↬ What caused the 2024 waterfowl ammo shortage? The new year brings many challenges and the top of the list for most waterfowl hunters is where to find ammo? If you have been to the stores or looked online, you may have noticed that many popular loads are out of stock or even discontinued.
The waterfowl ammo shortage 2024 was caused by disruptions to seasonal demands, fuel prices, supply chain issues, and political instability. These factors working together caused waterfowl ammo to be in short supply.
In this review, we’ll discuss what’s fueling the ammo shortage of 2024 in more detail and how you should go about getting your hands on what little is available. We’ll also go over tips to make sure you are properly supplied so ammo shortages in the future will not affect you.
- Waterfowl Ammo Shortage 2024
- How long will the 2024 ammo shortage last?
- Should you stockpile waterfowl ammo right now?
- Best waterfowl ammo websites during a shortage
- Tips for surviving the next ammo shortage
- How do you identify a waterfowl ammo shortage is taking place?
- Don’t do this during a waterfowl ammo shortage
- Bottom Line
Waterfowl Ammo Shortage 2024
The biggest issues affecting the availability of waterfowl ammo are supply chain disruptions, political instability, fuel prices, and seasonal demands. Even one of these factors can cause a run on ammo and leave the store shelves looking bare. In 2024, it seems like each of these factors are hitting all at once.
Seasonal Demands
Waterfowl hunting season typically spans from November to March. It’s within this timeframe that demand for ammo is the highest. Naturally, most popular brands will see their product stock diminish as the season progresses.
Supply Chain Disruption
Ammo is distributed around the US in freight shipments by land and air. The components of the ammo are also heavily dependent on being able to arrive on time. Any disruption to the logistics, including winter storms, natural disasters, or equipment failures can cause the supply chain to break down, resulting in an ammo shortage.
Ammo is distributed around the US in freight shipments by land and air. The components of the ammo are also heavily dependent on being able to arrive on time. Any disruption to the logistics, including winter storms, natural disasters, or equipment failures can cause the supply chain to break down, resulting in an ammo shortage.
Fuel Prices
The cost of fuel greatly effects ammo prices in the fall, but it can also cause shipments and deliveries to be reduced. Fuel prices are absorbed by every process of getting ammo to the consumer and from the manufacturer to the retailer, all could lower their outputs due to increased cost of supply.
Political Instability
If you’ve lived in the US for long enough, you’ve experienced what effects political changes have on ammo availability. If there is even a hint that gun control may be a top priority, everything firearm related flies off the shelf, including ammunition.
In 2024, many of the 4 factors listed above are all happening at once. This creates the perfect storm for a waterfowl ammo shortage. In fact, all firearm and ammunition are affected by these issues, and it doesn’t look to be letting up any time soon.
How long will the 2024 ammo shortage last?
It’s hard to say how long the 2024 ammo shortage will last, but the best guess is a couple years at least. 2024 looks to be the evening out period where supply chain issues and political instability can receive a change where consumers aren’t buying everything available and supply chains can have a chance to catch up.
Consumer sentiment is currently hoarding ammo due to uncertainty on many fronts. Unless sentiment can be re-instilled, there really is no end in sight. Seasonal increases in ammo supply will still be seen as production ramps up momentarily, but stock will not be replaced as quickly as it’s needed.
Tips for outlasting the 2024 ammo shortage:
- Plan ahead, have a plan, implement it
- Shortage could last two years
- Uncertainty fuels ammo shortages
- Supply chain issues are likely to continue
- Fuel prices are at all-time high
- Consider using unpopular ammo cartridges that are still in stock
- Reload your own ammo if you can find supplies
- Stockpile ammo to create a buffer against shortages
Should you stockpile waterfowl ammo right now?
The best time to stockpile waterfowl ammo is yesterday. The next best time is today. Ammo prices are only going up and fuel prices don’t seem to be relenting any time soon. The ammo shortage is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
With these factors in mind, you should be looking for deals as much as possible. Inventory doesn’t last long and deals go even quicker. Retailers look to thin their inventory in the offseason, and this is when you can score on some ammo types that weren’t selling even in the current climate due to price or obscurity.
When stockpiling waterfowl ammo in a shortage, always:
- Make sure you have a storage area with low humidity
- Be willing to use ammo that isn’t ideal
- Expect to pay more
- Buy in bulk if available
- Use the hunting offseason to find deals
- Ammo aggregator sites can help find in stock ammo
The best time to purchase ammo is during the fall when retailers offer quantity discounts and then in the spring when they try to get rid of inventory or unload discontinued items. During the middle of waterfowl season or the summer are the two worst times to be looking for ammo.
Best waterfowl ammo websites during a shortage
To find deals in an ammo shortage, you must be constantly looking for the moment new stock hits the shelf, because when it does, it may only last seconds or minutes. For brick-and-mortar retailers this means lining up in the early morning to have the first opportunity at restocked shelves.
If you don’t want to be hassled with that, the next best option is to search online for updated ammo stock. Websites like Ammoseek and others help to consolidate retailers in a searchable format to make looking for ammo availability easier.
Alternatively, you can bookmark the major sites and scroll through them daily to identify stock updates as soon as they happen. Usually, checking twice a day is sufficient, as updates mostly occur in the early morning or late in the evening.
