Thursday, October 27, 2011

Lead Ban in Hunting & Fishing Equipment

A hot button issue right now with certain lobbyists is the attempt to ban the use of lead in all fishing tackle and hunting ammunition.  What it all boils down to is this.....

Anti fishing and anti hunting groups want to ban the use of lead in fishing tackle and hunting ammunition.   Specifically, they want to ban lead use in the manufacture of bullets and fishing sinkers, based on a very small percentage of possible harm to different species of birds and animals.  Currently there is no credible scientific evidence to support this claim.  
The chances of lead in bullets and fishing tackle actually harming our wildlife are extremely slim.  The petitioners of this ban must prove that using lead products is having a significant negative impact on our birds and animals.  So far there is no concrete proof.  Yes, lead products can pose a potential hazard to individual birds and animals, but so far, that hazard is nominal at best.  To date there is no proven negative impact on Condors, bald eagles or anything else for that matter.
I think there are other options available - Hunters and fisherman can choose to use non-lead products in some cases.  However, there isn't always that option as some types of lead free ammunition are simply not available for certain weapons.  But, hunters personally can make a more concentrated effort to work with our environment by
  1. burying or removing the gut from the animals they shoot instead of leaving them in the field for birds to scavenge. 
  2. Make every shot count so wounded animals do not crawl off and die without recovery. 
  3. Use non-lead ammo if possible for target practice.

Funding for our conservation and wildlife management largely comes through the excise taxes paid on the purchases of ammunition. However, if lead is indeed banned in the manufacture of these products, it will result in much higher prices being passed on to the consumer. It is therefore highly possible that the purchase of ammunition and tackle will decrease, which will in turn directly affect the funding for our conservation and wildlife management.  I personally think that a decrease in funding will directly affect a larger group of birds and animals as a whole, rather than to the nominal amount that may be affected by the continued use of lead products.

Jeff Thurston at Bernard and Assoc. kindly forwarded the following Lead Ban report to me.  Please take a moment to read it and formulate your own opinions on this lead/no lead topic.  All opinions in the above post are my own and I am placing them here to open some discussion, pro or con, on the issue. 




Anti-hunting and anti-fishing interests are currently litigating against the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to force the EPA to expand its Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) authority in order to regulate traditional ammunition and recreational fishing tackle.
When the Act was established in 1976 Congress explicitly excluded from regulation any article subject to excise taxes -- including pistols, revolvers, firearms, shells and cartridges.
The EPA has already once declined a petition that asked the agency to prohibit the manufacture, processing, and distribution in commerce of lead for shot, bullets, and fishing sinkers because it did not have the authority to do so under the TSCA.
Anti-hunting and anti-fishing interests assert the EPA does have the authority and that a lead ban is necessary to address the significant impacts to wildlife populations that are resulting from traditional tackle and ammunition.
The assertions made by the petitioning groups lack credible scientific foundation, especially when seeking a blanket ban on all lead use. Outside of the California condor, where every death is significant, there is no evidence of a lead crisis at the population level – an entire group of one species living in a specific area.
The biggest threat of lead in wildlife is with birds that have gizzards, which hold on to and grind up food, rather than pass it quickly through their systems.
Proponents of the ban cite the impacts on individual raptors, such as Bald Eagles even though raptor populations are increasing across North America and the Bald Eagle was removed from the Endangered Species list as recently as 2007.
If a complete ban on lead in ammunition where achieved it would have a dramatic negative impact, because of the increased cost of alternative metals, on the cost of ammunition, and therefore participation in hunting and recreational shooting, which in turn is the engine that drives most of the funding for conservation and wildlife management through the excise taxes paid on the purchases of ammunition.
Sportsmen groups have rallied to push forward the introduction of the Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act (S.838 & H.R. 1558), which will amend TSCA in a manner that serves to protect and enhance our hunting, recreational shooting and recreational fishing heritage while concurrently facilitating the important benefits that the hunting, shooting and recreational fishing industries contribute to the betterment of our nation’s economy and treasured natural resources.
The Act is now being discussed and considered in committees. To learn more:

Please feel free to offer your opinions or suggestions in the comments area. 

38 comments:

  1. Because I enjoy duck hunting the most, I am actually looking forward to a ban on all lead ammunition because only then will gun clubs, and indoor ranges make the necessary changes to allow waterfowl hunters access to their facilities for testing and practice with waterfowl ammunition.

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  2. Anonymous - That is a fairly selfish reason from wanting lead ammo banned. I would wager that gun clubs and indoor ranges do not allow steel shot due to the higher risk of ricochets, not because they discriminate against waterfowl hunters. Wanting to ban all lead ammo because it would make your life easier is both short sighted and selfish.

