Toxic clay targets

[Bravo11]

Went out shooting clays this weekend on some pasture land. The box of clays said the materials used in the targets were toxic to animals.
If a cow eats a clay target will it make him die, sick, or add toxicity to the meat so a human can get sick?

 

[Dave McCracken]

Clay targets will poison swine, but not cattle as I understand it.

Certainly doesn't affect horses, ours grazed where we shot informal clays and lived long healthy lives.

Best advice, ask the maker....

 

[Newt]

A "Cow" is a she. If it makes "him" die, then it's not a cow, it's a bull.

 

[PawDaddy]

What about deer?

 

[P95Carry]

I am not sure re the toxicity aspect but .. seem to remember that clays are (were?) made from coal bi-products ..... like a sorta brittle bitumen or something. Be interested if anyone has confirmation on that or what composition actually is.

 

[waynzwld]

Cabela's sells "White Flyer" biodegradable clays. Right now they are on sale. I picked up 5 cases for about $39.

 

[kudu]

The biodegradable clays turn into white sludge that nothing will grow in. We used them at our gun club for two years and the fields all were a creamy white color that no grass or weeds would grow in. We switched back to regular targets last year and plowed under the fields so we could get grass to grow again.

 

[P95Carry]

The biodegradable clays turn into white sludge that nothing will grow in

Makes me wonder what the heck THOSE are made off! geez .. compressed lime? or worse!?

 

[Beren]

The biodegradable clays turn into white sludge that nothing will grow in

Sounds like the manufacturer was not explicit about what they meant by "biodegradable." They must have meant "degrades any bio matter it touches."

 

[Traveler]

We have gone to the biodegradable targets at my local range, and developed a preference for them. They do not break as often in the machines, and break at least as well when shot. We have found that they are easier to sweep up, and have not noticed any degradation in the plant growth.

 

[waynzwld]

From what I have read on them, it depends on the PH of the soil.
The soil on my place is VERY acid, so they should dissolve in a reasonable amount of time. The farmers around me have lime (fine limestone chat) spread on their fields and it disappears completly in 1-1/2 to 2 years.