take care of those things, and then all you'll have to do is figure out how to cook the little buggers.
 
Thanks all for the quick replies. I'm looking forward to a day of hiking in the hills, and maybe I'll come home with something to eat, but this time out, that's secondary.
 
I use a 12 with 1 1/8 oz #7 1/2 shot for doves and quail. The birds have never vaporized from that load and it's moving at about 1250fps from my 28" barrel.

The whole 12 guage will destroy a bird is poop. Also, if your worried about closer up shots then use a looser choke (improved cylinder or cylinder) instead of an 18" barrel.

I use an improved cylinder for quail in the early season and later on move to a modified when they are hunted hard and tend to jump earlier.
 
Don't worry about the lead shot. Man you probly have lead fillings in your teeth.:D

Folks have been shooting small game with lead shot for ever, never heard of anyone having a problem.

Quail hunting, man most of your first shots should be very close range so use a short barrel, say 26 inch with either an Improved Cylinder or Cylinder bore and #8 shot. This set up will still bringum down out to 35 or 40 yds.
 
I have my best luck on quail using a 20 gauge improved cylinder-modified on a Ruger Red Label with #8 or 7-1/2 shot. The barrel is 26 inch. The shooting can get fast and furious at times and you'll want the fastest swinging gun you have.

I have a Red Label 12 gauge chambered the same but it doesn't swing quite as quick. And I'm 6-3 and 220 pounds.

Steve
 
What a day! I hiked every kind of imaginable terrain, up down and every which way. As a side note, I learned it was grouse we were after, not quail. Saw some deer and lots of deer and elk trails and scat, but no birds. Great day though!
 
hope you had fun on your hunt!

for reference, I use 7 1/2 or 8 on doves, and would use that for quail if hunting them exclusively. However, most of the time when I bump quail I am pheasant hunting and just use what I have in. It is nice to keep some 7 1/2 or 8 with you to go pick up singles after the covey busts. I also use an improved cylinder for dove and would generally have the modified cylinder in for quail as that is what i use for pheasants.

Also, for pheasants I use 4, 5 and 6 shot. Early season I use 6, but then will go to 5 for most of the season as the birds get spookier. Often I will load 5 or 6 for the first round and then 4 for follow-ups which will be farther. If all I could ever have was 5 shot I wouldn't complain.
 
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