In Its Tracks. Utilizing lead-free ammunition, the author harvested this nice mule deer last fall. New non-toxic bullets for big game have stopping power equivalent to traditional lead options and pose less of a threat to other wildlife and humans, should fragments be left behind in the field or scattered in edible meat. DEO Photo by John Bradley.

By John Bradley

“Deer are easy to kill if the bullets hit in the right place and behave properly.” 

While not my favorite quote from the famous outdoor writer Jack O’Connor, it’s one that I have reflected on more over the last two years as I’ve switched from my beloved Nosler lead bullet to non-lead alternatives. 

It wasn’t an easy switch for me.  I’ve harvested multiple elk and big-bodied mule deer with lead ammunition made by Nosler. With those elk going down within 50 yards of the shot and deer dropping in their tracks, I was confident that if I pulled the trigger, that bullet would fly true and end in a humane kill. My gun fired those bullets well and I’ve always had the mantra of “if it works, don’t mess with it.”

However, I didn’t like the idea of leaving a gut pile behind that could impact the non-target critters that share the landscape. I also didn’t like that anti-hunters could use the death of eagles, hawks, coyotes, and other creatures as their ammunition against hunting. So, a couple of years ago I made the switch to copper bullets for big game. I haven’t been lucky enough to hunt elk in a couple of years, but I have found that the non-lead bullets available on the market today can be just as effective on deer.

One of the main benefits of switching from lead is knowing that lead-free ammunition is less toxic to the environment. We know that when lead bullets hit their target, they fragment and scatter lead particles. This creates devastating wound channels but can also result in lead contamination of soil and water on pass-through shots. We also know that when we harvest an animal and leave a gut pile behind, scavengers including eagles, hawks, foxes and coyotes can be negatively impacted by ingesting the lead. In contrast, lead-free ammunition has less fragmentation upon impact and those bullets are made of materials that are less toxic and less likely to kill the critters that clean up carrion on our landscape.

Another benefit of lead-free ammunition is that it is less dangerous to human health. A major reason why we hunt deer is the delicious and nutritious meat that we get from a successful hunt. While I enjoy a beef steak occasionally, most of the red meat I consume is venison. I am proud to feed my friends and family with deer meat that I know is healthier than anything I can get from the grocery store. Just like the scavengers who eat what’s left on the landscape, lead ingestion can be dangerous for people who consume that meat if fragments are present. Since switching to copper bullets, I feel confident that the venison I gift to friends and family is safe to consume.

Maybe the most important aspect of lead-free ammo for me and other hunters is that it is now just as effective for hunting deer as traditional lead bullets. With the costs of ammo increasing across the board, lead free bullets are at the same price point as high-quality lead bullets. I used to hunt with bullets that ran about $3 dollars a round and they were effective at dropping deer in their tracks.  The lead-free bullets I use now, Barnes TSX, are cheaper than my old bullets and have resulted in the same success – deer dropping in their tracks. The new copper bullets are designed to expand upon impact, create the large wound channel that hunters seek, and increase the chances of a quick, humane kill. Since switching, I’ve dropped two mature four-by-four mule deer and have the same confidence that I had with lead when I pull the trigger. 

To circle back to Jack O’Connor’s quote “Deer are easy to kill if the bullets hit in the right place and behave properly.” Today’s lead-free bullets do just that.

John Bradley is the Executive Director of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation and a Dakota Edge Outdoors contributing writer.