28 replies to this topic

[BullsEye]

I haven't figured out what I will be using for quail, pheasant or rabbit for that matter next season. What is everyones plan for shotgun ammo?

[Frank]

Good question and been wondering about my options on that also... Guess steel shot or something else. Personally, I could just quit quail hunting, but my sons & friends ain't having that. They're determined to walk the fur right off of my feet...Anyway, beats me at the moment... sure sucks don't it... The 3rd Reich of Nazifornia is alive and wellFrank

[BullsEye]

Its funny everyone is worried about big game which they should be with the lead ban but not much talk in regards to small game and upland game birds. 25 dollars a box of shells for steel is ridiculous for quail or pheasant. I can buy quail for 1.25 10 minutes from where I live and they are already seasoned.

[rr762mmfmj]

It would be nice if all the hunters and fishermen got together and just quit hunting and fishing for two years. We could do it if the impossible happened, everyone stuck together. The lost revenue for the state would send a huge message on how we felt about getting kicked around. That would be one of my fantasy's of course. Last year for the second time in two years my Deer hunting area was closed due to the fires. Last year I never made it out to Quail hunt and of the guys I hunt with that did, none got a single Quail. Last year I didn't go a single time for Duck, Varmint or predator. Last year I didn't go fishing once. If you add all that up it must be around $300.00 in licenses and stamps. So far this year I have not purchased a fishing license and am leaning toward passing on the hunting license also. I may just focus in competition shooting and save my cash for an out of state hunt. let the effen hippies pay for all the wildlife maintenance in this state.

[Braz]

If I lived south where I had to contend with the lead ban, that is exactly what I would do. But I live in the north, so can still hunt, so will buying a new license.

[BullsEye]

I hardly saw any quail this last season and I haven't seen any this year. I want to hunt so not buying a license isn't much of an option. I will be hunting archery for big game and rifle if I don't get anything during archery season. But I am not happy about the lead ban I will probably use my 22 for small game. The Condor is just following the laws of Darwinism and we are trying to keep it around for what purpose and at what extent? Drives me crazy what law makers pass! Governor Arny has been doing a disservice to a lot of people.

[wannakillacoyote]

It would be nice if all the hunters and fishermen got together and just quit hunting and fishing for two years. We could do it if the impossible happened, everyone stuck together. The lost revenue for the state would send a huge message on how we felt about getting kicked around. That would be one of my fantasy's of course. Last year for the second time in two years my Deer hunting area was closed due to the fires. Last year I never made it out to Quail hunt and of the guys I hunt with that did, none got a single Quail. Last year I didn't go a single time for Duck, Varmint or predator. Last year I didn't go fishing once. If you add all that up it must be around $300.00 in licenses and stamps. So far this year I have not purchased a fishing license and am leaning toward passing on the hunting license also. I may just focus in competition shooting and save my cash for an out of state hunt. let the effen hippies pay for all the wildlife maintenance in this state.

I'm not sure it would have the effect you think it would. It may actually have the opposite effect. They could show license #'s going significantly down, therefore justifying that there is no need for hunting at all in the State. It wouldn't surprise me if they designated California a "Sanctuary State" for animals. It seems to me that it's not the $$ they are after, but instead the banning of firearms altogether. If we banded together and stopped buying licenses, they could just disband the California DFG (since they don't have hunters/fisherman to monitor anymore). The purchases of firearms and ammo would also go down, helping make there case that there just aren't anymore hunters left in California, not to mention the gun-shops getting screwed. That would save the State a bunch of money. Then they could just have the police and forest rangers arrest anyone hunting at all. They wouldn't even have to find out what kind of ammo you have. It seems to me that hunting is in a Use it or Lose it position right now. If we don't buy our licenses, firearms, and expensive ammo and in turn supporting the hunting effort in California, we will be seen as more of a minority than we already are. The Democraps will see that as a win and only demand more.Just my

[Camoghost]

I don't know, what is the best round for Condors?

[BullsEye]

I don't know, what is the best round for Condors?

50BMG

[wannakillacoyote]

After July 1st, they will have to start getting some copper in there diet. Hopefully it is going about 3200fps when they eat it.

[rr762mmfmj]

I'm not sure it would have the effect you think it would. It may actually have the opposite effect. They could show license #'s going significantly down, therefore justifying that there is no need for hunting at all in the State. It wouldn't surprise me if they designated California a "Sanctuary State" for animals. It seems to me that it's not the $$ they are after, but instead the banning of firearms altogether. If we banded together and stopped buying licenses, they could just disband the California DFG (since they don't have hunters/fisherman to monitor anymore). The purchases of firearms and ammo would also go down, helping make there case that there just aren't anymore hunters left in California, not to mention the gun-shops getting screwed. That would save the State a bunch of money. Then they could just have the police and forest rangers arrest anyone hunting at all. They wouldn't even have to find out what kind of ammo you have. It seems to me that hunting is in a Use it or Lose it position right now. If we don't buy our licenses, firearms, and expensive ammo and in turn supporting the hunting effort in California, we will be seen as more of a minority than we already are. The Democraps will see that as a win and only demand more.Just my

I think hunters and fishermen foot much of the bill for the DFG, I would like to find some stats on their budget and income. Weather we hunt or not I think their would be a necessity for the DFG. They are the ones that manage all the game, do research on diseases etc. There are independent entities that perform a similar service such as Ducks Unlimited and Quail Unlimited but DFG is the primary agency. Either way I don't see much CA hunting in the near future for me.

[MojaveJ]

We could probably hurt them if the licensing fees went straight into the DFG's cofers but they go into the general fund and they get their budget from the general fund. Although they still would probably cut funding.

[Cranky Farmer]

Is the lead ban spilling over to quail???

[bzzrd feedr]

Its funny everyone is worried about big game which they should be with the lead ban but not much talk in regards to small game and upland game birds. 25 dollars a box of shells for steel is ridiculous for quail or pheasant. I can buy quail for 1.25 10 minutes from where I live and they are already seasoned.

$25 for a box of Steel shells??? Duck loads were around $10 last year. Now Bismuth or some of the other Non toxic type shot can get to be big $$. With this real dry spring our quail hatch is not going to be worth a darn anyway from my experience.

[rude robert]

as for the condors i think mi ball is good cheap and accurate lol robert

[BullsEye]

$25 for a box of Steel shells??? Duck loads were around $10 last year. Now Bismuth or some of the other Non toxic type shot can get to be big $$. With this real dry spring our quail hatch is not going to be worth a darn anyway from my experience.

The duck ammo at Turners is about $25 a box here in Pasadena so perhaps I need to shop around a little more.

[Cranky Farmer]

Isn't everything at Turners expensive?

[BullsEye]

Turners has some good deals you just have to watch for them. Plus they are about 4 blocks from where I live so its easy just to go there vs farther places.

[BullsEye]

Is the lead ban spilling over to quail???

I am assuming it is. Why would they stop at shotgun shells? Hopefully they realize that the lead ban wont help the condor and it will be lifted but thats thinking to optimistically.

[Cranky Farmer]

I am assuming it is. Why would they stop at shotgun shells? Hopefully they realize that the lead ban wont help the condor and it will be lifted but thats thinking to optimistically.

Last I heard it wasn't being applied to small game animals. We can still legally shoot cottontail (in season of course) with lead ammo.

[wannakillacoyote]

Just bringing back an old thread. Did we ever hash this out? The way I understand it is small game and upland game can still be hunted with lead ammo.So, jackrabbits, cottontails, tree squirrels, dove, chuckar, quail are all lead OK.It's the big game and non-game that are No-Lead.It is really gonna suck for those of us that hunt the non-lead areas. What if I want to go out for a day of dove, jackrabbit, groundsquirrel and coyote hunting? We pretty much can't unless all of our ammo is non-lead, and there is no way I'm hunting groundsquirrel, jacks and dove with EXPENSIVE copper ammo.Every year when Dove season starts, we would go out in the morning and limit pretty quickly. We would then either grab a shotgun or .22 and go shoot some jacks and squeeks. No more though.

[Moe]

I do a lot of bird hunting on state regulated hunting areas and have already made the move to steel or Bismuth. Fiocci makes a lot of great shells for quail, doves, etc. We have a store up here that has sales on case lots before the season and I'm already stocked up. I also use lead where it's legal.

[loaders_loft]

That's right. The lead ban is for big game and non-game. The justification is that small game and upland game is removed from the field, while big-game gut-pilesand non-game carcasses are not. What I can't understand is this. There is already a feeding program for condors (dead calves) and it has been determined that they couldn't survive without the feeding program, so why are we concerned about a few lead fragments here and there, unless lead bullets are being used for the dead calf feeding program?I wouldn't eat a gutpile if I had fresh veal....

[Cranky Farmer]

You're being logical ... you can't use logic while talking politics in CA.

[wannakillacoyote]

I do a lot of bird hunting on state regulated hunting areas and have already made the move to steel or Bismuth. Fiocci makes a lot of great shells for quail, doves, etc. We have a store up here that has sales on case lots before the season and I'm already stocked up. I also use lead where it's legal.

I have always just used the lead stuff for upland game (waterfowl however requires steel). What kind of price increases are there on the steel dove loads? How do they compare as far as accuracy/kills?

That's right. The lead ban is for big game and non-game. The justification is that small game and upland game is removed from the field, while big-game gut-pilesand non-game carcasses are not.

Hmmm, I guess they haven't seen me Dove hunting on a bad day. I may clip a few and they get away. Sometimes in the areas where we hunt, they get caught up in trees on the way down.

[ShooterJohn]

But I don't gut shoot animals so I should be exempt from the non lead gut pile rule! Right?

[lif2fsh]

sorry guys couldn't resist

[Cranky Farmer]

But I don't gut shoot animals so I should be exempt from the non lead gut pile rule! Right?

EXACTLY !!!!

[SoCal SX3]

Is nickel/copper plated shot is still considered lead? I'll probably be using some tungsten shotshells. Although they're like $3.20/shell, its hard to argue their effectiveness on pheasant. I've got clean kills on pheasant while using tungsten as far as 60yrds.