Most hunters went nutz when lead shot was banned for waterfowl hunting, but most quickly learned to hunt effectively with steel. It's hard to argue the merits of steel shot at longer ranges, especially in terms of its terminal ballistics. But there have been ways to compensate since the beginning.
The heavier shot alternatives are superior terminally at longer ranges, but at great price. Like Fabs said, if you make a solid hit with steel, they'll usually drop dead and precipitate feathers for quite some time. Hunters just need to be a touch more accurate, estimate range a bit better, and have the discipline to not fire at birds beyond the effective range of their ammo and shooting ability.
Link includes some history, pros and cons of steel vs. lead shot. Oh, and personally, I believe the hazards attributed to lead poisoning are overblown ... by at least 3%.
https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/lodge/lead-vs-steel-shot/
The heavier shot alternatives are superior terminally at longer ranges, but at great price. Like Fabs said, if you make a solid hit with steel, they'll usually drop dead and precipitate feathers for quite some time. Hunters just need to be a touch more accurate, estimate range a bit better, and have the discipline to not fire at birds beyond the effective range of their ammo and shooting ability.
Link includes some history, pros and cons of steel vs. lead shot. Oh, and personally, I believe the hazards attributed to lead poisoning are overblown ... by at least 3%.
https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/lodge/lead-vs-steel-shot/