The Voice of the Duck Hunter – A Delta Waterfowl Podcast

Ep. 95 | Duck Hunting Ammo Explained: Steel vs HEVI vs Modern Loads | Dan Compton

Delta Waterfowl Foundation

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 54:19

Nearly 50 years ago, waterfowl hunting changed forever. What started as a targeted conservation effort—requiring non-toxic shot in select areas—quickly expanded across North America and reshaped the way we hunt ducks and geese.

Today, entire generations of hunters have never experienced hunting with lead shot.

But the transition wasn’t smooth. Early steel loads in the late 1970s and 1980s were widely criticized for poor performance and inconsistency. Since then, advancements in ammunition technology have dramatically improved effectiveness—and expanded the options available to today’s hunters.

So how did we get from those early days of steel… to the high-performance loads we have today? And where is waterfowl ammunition headed next?

In this episode, we’re joined by Dan Compton, Global Product Line Director at The Kinetic Group, representing brands like Remington, Federal, and HEVI-Shot.

Dan breaks down:

  • The history of non-toxic shot regulations
  • The evolution of steel and alternative materials
  • What modern waterfowl hunters need to know about their ammo choices

If you’re serious about duck hunting, conservation, and getting the most out of your gear—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Delta Waterfowl:  https://deltawaterfowl.org 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeltaFans/  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltawaterfowl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeltaWaterfowl/