Turkey Hunting with your Parkers.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Bruce Hering

Just as a question.... In Illinois we are allowed to use any shotgun from 20 ga up to 10 ga. What states are you hunting that allow 8 ga. guns ? And, do your regulations specifically say 8 ga. is legal ?

Oh, yea, #4 shot is the biggest shot allowed in IL

Thanks

Bruce, as your "neighbor," Missouri also prohibits using anything larger than a 10 gauge. It seems an antiquated prohibition with all of the changes to shotguns that have occurred. So, we can shoot a 2+ ounce loads through a 12 gauge, but not a smaller load through a 100 year old 8 gauge. Go figure.

[Bruce Hering]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

Bruce, as your "neighbor," Missouri also prohibits using anything larger than a 10 gauge. It seems an antiquated prohibition with all of the changes to shotguns that have occurred. So, we can shoot a 2+ ounce loads through a 12 gauge, but not a smaller load through a 100 year old 8 gauge. Go figure.

Garry:

My question exactly. However, and dont shoot (the pun is intended) the messenger but.... I can see the wardens going nuts having to figure out the length and weight of a given 8 ga legal load just like when we changed to Non Tox for waterfowl. They would need a scale etc. and so many wardens now days dont come from hunting/shooting backgrounds that they dont even know about older shotguns and loads.

I suspect the various agency's would have to run workshops for their wardens/CPO's, and as you having been in the education business like I was for 37 years, I think that could be a cluster.

Let me state, I am all for it.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Bruce Hering

Garry:

My question exactly. However, and dont shoot (the pun is intended) the messenger but.... I can see the wardens going nuts having to figure out the length and weight of a given 8 ga legal load just like when we changed to Non Tox for waterfowl. They would need a scale etc. and so many wardens now days dont come from hunting/shooting backgrounds that they dont even know about older shotguns and loads.

I suspect the various agency's would have to run workshops for their wardens/CPO's, and as you having been in the education business like I was for 37 years, I think that could be a cluster.

Let me state, I am all for it.

Bruce,

You are spot on that the devil is in the details, but we seem to have managed the non-toxic shot matter for waterfowl, even when guys are reloading shells from lead shot with something that meets the law.

I know that the move to ban lead in all hunting is percolating in the US. I've often thought that if we move that way we might consider "grandfathering" old guns (hmmm, maybe old shooters, too) so that their owners could use lead. We would reduce lead in the environment and keep those old guns alive. Yes, we can use non-toxic for all guns, but with the cost of those shells (even as reloads), you will very likely lose a number of hunters at a time when that's exactly what conservation does not need.

Where there is a will, there is a way.