Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: HunterStrait on September 02, 2023, 09:58:32 PM

Title: Does non-toxic shot areas include big game ammunition? Specifically slugs?
Post by: HunterStrait on September 02, 2023, 09:58:32 PM: Going to do some deer hunting this year in non-toxic/pheasant release site areas (Eastern) during modern, more of a middle of the week after work thing.

I have a Savage 220 ready to go this year, but the ammunition regulations regarding big game are kinda fuzzy.

From what I understand, the non-toxic shot regulation only includes waterfowl and game birds. Some places specify that big game ammo has to be non-toxic too and other places says it doesn't. The WDFW website doesn't clearly specify. Corps of Engineers doesn't clearly specify either (thats not over a decade old). Again i found pages that say its permitted and other pages that says its not. Any ideas? Or is it better safe than sorry?

I don't have an issue shooting non-toxic, its cheaper and about as accurate as the Remington AccuTip Sabots, but i have a LOT of Remington.
Title: Re: Does non-toxic shot areas include big game ammunition? Specifically slugs?
Post by: JimmyHoffa on September 02, 2023, 10:30:20 PM: Usually, when I see the terms defined for shotgun it would say "shot or ball", where ball is a singular projectile like a slug. They are usually too large for birds to eat.
Is there a definition section or a reference to a law/code for where you are hunting?
Title: Re: Does non-toxic shot areas include big game ammunition? Specifically slugs?
Post by: ducks4days on September 03, 2023, 07:07:35 AM: I bring 2 slugs out for the duck opener if I have a firearm tag. I’ve been checked by 3 different game wardens who said it was OK.

Game wardens can be wrong, and they can incorrectly write you a ticket for each shell and force you to go to court to get it dismissed. It’s up to you if you want to risk it.

You can also shoot a call or write an email to the game warden responsible for that unit, their interpretation is probably worth more than a bunch of yahoos on the internet.
Title: Re: Does non-toxic shot areas include big game ammunition? Specifically slugs?
Post by: MeepDog on September 09, 2023, 03:47:32 PM: It depends on the owner of the property. Generally lead slugs are allowed for deer hunting in nontoxic zones, but each agency has specific rules. Some shotgun areas don't allow deer hunting, some do. The lead shot ban is to prevent waterfowl from consuming the lead pellets off the bottom then carrying that lead up the food chain to the birds of prey. Also wounded birds get targeted by the eagles. Slugs don't get eaten by birds so they're usually allowed to contain lead, but buckshot for deer hunting cannot be lead.