Why do I find empty shells in the woods?

[Kev]

Please don't think negative on all hunters for these inconsiderate few. I, like others, always pick up shells and trash as I go. But then, I'm only hunting on land that I either own or have personal permission to hunt.

If you are finding shells from hunters on your land, did you give them permission? If so, you should know who they are and can ask them to pick up after themselves.

If not....

 

[LarryC]

I've probably left a few hundred 22's in the woods and several shotgun cases when I hunted many years ago. I have never hunted anything I did not eat - no trophy hunts period. However I had TWO things that were quite important to me, first was to make sure no animal suffered more than I could prevent, the second was to secure the animal to prepare it for a meal. My father passed in 1952 and game was a substantial savings to our food budget. So when I fired at an animal, my entire concentration was on the animal and I immediately went to where it was at after firing to insure it was dead and to pick it up. I never felt the need to pick up my spent shells - unlike others I never felt they were a distraction in the woods, I kind of like seeing the real old ones.

 

[hoosierdoc]

I am impressed with the quality of the picture. Sylvain, did you take that yourself?

There's nothing magical about hunting to save money for your family. I work to get money for my family's food budget and if I littered while doing so I'd be in the wrong. Boy scouts... leave it cleaner than you found it.

 

[Sylvain]

I am impressed with the quality of the picture. Sylvain, did you take that yourself?

There's nothing magical about hunting to save money for your family. I work to get money for my family's food budget and if I littered while doing so I'd be in the wrong. Boy scouts... leave it cleaner than you found it.

That picture is for illustrative purposes, I didn't take it myself.

 

[bigus_D]

Most people are tremendously inconsiderate.

A few months back I was driving behind a Toyota Prius with every conceivable environmental organization bumper sticker you could find plastered to the back hatch (along with a whole bunch of far Left crap) and what do I see? For about ten minutes on I-465 the chick driving the car was chain smoking and throwing the butts out the window. What the hell?

I recently had a similar experience. I sent an email to the company with the plate number and the irony. What a hypocrit.

 

[jonny4523]

Well, it all varies of course, but I will admit to sometimes leaving shells in the field.

Typical scenario: Shoot a pheasant, dog runs off, I look for 10 secs or so, can't find it so I go after the dog.

I try to get what I can, but you'd be surprised how quickly a shell can get covered by some brush.

I maybe leave (lose) 20% or so. My apologies to anybody that comes after me, finds it and cusses me out in their heads or on message boards.

+1

When that bird goes down, you're adrenaline is going, you're in the moment. IF you remember to pick it up, you can't always find it. If it is a situation where you need to take off running (pheasants can run fast!!!) into the woods to make sure you catch a shot when he flushes again, that last thing on your mind is to take 10 seconds to look for your shell.

 

[Expat]

I don't think it has really been something that was thought about until fairly recently. So many hunters have never even had it mentioned to them or really thought about it.

 

[superjoe76]

I am not lazy at all, but I am partially color blind so a red shell in green grass might as well be invisible. I am sure I have missed a few when shooting!

 

[Sylvain]

I am not lazy at all, but I am partially color blind so a red shell in green grass might as well be invisible. I am sure I have missed a few when shooting!

Im colorblind as well but have no problem finding them.

 

[red_zr24x4]

I am not lazy at all, but I am partially color blind so a red shell in green grass might as well be invisible. I am sure I have missed a few when shooting!

Im the same way, I can see red and green separately but not together.
It makes it difficult sometimes working construction when you can't see the power locates in the grass.

 

[trailrider]

I sometimes lose one now and then, but the overwhelming majority are removed from the field. And when I find somebody else's, I pick it up.

No big deal.

X2. Although I do get aggravated when I find a pile of them left from a certain inconsiderate dove hunter.