Bird hunters and empty shells

[Augustus McCrea]

I was walking my dog around a WMA today doing a quick plan b scouting, and i must have walked out of the woods with 65-75 empty shells. If hunting is about conservation and stewardship, why dont hunters stop and pick up their empty shells? takes 2 seconds ... im concerend about tying a deers ass off with twine cause its more eco friendly than zip ties and there is hundreds of plastic and metal shells littered all over the ground. Why? is this just part of bird hunting for are these guys just slobs ?

 

[jkeeley1]

Fudds. I couldn't find my shell last turkey season. After I got the bird cleaned, I went back to look for the shell, found it after a few minutes. I'm sure it's the same guys that leave lag bolts in the trees from their stands, and trash/cigarette butts around the base of the tree.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[MA_Shooter]

Never understood that either...always collect my spent shells.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

I think it is a combination of both. Some are just slobs (fudds). I always try to find and pick up my shells but when I use the auto-loader I can't always find them.

Bob

 

[Martlet]

If I can find them, I pick them up. It ticks me off when you find them right on the trail.

 

[kengog]

Both my son and I pick up any spent shells we find while hunting birds, not just our own.

 

[davemata]

Slobs. They're all over. I took home 4 empty Scent Away bottles from Harold Parker yesterday. I think it's all downhill once you start letting people leave their crap in the forest all year, they forget it's a place to keep clean.

 

[Business]

sounds like laziness to me shot gun shells are big and bright enough for the majority of them to be found. If you hit the bird, its dead, it wont fly away so you have a few seconds to bend down and pick up your trash.

 

[HTRN]

My kids have been raised with the philosophy of come home from the woods with more than you went in with.

Always pick up any litter and never leave your own.

People don't bother to raise their kids anymore. And the current young generation of entitled "occupier" S*&theads is what we get.

 

[EC1]

 

[EC1]

Of course if you're being a good citizen and happen to pick up spent shells on a walk and you don't have a hunting license for non-residents or an FID-LTC for Mass residents you've now committed a crime as you are unlawfully in posession of ammunition.

 

[HTRN]

Of course if you're being a good citizen and happen to pick up spent shells on a walk and you don't have a hunting license for non-residents or an FID-LTC for Mass residents you're now a felon.

You bring up a great point. Could the litter bug be charged for "improper storage of ammunition components" if they leave them on the ground?

This is a bigger problem.

 

[davemata]

that's a scary line of thought.

 

[EC1]

You bring up a great point. Could the litter bug be charged for "improper storage of ammunition components" if they leave them on the ground?

This is a bigger problem.

I don't think components, aside from powder and live primers, have the same storage concerns as "loaded ammunition".

 

[HTRN]

I don't think components, aside from powder and live primers, have the same storage concerns as "loaded ammunition".

MGL 140-121 (http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/140-121.htm) defines ammunition as:


“Ammunition”, cartridges or cartridge cases, primers (igniter), bullets or propellant powder designed for use in any firearm, rifle or shotgun. The term “ammunition” shall also mean tear gas cartridges, chemical mace or any device or instrument which contains or emits a liquid, gas, powder or any other substance designed to incapacitate.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I was picking up a bunch of muzzleloader crap last week. The empty blister packs for those pre-packaged pellets (in the plastic tubes). Found some Dunkin cups too.

 

[MisterHappy]

See something, say something.

Next time you see some empties on the ground, call the Authorities to come and get the improperly stored ammunition. They'll be happy for the exercise, and the chance to use the bomd-blowing-up robot. You won't have to bend over to pick them up, and no non-licensed individuals wil be imperiled by unlawful posession beefs.

If you're uncomfortable with hanging around, print out the language on a piece of easily-boidegraded paper and place it under a rock by the ammo, call it in, and leave.

See? It's all good.

I feel even more virtuous for having my old Parker on the Sporting Clays course....extractors, as opposed to ejectors, make it easy to keep it clean!

 

[JClark]

Of course if you're being a good citizen and happen to pick up spent shells on a walk and you don't have a hunting license for non-residents or an FID-LTC for Mass residents you've now committed a crime as you are unlawfully in posession of ammunition.

Wow, that is a scary thought. I know several eco-minded (and unlicensed) people who would pick that stuff up to throw away with out a second thought, and open them selves up for very serious problems. No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[Admin]

If I can find them, I pick them up. It ticks me off when you find them right on the trail.

+1

Always grab them. It's easier when you're duck hunting from the shoreline.

 

[StevieP]

I imagine most guys DO pick up their spent shot shells. But what about the wads?

 

[Martlet]

I imagine most guys DO pick up their spent shot shells. But what about the wads?

There was an advertisement for biodegradable wads in the American Rifleman this month.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I imagine most guys DO pick up their spent shot shells. But what about the wads?

I'm willing to give people a little more leeway wrt the wads.

 

[davemata]

Would love to hear Paolili's POV on this, but really if some tree hugger was out there cleaning up and filled a bag with hulls to throw away, it would take an a-hole of a person to harass and/or arrest them for it. (IMO)

 

[EC1]

Would love to hear Paolili's POV on this, but really if some tree hugger was out there cleaning up and filled a bag with hulls to throw away, it would take an a-hole of a person to harass and/or arrest them for it. (IMO)

Remember, it is the law, and the police would only be doing their duty anyway.

 

[davemata]

How many cops get out in the scrub and check though? I think there are better chances of an EPO finding some patchouli soaked kid doing it.

 

[MisterHappy]

OK....here's a solution: It used to be posted at many shooting ranges, "HULLS LANDING ON THE GROUND ARE PROPERTY OF THE CLUB"

Now, let go this way, "Hulls landing on the ground are TRASH, not ammo."

Sorry, that would make sense. Never mind.

 

[pupchow]

Let's not forget about the discarded SHOT.

Here's a perfect solution!

http://www.seasonshot.com

 

[Woodstock]

Having had to watch the vet stitch my dog's leg back together, I pick up all glass, too. We came out of the woods with a game pocket full of empty bottles, a styro coffee cup and half a dozen empty shotgun shells last time out. None of it was mine.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

my shells go from the chamber into my pocket and new shells back in to the chamber. why not? you have to reach to your vest for more anyway.

 

[Polibious]

This isn't a new problem. I haven't hunted in 20 years (a poacher shot both my dogs and missed my head by 6 inches w/ a 12 guage, blew the sh%# out of the sapling next to me) and 20 years ago this was a problem. Kudos to those of you that pick up yours and them some but, given the number of shells I see (off season) and have seen I don't believe the average hunter gives a hoot.