The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters using shotguns that shells with nontoxic shot are now required to be used on many public conservation areas. Waterfowl hunters have used nontoxic shot since 1991 because the requirement has been shown to reduce the incidences of lead poisoning in wildlife. New regulations approved by the Missouri Conservation Commission became effective this year that add more conservation areas to the requirement.
A news release says several conservation areas in the Kansas City and northwest regions are included in the new regulations. The use or possession of lead shot is now prohibited for dove hunting at MDC conservation areas in those regions, including the Bilby Ranch Lake, Harmony Mission Lake, Guy B. Park, Pony Express Lake, James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area and Truman Reservoir Management Lands.
In addition, the use or possession of lead shot is now prohibited for all hunting with shotguns for all wildlife species on several conservation areas. These are commonly conservation areas that are flood prone. Among those in the Kansas City and northwest regions: Aspinwall Bend, Bob Brown, Cooley Lake, Corning, Deroin Bend, Fountain Grove, Four Rivers, Grand Pass, Little Bean Marsh, Lower Hamburg Bend, Montrose, Nishnabotna, Nodaway Valley, Ralph and Martha Perry, Platte Falls, Plowboy Bend, Schell Osage, Settles Ford, Thurnau and Wolf Creek Bend.
MDC offers free Effective Wingshooting workshops that can help hunters best use the various types of nontoxic shot. These classes teach the safe and accurate handling of shotguns for hunting wild game. The workshops also provide information about the various types of nontoxic shot, shot sizes, gauges and shell loads for hunting various types of game.
For more information about MDC’s new nontoxic shot regulations, visit mdc.mo.gov.

Photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation.