Thanks to an avalanche of advance publicity, waterfowlers are well aware that steel shot will be mandatory when the duck season opens in a few weeks. But what hasn’t been publicised to any extent is that there are legal alternatives to steel shot. As well, it is not widely known that in some circumstances lead shot can still be used to hunt migratory birds.

If this sounds confusing, let me explain. As was indicated earlier, there is not a general province-wide ban on the use of lead shot to hunt waterfowl. Non-toxic shot must be used this season to hunt migratory game birds only in areas within 200 metres of any watercourse or body of water. Department of Natural Resources waterfowl biologist Randy Milton tells me this means that if you hunt ducks and geese within 200 metres of brooks, rivers, lakes, ponds and the Atlantic Ocean, you cannot use lead shot. Outside this 200-metre zone lead shot is legal. The onus, Milton said, will be on hunters to prove they are outside the 200-metre limit if they are confronted by a game warden while hunting waterfowl with lead shot.

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