Hevi,tungsten,steel

[flat-top]

LET'S SEE WHO CAN GET THE BEST DEAL ON WATER FOWL AMMO AN FROM WHERE? YOU GUY'S AN GAL'S KNOW THE PRICE OF THIS NO-TOX ISNT GETTING CHEAPER

[just ducky]

I've really been happy with Kent Matrix shot in #5. It's a polymer mix that has really worked for me. You can get it at Cabela's for about $16-17 for a box of 10. I did order some from an obscure catalog I got in the mail a couple of years ago, which I can't remember the name of right now. I've tried Hevi-Shot also, but haven't shot enough to make a decision on it.

[AllFowledUp]

I have tried the tungsten...am really not that impressed with it. Really cant justify the price for the new stuff as much shooting as my son and I do. I have started shooting the KENT FASTSTEEL for ducks and geese. Buy it at CABELAS for about $10.00 a box of 25.

[just ducky]

AllFowledUp,
I used to think a lot about the cost also, but no longer. I've posted some threads on this before, but in short, it's not that expensive when you really take a hard look at it. Here's why. I used to go through probably 100 rounds of steel during the Michigan waterfowl season. Cost....maybe $50. Now, in keeping track of my shots over about 3 years time, I realized that 3 out of 4 birds I harvested took at least 1 additional water shot with steel. If you really keep track of it, I'll bet you'll find the same thing. My buddies all did. So, if you think that each bird you get takes 2 shots, and I average about 20 ducks a year in Michigan, that's about 40 shots to collect 20 birds. In the three years I tested the Polymer shot, very few birds took a water shot. If you use the stuff and nothing else, you'll likely have the same results. It just flat works better at the same distances that you shoot steel. So, let's just say you use 25% less shells than you would with steel (and I think this is probably being conservative), your talking about $120 for non-tox shot versus $50 for steel. Yeah it's $70, but that's nothing during the course of a hunting season. Maybe 3 tanks of gas with my pick-up/boat/trailer. Never mind that I believe the stuff kills cleaner, faster, and hits harder. I don't shoot longer shots, just the typical ones out to about 35-40 yds. max. So that's just my way of rationalizing it. Only my opinion.

[AllFowledUp]

Just Ducky,
Nicely put. It may be worth another try.

[flat-top]

JUST DUCKY, HOW MANY DAYS OUT OF THE SEASON DO YOU HUNT ?

[Hunt4Ever]

I don't shoot that many ducks or geese and therefore ammo costs are not that critical. I buy Hevi-Shot. I've tried the others and this stuff is good. I think the 3" #4's are a great all around load for ducks. They will even take a decoying goose.

[just ducky]

flat-top,
I probably average 15-20 trips each year for waterfowl in Michigan. Usually 6 to 8 trips to the bay; 6 to 8 trips to Shiawassee, Fish Point, Maple River, or one of the other managed areas; 4 or 5 trips to a local marsh that I like; and some years 2 or 3 days on some beaver ponds up north. This year I'm also heading to North Dakota again for a week, so there's another few days. As I said, I probably go through about 100 rounds in Michigan. I'm pretty selective on what shots I take, and pass up quite a few that are marginal shots waiting for a better one. And I rarely shoot my limit, probably because of my shot selection. But I've been at this well over 20 years and limits mean nothing to me any more.

[ytlabs]

Sorry Guys, I would love to be able to justify the cost of the Better loads, yet I will be the first to say I could NOT afford it.

I missed three days last season and 4 the year before. The rest of the season I was in the blind in the AM or the PM or both, and or I was off and Jump shooting creeks.

So lets see I shot up a case of Steel last season, now would anyone like to figure that up for the amount of Money I need to spend.

I Know it is simply they number of shots and such verses water hits to finish but in all honesty I have about 1 out of 10 I have to hit a second time. For the most part though I am fortunate enough to have the dog to get alot of what could turn out to be more second shot kills.

Yes I do wait for CLOSE shots , OK OK and I need a lot More practice at shooting too, Something I have gotten this year. Now to see if it pays off.

