possession thread made me paranoid

[Good Boy!]

It's 2021.... only retards use that word for a lazy laugh...

 

[Goosemaster]

OK!
I should know better than asking—BUT-
‘What did having your cousin with you have to do with it??

He smooth talked the game warden.Knew his cousin.

 

[Goosemaster]

I've been checked one time out of hundreds, if not thousands of hours in the fields. I had to empty all my shells out of my pocket and he checked every one. When going through different types of land with different rules in the same day, some people I know do one pocket of lead, one pocket of steel - however that would technically still be a violation even though you are intending to do the right thing. I keep it simple, and pretty much just only buy steel and then I do not have to worry about it when hunting public lands, unless it is a rare day that I'll be on private all day then I'll use lead if I even have

You're totally fine as long as it isn't in your vest/pocket. Basically nowhere on your body, while in the field. Standing at the truck, you can have lead in your truck just as long as it isn't with you when you step away to hunt.

A friend of mine got stopped while we were in SD a few years back and got ticketed for 1 lead shell. I had steel only, but the lead shell he had was down in the bottom of his vest and the same color as his steel (I think it was a Browning shell which the hulls are black and say "lead" or "steel" on it).

I was surprised he got ticketed and not just a warning but it is what it is.

I think I had 10 lead shells, and got no tickets.

 

[haymaker]

I think I had 10 lead shells, and got no tickets.

Yea but you had an old Ford pickup.

 

[david0311]

Yea but you had an old Ford pickup.

OR—Could have been the highest he could count!—-WITH boots on—-AND—Zipper up

SORRY—No I’m Not

 

[BRITTMAN]

Find it hard to believe a full $1500 fine would stand in court.

 

[Goosemaster]

Yea but you had an old Ford pickup.

Actually, we were in my cousin's 74 power wagon. I thought for sure I was busted! He was a good guy, and he knew I was a montana native. Plus, his dad owned a 74 dodge.

 

[Goosemaster]

Really!!
How would the warden have been able to tell the difference !!

My cousin always wears a Wolf Point sweat shirt.

 

[Mak44]

Lead shot may not be possessed while hunting waterfowl/ small game on these areas.

What constitutes "possession" in this context?

Don't have the lead shots ON you/in your pocket or in your gun while you're hunting in this area.
In your vehicle is fine. Good luck.

 

[Woollybob]

This is why I only use non-toxic shot in South Dakota. It is too easy to inadvertently have a lead shell in a vest/pocket or whatever. Personally, I don't think it reduces my overall success rate at all, and it certainly makes for a more relaxed hunting experience. I may have lead shot loads in my vehicle for use in other states (we often hunt 3 states on our trips), but never open a box of it in SD.

Spot on here. Fill up the vest w/ 3" steel 2s or 3s and go hunting. Other than target loads, I have not bought lead shot in a decade.

 

[A5 Sweet 16]

Spot on here. Fill up the vest w/ 3" steel 2s or 3s and go hunting. Other than target loads, I have not bought lead shot in a decade.

I don't disagree with this at all. It's the most foolproof, & if anyone needs foolproof sometimes, it's probably guys like us.
But I love shooting lead when I can. And I'm a 1 vest type of guy.
My solution is aided by the fact that I despise shell loops & other funky shell carrying devices. My shells get dumped into the right pocket of my vest, period. Done. And when it's time to break out a new box of shells, they get dumped into a gallon Ziploc bag. The cardboard box is discarded. I typically roll w/ 3 bags of shells - 2 lead & 1 bismuth. 1 green; 1 blue; 1 purple. So it's real easy to pull up to a spot & change out shells if I want. Color coded shells, a big pocket, & no clumsy shell loops or cardboard boxes to fumble with. I won't say I've never found a lead shell in the bottom of my pocket when it was supposed to be full of bismuth, but I can't recall the last time it happened; it's extremely rare. Foolproof enough for me.

 

[gimruis]

As many have already mentioned, it is what is on your person, not in your vehicle. Play it safe and keep track of your shells if you hunt areas that require non-toxic shot. If you are constantly going back and forth, it might be a good idea just to only use non-toxic shot.

 

[PeteRevvv]

I may have heard of old-school, conscientious objectors to non-tox rules who used reloads in steel shot hulls.

 

[Golden Hour]

I may have heard of old-school, conscientious objectors to non-tox rules who used reloads in steel shot hulls.

I figured there was a reason for the Game Warden using a magnet.

 

[waterdog09]

In the 27 years that I have hunted in SD, I bet I have been stopped by a CO a dozen times, only in the last 6-8 years does it seem that they are paying attention to shells. All the state ground that I have been stopped on they check my shells, this is not an issue as I only shoot non-tox shells. I find it to much of a hassle to switch shells every field if you are going back and forth from state land to private or CREP. With the recent advances in non-tox shells, such as bismuth and tungsten they shoot and pattern just as well as lead. This year I made the switch to BOSS shells from Hevi-X the last couple years so we will see how they perform out of my 20 & 28ga this season.

 

[3car]

If your paranoid about any game laws I would encourage you to call your local state or federal game warden. The SD Handbook lists all of the state wardens in the back of the book. And good question. Looks like most people agree on this thread.