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  3. Personally, I don't believe in hunting as a sport.
    To eat is another story so if you like hunting as a sport and to eat fine.
    Leaving an animal is horrid and should be banned.

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  4. BHL: I totally agree with you. We always eat what we hunt and never kill anything just for the sake of killing it. I would hope no one else does that either.

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  5. It's not just anti hunting,and anti fishing groups, that are against the use of lead. Many responsible hunters are deciding to make the switch. We all know lead is toxic. Even if it is a small number of other animals that are dying from eating lost game, or gut piles, just one bald eagle loss is too many.

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  6. Many of us are not anti-hunting or anti-fishing. We are for protecting our families, our wildlife, our environment. I have nothing against hunters hunting or fishers fishing. I only ask that they do it without lead. There is scientific evidence that shows the harm being done to bald eagles by lead. If you refuse to believe the data, that is your choice, but the evidence is pretty clear. You can find more information at www.leadispoison.com

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  7. Tim - Be sure to enjoy that Lead ridden kill of yours. Yea buddy, is short this short sighted too? When you are suffering from lead poisoning laying in a hospital bed somewhere, I wonder how selfish You'll feel...It's not all about you pal, its about the gut piles you leave that other wildlife feed on. Stop being so ignorant, educate yourself in the sport of LEAD FREE hunting. At least, if you choose to ignore this problem,ask your Dr. to do a blood test to check YOUR lead levels, maybe that will educate you.

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  8. Kim - DO you really believe the words written above?
    So, are you saying that its okay to sacrifice wildlife so that the economy does not tank? Really, how foolish. People in this country are turning to hunting to put FOOD on Their Tables. Nice that you think that that it will make it more expensive for them to do that if they hunt Lead free. Will the cost of treating LEAD POISONING make up for the Lost revenues of ammo???? Think smart, think Lead Free.

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  9. Wildlife conservation programs are funded by the taxes on ammunition. We are not saying that wildlife is sacrificed for the economy. I am also saying that there is no concrete evidence that lead is harming wildlife. Also, who specifically is being treated for lead poisoning due to hunting?

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  10. There is scientific proof that high lead levels is a serious threat to our wild life and also to us. It really puzzles me on why anyone would not switch to non lead weight and or ammo. Our Military did it. It also puzzles me that there is a roadblock on burying gut piles, I dont understand the resistance there, its easy and free and could save one of our majestic, magnificent creatures, the bald eagle. The fact alone that it is our national symbol, would be enough reason for me to change.If we love our country and are proud to be American then please at the very least, bury your gut piles. Numbers dont lie, the facts are out there, lead kills,period.

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  11. Anonymous: You have some valid points also. The purpose of this post was to open discussion and we've certainly accomplished that. Everyone has a right to their opinions and we can all learn from each other. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and share!

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  12. Here are some interesting links to view at your leisure concerning the dangers of lead in our wild life.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PoVgLuDcP4

    http://www.nps.gov/grca/naturescience/bullet_study.htm

    http://world-bird-sanctuary.blogspot.com/2010/03/lead-poisoning.html

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDOPcEDWEfc

    http://www.adirondackwildlife.org/Lead_Poisoning_Wildlife.html

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  13. Thank you for sharing your links. The more information that is available will be beneficial to everyone in making future choices.

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  14. your premise, 2nd paragraph, that anti-fishing, anti-hunting groups are at the core of this argument is an invalid and untrue premise. don't know where you are getting your information, but those of us opposed to lead ammo and tackle heartily support the sport of hunting and fishing. they provide important wildlife management support. so check your facts again and if you can remain open-minded, you may want to interview someone besides the NRA for your follow-up piece on this.

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  15. Anonymous: Thank you for your input. However, I don't care for your antagonistic attitude. You are certainly welcome to state your opinion, but please keep it civil.

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  16. Anti-lead does not equal anti-hunting or anti-fishing. Those of us opposed to lead ammo and fishing tackle are just trying to raise awareness of the issue, in hopes that responsible and caring hunters and fisherpersons will make the choice on their own to switch to non-lead products. I think this is an attainable goal, as I have never met a hunter or angler that does not love nature and all that it contains. Here is a link to a video done by a non-lead hunter.
    http://vimeo.com/26985422

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  17. That's a great vid, anon. This is a serious problems in raptors, many of them are losing their lives to lead shot, I encourage everyone to google lead poisoning in bald eagles and please switch to non lead shot or at the very least, bury the gut piles. If a parent contracts lead, it cant care for its young, they all perish. Yes this happens in the wild all the time but we are talking about the BE who's population is still delicate, not to mention our national symbol. Here is another link to an article, the numbers are staggaring.
    http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20111030/OPINION03/310300014/0/SPORTS/?odyssey=nav
    Thank you

