i just started duck hunting last year, and it is the most fun ive ever had. if its one thing i learned from hunting last year, it is DONT BUY CHEAP SHELLS, I know its hard to stomach paying for hevi-shot but it is well worth it. now im not saying you should invest a ton of money into shells when you are just starting but you get what you pay for. all in all i would say for every box of steel you buy, buy one box of hevishot and try to mix them up so on some shots you use steel and on others you use hevishot.