Link / Article
http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/outdoors/02/23legcol.html
MIKE LEGGETT: OUTDOORS
Feds mull non-toxic shot for dove hunting
Thursday, February 23, 2006
If the thought of $5-a-box premium dove loads is scary to you, wait until you get an earload of this.
There is talk — preliminary, to be sure, nothing set in stone — of requiring non-toxic shot for all migratory birds.
That box of 25 shotgun shells you stuff into your vest on opening day could suddenly cost $12 to $15 if that happens. Let's not even talk about .410 or 28 gauge that cost $9 to $10 a box now or the fact that the average dove hunter requires five shells to kill just one dove. You do the math.
There's no timetable for the change. There's not even a proposal, according to Jay Roberson, Texas Parks and Wildlife's dove program leader. But there have been some rumblings about a switch, and Parks and Wildlife plans to discuss the issue at an upcoming meeting of its Game Bird Advisory Committee.
"It's way, way early," Roberson said. "There are so many other issues out there right now." Land fragmentation, habitat loss, even the continued encroachment of white-winged doves into mourning dove territory are current issues that need to be studied and dealt with, he said. However, steel shot is going to be the one that gets most people's attention.
"There are some studies going on now in Missouri on penned birds where they were fed a certain number of lead shot," Roberson said. "They've found that if they ingest even a small number of shot, they have a very low survival rate."
Roberson went on to point out that depending on what the bird's diet is at any given time, some doves will pass the shot directly on through their systems, rather than grind it up in their gizzards, where it can reach their bloodstream and exact a deadly toll. "One problem is that it may not show up in dead birds in the field because they get weak and picked of by predators," Roberson said.
When all states were forced to comply with non-toxic shot rules for waterfowl in the late 1980s, there was considerable evidence about how much damage the pellets did in areas where shooting was frequent and bird populations were high. Doves aren't hunted the same way, and it's going to be much harder to figure out just how much of a threat there is from lead shot.
Some states already are requiring non-toxic shot for dove hunters on wildlife management areas and even at some shooting ranges where lead buildup has been a problem. But that isn't full scale all-steel shooting, though, which would really hit hunters hard financially.
"It would kill dove hunting," said Joe McBride of McBride's Guns in Austin. "Remington makes a target load steel shot for gun ranges that costs $8 to $9 a box to retailers. We have to sell it for $12 to $15 a box."
Nobody even makes a dove load right now, he said, though that should change if there was a mandatory switch to non-toxic shot. Those loads would be steel, though, since tungsten and other non-toxic shot are just too expensive to be shooting dozens of shells at a time.
Remington Hevi-shot, for instance, currently retails for about $22 to $25 for a 10-round box. That's acceptable for turkeys or even ducks but prohibitive for doves.
Roberson said the real answer for dove hunting lies in scientifically sound studies, both on dove populations and on non-toxic shot. "We need better information on survival rates and recruitment rates of mourning doves," he said. "But we have to look at the availability and efficiency of non-toxic shot."
Typically, the smaller the shot, the less efficient steel becomes, which means biologists will have to determine whether wounding rates would increase with steel shot, Roberson said. And there could be a negative impact on hunting altogether, which could render any survival improvement nil if hunters aren't spending money and thus keeping funding on track for habitat and research.
"We're poised to do that work because it's imperative that we do it," Roberson said. It also makes sense for Texas to do its own lead shot study, too, because of the sheer numbers of whitewings and mourning doves that live here. "We need to set up a double-blind study that would give us that information," Roberson said. "There's no sense in doing it any other way."
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Personal Thoughts:
Mods may consider this over in Reloading Forum for a bit.
I recall when non-toxic shot was being "considered" for Migratory Waterfowl. Do a search for "NILO Farms" for starters. "NILO" is "OLIN" -like in Winchester -, spelled backwards.
I do NOT recommend Steel, Bismuth IMO is the way to go.
My /otheres experiences with it in T&E and uses for Ranges going to non-toxic shot, and those areas requesting non-toxic shot adjacent to areas with Waterfowl. This kept folks from getting tripped up if stumbled onto wrong area with Waterfowl and having lead shot for Skeet/ Trap and small game hunting.
WE saw that "leg sticking out there" and we didn't get tripped by it either. Ammo checked and we were using Bismuth for small game and Clay shooting.
Ticks a Federale off something awful too.
Especially when the gate was closed and one had to enter/ exit a certain way. Nice try...we recon'd ahead of time and out "thunk" 'em.
Do you realize how many folks get tripped up? How come so many folks are at G&F Auctions? Bidding to get back firearms that have been in the family...got popped and guns, vehicles, boats and such confiscated.
-Folks we need to keep tabs on Gubmint - period.
-We need to improve on and continue to be ever watchful of Regulations which can trip us up. Get enough points and hunting privileges can be suspended in some areas depending on regulations.
-Hunters as a whole can be tainted with Negative Media Reports. These matters affect us ALL - even those that do not participate in dove hunting, hunting, or shotguns for whatever purpose.
-This is NOT a "Us vs Them" We must continue to be United in Responsible Firearm Ownership.
-If one needs to get proper instructions to be a better shotgunner - do it!
-Continue to BA/UU/R
-One CANNOT buy skill and targets (game shots)
-Reloading Bismuth for instance not only will better tailor a load for YOUR Gun, For YOUR tasks ( type of dove hunting) also allows you to continue using that classic old gun that steel shot will ruin.
-Not to mention for the monies , better loads, less shells used per bird.
-Got kids, family? No better way to be Responsible Firearm Owner than to turn off the TV, Pass Forward Reloading, and discussing Responsible Firearm Ownership while reloading, Patterning guns...the whole passing forward experience.
It is my belief , one method of "discouraging" new shooters and hunters, is to make it more of a hassle.
WE already have generations not growing up with firearms in the household, never learning woodscraft, hunting and fishing...etc.
Meddling and Mindwashing by Public Schools and Media, and so many other others reasons.
Get together with other Responsible Firearm Owners, teach the kids about hunting and habitat, reloading, shooting, hunting, hunter safety.
Returns are greater than the investments.
Regards,
Steve
Bwaaaaaa, ha, ha, yeah, right! No thanks, I'll just hunt my own property and if a game warden looks like he's about to come on my property, I'm shooting rabbits. It's remote, only one way in, 4x4 road, and I can keep an eye on the paved road. I mean, I've never seen a game warden down there anyway. 
