Yes, I always pick them up and here in AZ the hunting regs requires that you remove all spent shotgun shell. I have been askedmore than once by aGame Warden who was checking lic. what type of shells I was shooting and have him ask to see my spent shells. Now he didn't reallyknow how many I had shot but he did take a look around to see if if any were laying around and if I was picking them up.