These are the waterfowl ammo sites you should consider:
Rogers Sporting Goods
Rogers is one of the best retailers to order ammo from in the US. They are located in Arkansas and offer a wide range of specialty waterfowl ammunition. They even offer discontinued ammo at bargain prices occasionally.
Cabelas
Cabelas may just be the leader in waterfowl ammo sales across the US. They have retail stores in many states, so if you can’t find ammo inline, the store may be the next best option. Cabelas carries most of the popular ammo brands including Federal, Kent, and Winchester.
Brownells
Brownells is another ammo retailer that provides seasonal ammo stock. Online is the best way to order and also get updates on inventory. Brownells website is easy to navigate and shipping is always fast.
Bass Pro
Bass Pro is another retailer to check out during an ammo shortage that has both retail stores and an online presence. When ammo is in stock, Bass Pro seems to be reliable at their retail locations. It may be better look in person rather than waiting on their website to be updated.
Midway USA
The last place to consider is Midway USA. Their website is the best choice for checking their inventory and they are always running a reduced shipping fee on large orders.
Bookmark each of these sites and any others you find. This will make searching for in stock items easier during an ammo shortage. You can even set them up for notifications to be emailed to you when inventory changes or a webpage has been updated. Keep in mind, these sites usually receive a large stock of ammo in the fall and gradually decrease their stock over the length of the waterfowl season. Finding ammo in the spring and summer will always be the most difficult.
Tips for surviving the next ammo shortage
- Stock up on ammo in the offseason
- Keep a buffer amount of ammo that gets replenished when used
- Consider reloading your own waterfowl ammo
- Assume their will be an ammo shortage every 2 to 4 years
- Ammo is likely never getting any cheaper
- Always have next years ammo on hand to avoid being without
- Look for discontinued waterfowl ammo at cheap prices
- Consider buying gun parts, choke tubes, and other hard to find items.
How do you identify a waterfowl ammo shortage is taking place?
Being able to identify that an ammo shortage is going to take place or is already taking place can help you beat the rush before the shelves and warehouses are empty. Beyond the start of the waterfowl season which usually ramps of demand for ammo, there are several other factors that can allude to an impending run on ammo.
The biggest cause of ammo shortages are events that cause the firearm community as a whole to sense that changes to gun or ammo policies either federally or locally may be imminent. These regulations can fuel nationwide shortages on ammo and anything related to firearms.
The easiest way to identify that an ammo shortage is going to occur or is occurring is to stay tuned in to current events. Completely avoiding what is going on around you is a good way to be greeted with bare shelves and back ordered ammo.
How do you know an ammo shortage is taking place?
- Firearm or ammo regulation changes are imminent
- Store shelves are bare, no in stock inventory
- Online retailers have no stock and are never updating stock
- Backorders greater than 60 days
- Only rare cartridge sizes are available
- Lines form at retailers before they open
- Ammo prices skyrocket
- Reloading supplies are nonexistent
Don’t do this during a waterfowl ammo shortage
It’s easy to get caught up in the hysteria of an ammo shortage and doing so can make people do things they wish they hadn’t. Remember, this shortage too shall pass, it just takes time.
First, avoid paying exorbitant prices just to keep your ammo supply topped up. It only feeds the hysteria and is driven by the fear of missing out. Make calm purchasing decisions that reflect a 2-year window, not those of the moment.
Additionally, make plans and stick to them for future shortages so that you aren’t in the same predicament should another shortage inevitably arise. Plans can include building a stockpile and making the best of times when ammo is in plentiful supply.
Lastly, maximize the time you spend searching for ammo online by using website aggregators. Some websites will even send you emails when a webpage changes, so you know when stock has been updated. USE THEM!! If you must wait in line at a retail store, make sure they have a box limit so that you aren’t left empty handed.
During an ammo shortage, avoid:
- Paying crazy prices
- Waiting in lines with no box limits
- Buying ammo you will never shoot or don’t own a gun for
- Placing online orders for out-of-stock items
- Selling ammo hoping to make a profit
Remember, the ammo shortage will pass eventually and there is no better time than now to develop a plan to avoid having to play for ammo when the price is high and options limited.
Bottom Line
The 2024 Waterfowl ammo shortage is like no other. Inventory is down and store shelves are bare. Right now is not the time to be stocking up on ammo, but if you have no choice, there are several options for you to increase your supply.
Ammo shortages happen for a variety of reasons, but the most common are supply chain shortages, political instability, fuel prices, and seasonal demand. It just so happens that in 2024, most of these factors are all happening at once.
Stockpiling waterfowl ammo during an ammo shortage is the best way to wait it out. Always have a season’s worth of ammo stored away so you won’t be scrambling to find ammo next season. Checking ammo retailer websites routinely is a great way find ammo before it’s sold out.
Rogers Sporting Goods and Cabelas are the best places to search for waterfowl ammo both during the season and in the offseason. Websites like Ammoseek can aggregate many retailer websites to make searching for in stock ammo even easier.
As with all ammo shortages that have come and gone, the best preparation is to be tuned into current events. Hunters can get spooked over night and clean the shelves out quickly. Being prepared for the inevitable low ammo supply is always the best route to take.
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