[Bubba Jr.]

Last year I hunted the Shiawassee for 4 days. I killed 20 ducks, some out to 50 meters. I still had 3 rounds of ammo left of my box of 25 when I was done. I shoot Winchester Dryloc 12ga 3 1/2" #2 steel ammo. Pattern your weapon, know it's capabilities, and practice...... Have fun...

[just ducky]

ytlabs,
Very good point about having a dog to retrieve cripples. Unfortunately I own an English Setter for all of those Pheasants that I shoot (ha ha), and only occasionally hunt with a friend and his lab. So you're right, you wouldn't need the water shots that I take. And yes, if you hunt almost every day of the 60 day season, the $$$$ could add up considerably. So it really does depend upon the person and how you hunt. I envy you because I've got a few years left before I can retire. My wife will probably divorce me then, because she won't see me from Oct. 1st through Dec. She hardly does now!

Bubba Jr.,
I'm glad you had good success with Winchester steel, but my personal experience with steel sucked. And in my experience, Winchester was the worst of the bunch. Again, to each his own. I Hunted for many years with one flavor or another (Winchester, Remington, Federal), and yes I patterned my gun with different loads, and no I probably don't practice as much as I should. Does anyone? You may have a dog like ytlabs does, which obviously helps your chances on cripples. But with all due respect, if you got 20 birds with 22 shots, you deserve to be in the record book. I've been chasing ducks for over 20 years, and I consider myself a better than average shot. But with steel, I regularly crippled at least half the birds that I shot. And these were good shots, not way out there. Fortunately I recovered most of the birds, and that's partially due to the fact that the guys I hunt with are very quick to take the water shot. Even if it's a bird that we likely could chase down. It's only fair to the bird to put it away as soon as possible, and you don't mess up everbody in the fields day chasing around on cripples. JMHO. As I said in an earlier post, I probably go through about 100 rounds a year to get 20 birds. Lot's of those shells are second shots on the water to put them down. The cost of a shell is minor when you consider the overall costs of the sport for gear, boats, food, gas, etc.

Not trying to start an argument, or sound holier than thou, but with all the options we waterfowler's have available for shot, using steel is not something my conscience will let me do any more. You can call me a terrible shot, but I think my experiences with steel are pretty much the norm among waterfowlers across the nation. Not that all non-tox shot has been good for me either. Some of the early versions weren't good either. I've settled into a couple that work well for me with my gun, and I won't go back. Again, to each his own.

[ytlabs]

Ducky, I sure will not try to say anything bad about anybody, after all one of the great things about our sport is that we get to use our own discretion and do things how we prefer and to the best of our enjoyment.

I myself would be shooting the premium loads if It would not cause me to have to loose out on days afield from lack of funds.
Actually I am begining to reload and if I do get into reloading I can tell you I will be reloading and useing the better loads.

As for the Dog, that is one reason I got into the sport I got the dog first figured I hunt everything else why not try waterfowl. Now my wife would tell you it is an addiction worse than drugs. LOL

Oh by the way I am only 33 but my wife works out of the home I care for the kids and the house, and run a business off the internet. I am fortunate I admit but I also do not have the bills nor the headaches I did when I was in the business world.

I am also lucky enough to live here off a 10 mile long lake and next to a forest with tons of ponds and creeks and streams that allow me to hunt them daily.

I will be the first to also say that I am amazed the price of the premium loads is not comming down as I thought they would in order to make it so more people would purchase and use them.

I guess they have yet to figure out the fact that they will make more money off selling 10 million boxes of ammo at 10 dollars a box of 10 then they will by selling 3 million boxes at 17-23 dollars a box of ten. After all the more you produce the cheaper it becomes to make in the long run.

I know save the business talk for the corporate executives. LOL

[wmduckman]

FLAT- TOP,

I SEE IN THE CABELA'S CATALOG. THE PRICE ON THE HEVI-SHOT HAS COME DOWN $2.00 PER BOX ON THE 20 GA. LOAD. I WAS LOOKING AT THAT FOR MY DAUGHTER.