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  18. Here is one more site for your reading.

    http://archive.audubonmagazine.org/incite/incite1105.html

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  19. Good Afternoon everyone, please feel free to comment on the links I have posted, as it will lead to interesting discussions. Thank you

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  20. It's estimated that 80 eagles die in Iowa each year due to lead poisoning. It can be prevented.

    http://www.leadispoison.com/Home_Page.html

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  21. If you're looking for research papers, go to

    http://www.leadispoison.com/Human_Health_Research.html

    There are several papers already cited with abstracts. Same goes for the Wildlife Health:

    http://www.leadispoison.com/Wildlife_Health_Research.html

    The best place for folks to go to read is the Peregrine Fund's 2008 Conference on Spent Ammunition:

    http://www.peregrinefund.org/subsites/conference-lead/2008PbConf_Proceedings.htm

    Many of the research papers are on the leadispoison.com site, but not all.

    If you need help with scientific terminology, go to this site:

    http://dictionary.babylon.com/scientific%20terminology/

    Hope that helps you get up to speed! I also believe that these links, if you choose to Educate yourself, will in fact NEGATE your theory that "there is no concrete evidence that lead is poisoning wildlife".

    Please, Educate yourself, then Educate someone else....

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  22. http://www.nps.gov/grca/naturescience/bullet_study.htm

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  23. http://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20111024192728

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  24. Bernard and Assoc.
    A MARKETING FIRM.

    I have to believe that You, Kim, are more intelligent then to put all your eggs in their basket? They are a marketing firm, ask them who they represent. I'll bet that it is a group such as the NRA. - Just do it - Kindly, ask them what and who motivated them to send this to you in the way they did - This is a one sided article - It is not a report - <<>>

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  25. Thank you for all that information. I hope people will take the time to sit and read thru it all so they can formulate their own opinions.

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  26. Kim: I hope YOU will take the time to read through it as well. It is truthful, factual information, not just one sided opinions based on money and corporate greed.

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  27. Yes, I am taking the time to read thru it as well. Who knows, you may sway me yet! :-)

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  28. Thank you Kim for taking the time to read through the information. As you will see, it is not, at all, about infringing on the rights of fisherman or hunters. It is about education and being responsible to hunt and fish in a manner that is accountable to generations to come. For us as well as our wildlife.
    We want nothing more then to present the facts. The facts speak for themselves.

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  29. Another Eagle shot:
    http://www.pjstar.com/news/x676173654/Luciano-Vet-No-mistaking-bald-eagle-for-duck

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  30. http://www.hunter-ed.com/ak/course/ch2_lead_vs_steel.htm

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  31. This is becoming a great discussion. Thank you Kim for offering us the opportunity to express our opinions.

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  32. Kim I would like to simply say lead is poisonous. It has been removed from paint,toys,gasoline,Us ARMY ammunition, shot for waterfowl and in some states prohibited for use on certain lands or certain animals being hunted. Even the boxes of lead ammunition says wash hands after using. Most hunters respect wildlife if more knew the effects of lead on tissues in animals and humans they would likely switch. The Center for Disease Control said in 1991 that a piece of lead the size of a BB will kill a child eventually after causing many horrible effects on the nervous system. I would ask all hunters to get a BLL test (blood lead level test); in humans lead poisoning if caught early enough is treatable Not so in wildlife. There is a great deal of scientific peer reviewed research on this issue if you will look for it.
    I am not anti gun or fishing just concerned for all animals and kumans.

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  33. I'd like to share this link to an article about an eagle with high blood lead levels that died after likely eating carrion that had been shot with lead ammo.

    http://www.goerie.com/article/2011311059933

    It just breaks my heart every time I see our national symbol sick or dying from something that is so preventable.

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  34. There is enough data to prove the severity of lead shot, and the effects concerning bald eagles. An easy fix is to bury the gut piles and how about just trying out some lead shot alternatives before making a decision. Either one of these two suggestions would make a tremendous difference. Thank you

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  35. Another Bald Eagle dies from lead poisoning, lp was off the charts.
    http://www.wildlifecenter.org/wp/2011/11/caroline-county-bald-eagle-2/

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  36. Unfortunately, more lead poisoned eagles, scroll to Nov 25th and Nov 23rd and watch video provided. SOAR alone get approx 80 lead poisoned bald eagles per year with lp. What are the numbers of non rescued cases that simply just perish?

    http://www.soarraptors.org/patients.html

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