wind and rubber shot

[Glenn W]

Twas a day of a duck hunter's dream-- 12" of snow last night, wind a brisk 20kts out of the NW all night, hardwood swamps frozen with brackish slush, and then some real wind and snow to show up about 9:00 this morning with the ebb tide--- and I have a honey of a spot on the North side of the river in a creek mouth with hardwood swamp to the river bank.
Oh the birds flew allright--- the Ringnecks are in good and a smattering of Bluebills--- all the typical puddlers. All of them were dumb as an Old Sqaw chasing Brant today.
I shoot #2's early in the season and switch to BB's later on for the Divers and heavy migrator puddlers.
By 10:00 the wind was howling a solid 25 with periods in the 30's I'm sure. #2 shot is all I had in the boat but is no match for winds of this speed. I can (I do) plain out miss more than my share of birds, but my boys and I were watching the shot pattern engulf these birds today time and again just to see them fly off.
Lesson learned--- when hunting open water and the wind is forcast to be significant, I'll be loaded with BB's from now on.
The three of us did manage 2 Ringnecks, 1 Ruddy, 1 Black, 2 Teal, 3 Mallards, and 4 Dippers. Pintails and Gadwall are starting to show up in fair numbers, but none came in for us.
---- We won't discuss how many shells were shot today

[Captain Michael Buffington]

why does the wind effect the lethality of your pellets? Honest question Glenn.

Mike

[Glenn W]

why does the wind effect the lethality of your pellets? Honest question Glenn.

Mike

Unlike lead, Steel shot is very light in weight. Therefore, it loses it's energy much quicker than lead once it leaves the barrel. A heavy wind has a dramatic impact on the shot's down range velocity---- similar in concept to what a strong wind does to a 50 grain .22-250 bullet v. a 220 grain .30-06. Larger steel shot has more mass (weight) and thus, loses its velosity and energy slower than smaller shot.

[TunaTeaser1]

Glenn, were you on the pamunkey? I hunted there this morning as well and the ringnecks were EVERYWHERE. The drive there from Richmond kept me on my toes for sure. We limited wih a mess of ringnecks but also wounded and lost more than our share. I don't know what it was but very frustrating at first. The other blind no more than 800 yards away shot a limit of greenheads and pintails, no ringnecks... Funny where they decide to land.

Glad yall got some

[Captain Michael Buffington]

thanks for the explanation.

Mike

[seapower]

Catch and Release??? Still sound's like you had a good day, how forunate we are!!! FRANK