In recent years, sub-gauges in the duck blind have become all the rage. Waterfowlers are shifting from their trusty 12-gauges and magnum shells to 20 and 28-gauge guns. In the blind this translates to less felt recoil and a fun challenge for hunters looking to try something different. This movement in the waterfowl world is a direct result of the advancements in modern shells. New loads with bismuth and tungsten hit harder than steel, making sub-gauges an effective means to ethically harvest ducks and geese.
However, this season if you take a look at store shelves you’ll notice a lack of bismuth or tungsten shot shells. This stems from recent trade wars and tariffs—and in some cases out right bans of heavy metals being imported into the States. While some companies, like Boss, are switching to alternatives like copper, others are relying on raw material stocks. For hunters looking to stock up on shells, steel alternatives will be hard to come by and those availble will come with a dramatic price increase.
What Does This Mean for Sub-Gauge Hunting
The lack of premium non-toxic shotshells this season may have widespread reprucussions on sub-gauge hunters. For starters, sub-gauges have always been less effective than a 12-gauge for killing ducks and geese. This comes down to the number of pellets in the shells. A 12-gauge shotshell will have more pellets than a 20-gauge shell, just as a 20-gauge will have more pellets than a 28-gauge. The benefit of hunting with steel alternatives is that these materials (bismuth and tungsten) are denser, meaning hunters can downsize their shot size while still hitting just as hard. With the decrease in shot size, hunters also gained more pellets, resulting in better patterns.
For hunters planning to hunt with a 20-gauge, the lack of steel alternatives may not be a huge concern. Several companies make stacked steel shells that are widely available and will kill waterfowl. The issue really arises when you look at 28-gauge and even .410. While these guns are not designed for waterfowl hunting, premium non-toxic shells have made them viable in the blind. With impending ammo shortages on the horizon, hunters will have to turn to steel to target waterfowl. Unfortunately, steel shells have less pellets and don’t hit as hard as other alternatives. As a result, sub-gauge hunters run into the moral dilemma of if steel shells are enough to ethically kill birds.
Any waterfowler that owns a 28-gauge or .410 knows how hard it can be to come by waterfowl ammo in the first place, let alone in premium non-toxic shells. With impending ammo shortages on the horizon, it may be time to leave these sub-gauges in your safe this season.
Should You Hunt With a Sub-Gauge this Season?
This season, hunters looking to break out a sub-gauge in the blind may want to think twice. Widepsread ammo shortages and increased prices leave waterfowlers with a dilemma. While it may be fun to shoot sub-gauges, are they an ethical means to kill waterfowl without tungsten and bismuth? Ultimately, ethical hunting with a sub-gauge will come down to if you can find steel-alternatives and if you are willing to pay the price.