Why must out guns be 'plugged'?

[yooper]

I've thought about this many, many times over the years. Frankly, I think it is a very outdated law that serves no viable purpose.

In point of fact, at times it actually results in one wounding/losing birds due to not getting that fast follow-up shot.

Other opinions?

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VEGETARIAN: Indian word meaning 'Bad Hunter'

 

[Fatman]

Back in the good old days (lead shot) I didn't think much about it, I used my Citori most of the time. But now I wish I could use a belt fed shotgun.

 

[Delw]

haha I know where your coming from fatman.

Ive wounded more ducks with steel shot in one year than I ever had with lead.I hate that to.

I never new steel shot would go right thru birds until one day we went puddle jumping. there was a few pintails in this one cattle pond As I crested the top of the pond they took off I shot 2 times to kill one. on the 1st shot I noticed the bird flew side ways and the pellets LOOKED like the went thru(the way the hit the water.I was shooting down at them). when cleaning the bird I found that 90% went thru.
I have found that shooting 2 3/4 12 gauge the most pellets stay in also shooting 20 gauge 2 3/4 the same thing applies. the only thing you lack is the range of your shot though.

Delw


Delw

 

[Shadowrider]

I believe it may have merit, still yet. I've seen hunters shoot at ducks until thier gun is empty, and do this everytime we shoot. It's almost as if they believe that "My gun has three shells so I'm gonna shoot three times". By the time the third shot is fired, the ducks are "out there". With guys like this, I think it could only add to the number of birds that are crippled and lost if they were allowed to keep on shooting. SR

 

[Delw]

Thats one good reason .

Delw

 

[Fatman]

I used to hunt with a guy that felt "got three shells, shoot three shells".

His trips ended with us after he called me one night to tell me that he had killed 2 geese but couldn't tell what kind they were but they had just watched him pull his boat up to shore and shoot them. When he described them to me it sounded funny so I went over to look at them, it ended up that he had shot someone's tame geese.

 

[Delw]

Dont mean to get off topic but fatman you just brought up a good point that reminded me of something that happened in japan.

2 guys asked my dad to take them out hunting ducks one year.(he had the truck) dad said he didnt have time,didnt really want to hunt with thses guys. the next monday they didnt show up at the base, dad found out later that these to navy guys where in jail.

this is what he heard They got on a train to take them to where they wanted to hunt, took a bus thru the country and got off in a legal area to hunt ducks and geese at. after shooting there ducks and geese they had there limits so the next bus that came by they picked up.Everyone was staring at the 2 large white geese they had. when they arrived at the train station there was the police waiting for them. Seems these to guy shot 2 swans and in japan, military or not they put your but in jail. A swan is japans national bird. btw it was perfectly legal to carry your shotgun on a bus or a train there , but it must be in a case. Noone would ever stare at you or even bother you. It accutaly was a coomon site on the bus's and trains

Delw

 

[Nut]

Very Good Thread. I almost missed it.
I understand now why last season my boys folded a couple of mallards and they recovered and flew away.

 

[Slamfire]

There is no reason, it's a part of the migratory waterfowl international treaty!

 

[Tom]

We can hunt quail down here without a plug. It takes a really dumb quail to use more than 3 shots. It must be they plugged them to save on shot being dumped out on the ground needlessly. I don't know the historic reason why.

 

[Sport240]

Hve hunted duck and geese for quite a few years and sincerely believe that 3 rounds is plenty. Firstly it is the law so there is'nt much we can do about it since it's part of international treaties.

Secondly, if you have'nt done the job with three rounds you do'nt deserve any more. Not that I am any a better shooter than the next guy, but I usually stop shooting after two rounds because by then the bird has probably veered off course or is getting out of range for an effective kill. The third round usually ends up wounding the bird more than anything else. This is especially true with geese and the further disadvantage you have with geese is the more you shoot at them the smarter they get, blowing it as much for you as for the thousands of other hunters out there. Shoot wisely and for the unwise...well there is always the plug.

Sport240