Earlier this spring, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services (USFWS) issued a memorandum to clarify approved nontoxic shot requirements for hunting migratory waterfowl. The agency said that it issued the rule in response to “frequent questions about copper shot” in relation to 50 CFR 20.21.
For a little bit of background information, lead shot was banned nationwide for waterfowl hunting beginning in 1991 because the heavy metal is known to contaminate wetland ecosystems. In place of lead, the USFWS has maintained a list of approved nontoxic shot types, which are “defined as any shot type that does not cause sickness and death when ingested by migratory birds.”
By far, the most common nontoxic shot type used for waterfowl hunting is steel. But in the past couple of decades, many hunters have begun using shells that incorporate bismuth and tungsten shot because of the higher densities of those metals. But in the past year, tungsten and bismuth prices have skyrocketed, first from tariffs and trade wars and again from conflicts in the Middle East.
In response to the exorbitantly high cost and limited availability of those metals, some ammunition manufacturers have explored and shifted to producing copper shotshells. However, the recent USFWS memorandum highlights some potential issues with those shells, at least for now.
“While thin copper coatings on other approved shot types have been allowed since 1986, pure copper shot is not approved because copper can be toxic to waterfowl and aquatic species,” explains the agency, which also noted that only “one copper-based shot type with greater than 44% copper, corrosion-inhibited copper (CIC) shot, is currently approved.”
CIC shotshells are coated with benzotriazole and a fluorescent powder to prevent corrosion and toxicity. Those shells must include the coatings, be at least 99.9% copper, and, importantly, be loaded “in a translucent hull and wad, clearly labeled by the manufacturer.”
The agency is emphasizing that it is the responsibility of waterfowl hunters to make sure they only carry approved nontoxic shotshells with them in the field. “Shot types that are not listed in 50 CFR 20.21(j), or that lack required coatings or field-testing compatibility, may not be used for migratory bird hunting,” wrote the agency. “The FWS will continue reviewing new shot and coating application…but no additional copper-based shot types are approved at this time.”
The agency added that it plans to revamp its migratory bird hunting regulations, including the non-toxic shotshell approval process, in the coming years to reflect “several emerging issues and technological advances.”