California shot ?

[publius]

Just wondering what the rules are for lead shot on trap & skeet ranges in CA. I know it's steel only for hunting.

[the rifleer]

The only reason you have to use steel is for water foul, and thats so you don't poison yourself. Ducks eat whats at the bottom and lead sinks. The duck eats the lead, you eat the duck and, well, you get the idea.

Yes, lead is perfectly acceptable. If you can't use it, its the range's rules and no one else's.

[zippy13]

I beg to differ, the rifleer isn't quite up to date…

It should be noted, California has a large lead free hunting area to protect condors. For now, lead it's still legal for upland game within the non-lead zone. For more info see: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/condor/

San Francisco's Pacific Rod and Gun Club requires non-toxic shot. I stopped by there several years ago, and non-members are required to purchase their shells at the Field House.

[roy reali]

The only reason you have to use steel is for water foul, and thats so you don't poison yourself. Ducks eat whats at the bottom and lead sinks. The duck eats the lead, you eat the duck and, well, you get the idea.

Yes, lead is perfectly acceptable. If you can't use it, its the range's rules and no one else's.

No, the main reson to use nonlead for waterfowl is because it is a Federal Law. Lead in not acceptable for any waterfowl anywhere in the USA. The fines are stiff and you will not talk your way out of it.

Years ago, a friend of mine was duck huntig at a refuge. A warden was coming around to check everyones ammo to make sure it was all nontoxic. Anyway, when it was his turn he stood up. He was at the waters edge and as he stood, several rounds that were in his vest pocket fell out, landed in the water, and sank. It was a total accident.


The LEO fined him for having lead shot in his possession. The Warden assumed the shells that fell in the water were lead shot, he was trying to get rid of them by throwing them in the water. MY friend got a lawyer to fight this.

I haven't spoken to this guy in a few years. So, I don't know the outcome of his case. But the point is, this is one area of hunting laws you don't want to muck around with.

[natman]

It depends. Some ranges allow lead, but most require steel. Ask beforehand.

[the rifleer]

Thanks for the correction. I recently took a hunter safety class and thats what was explained to me. I was just repeating what my instructor said, but everyone makes mistakes.

[roy reali]

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NONTOXIC SHOT REGULATIONS FOR HUNTING WATERFOWL AND COOTS IN THE U.S

Current as of Oct 1, 2010



BACKGROUND
The ban on the use of lead shot for hunting waterfowl was phased-in starting with the 1987-88 hunting season. The ban became nationwide in 1991. Nontoxic shot regulations apply only to waterfowl, defined as the family Anatidae (ducks, geese, [including brant], and swans) and coots. Nontoxic shot is defined as any shot type that does not cause sickness and death when ingested by migratory birds.

APPROVED SHOT TYPES

The shot types that are approved as nontoxic for waterfowl hunting in the U.S. are the following.

Approved shot type*
Percent Composition by Weight
Field Testing Device**

Bismuth-tin
97 bismuth, and 3 tin
Hot Shot7***

Iron (steel)
iron and carbon
Magnet or Hot Shot7

Iron-tungsten
any proportion of tungsten, and >1 iron
Magnet or Hot Shot7

Iron-tungsten-nickel
>1 iron, any proportion of tungsten, and up to 40 nickel
Magnet or Hot Shot7

Tungsten-bronze
51.1 tungsten, 44.4 copper, 3.9 tin, and 0.6 iron,
or 60 tungsten, 35.1 copper, 3.9 tin, and 1 iron
Rare Earth Magnet

Tungsten-iron-copper-nickel
40-76 tungsten, 10-37 iron, 9-16 copper, and
5-7 nickel
Hot Shot7 or Rare Earth Magnet

Tungsten-matrix
95.9 tungsten, 4.1 polymer
Hot Shot7

Tungsten-polymer
95.5 tungsten, 4.5 Nylon 6 or 11
Hot Shot7

Tungsten-tin-iron
any proportions of tungsten and tin, and >1 iron
Magnet or Hot Shot7

Tungsten-tin-bismuth
any proportions of tungsten, tin, and bismuth.
Rare Earth Magnet

Tungsten-tin-iron-nickel
65 tungsten, 21.8 tin, 10.4 iron, and 2.8 nickel
Magnet

Tungsten-iron-polymer
41.5-95.2 tungsten, 1.5-52.0 iron, and
3.5-8.0 fluoropolymer
Magnet or Hot Shot7


* Coatings of copper, nickel, tin, zinc, zinc chloride, and zinc chrome on approved nontoxic shot types also are approved. ** This column is for information only, it is not regulatory. *** The HOT*SHOT field testing device is from Stream Systems of Concord, CA.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Further information on lead poisoning in waterfowl can be found at the following web site:

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/o...n.htm#contents




Last updated: June 1, 2009


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If your hunting safety instructor did indeed tell you that toxic shot way ok, he should not be teaching these courses. He could cause someone to get in deep dodo with the Fed's. If you tell the Fed's your instructor told you to use lead for waterfowl, guess who will get the fime? I'll you give a hint. You!

[zippy13]

the rifleer,
Glad to help. If your hunter safety class was like most, the instructor had a boat load of info to teach and a limited amount of time.

Not long ago, there was a thread from a safety instructor, IIRC, he wasn't a shotgun guy. He wanted to know what the likelihood of one of his students encountering an old gun with a Damascus barrel -- he was trying to decide how much time to spend on the typical Damascus barrel warning.

From you post, it's obvious, your instructor spent the time to explain the reasoning behind the migratory water fowl protection laws; but, at the expense of making you aware of other California specific non-toxic requirements.