New lead ban

[Bad Water Bill]

Just got this from a friend. Not sure if it is true or not BUT.

Federal Agency Bans Lead Ammunition for Depredation Hunting of Birds
Citing the need to prevent lead toxicity hazards to wildlife, the Federal Government's primary wildlife management agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildife Service (FWS) has banned the use of lead ammunition for hunting nuisance birds. The decision was published by FWS as a final rulemaking action in the Federal Register.

American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the nation's leading bird conservation organization, expressed support for the decision in a letter sent today to Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Rowan W. Gould.

Depredation orders are issued by FWS to allow the killing of migratory birds such as crows, grackles, and blackbirds which are causing damage to public or private property, pose a health or safety hazard, or are damaging agricultural crops or wildlife. This new regulation will require the use of non-toxic ammunition in the control of these nuisance birds.

"We're very supportive of FWS in siding with wildlife on this issue. Depredation hunting tends to leave

large amounts of highly toxic lead ammunition on the ground that non-target birds and other wildlife

consume while mistaking it for food. Those birds or other wildlife will either die agonizing deaths

shortly thereafter or suffer severe illness for a prolonged period. We have had many discussions with

FWS about using non-toxic shot for all agency operations and we are very glad they have made this

decision" said Dr. Michael Fry, one of the world's leading avian toxicologists and Director of

Conservation Advocacy for ABC.

ABC had been one of the leaders in a group that had petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency on August 3, 2010 to ban lead ammunition used for hunting and lead fishing gear because of the toxic threats they posed to wildlife. EPA responded that they did not have the authority to regulate lead ammunition, though Congressional legislative history records document that they did have such authority. EPA then later denied the fishing gear portion of the petition saying that evidence of impacts from fishing gear were being addressed by some States, and national regulations would be overly burdensome. In the original petition, ABC and the other petitioners presented almost 500 scientific studies that documented widespread lead impacts to wildlife that result in the lead-poisoning deaths of up to millions of birds each year in the United States.

"This decision is important not only because it will keep a highly toxic substance from being strewn across the landscape, but it will also prevent birds or other wildlife that might scavenge the remains of lead-shot nuisance birds, such as Bald Eagles, bobcats and raccoons from becoming innocent mortality victims as well," Fry added."

"The paint industry got the lead out, the gasoline industry got the lead out, the toy industry got the lead out, the home building industry got the lead out of plumbing, and even the automotive industry most recently is getting the lead out of the wheel weights on cars. The lethal impacts of lead in our environment are so well documented and accepted by the science and health community that any deliberate release of lead into a public environment should be viewed as unacceptable. The Federal Government has shown concern for human impacts of lead - we are very glad they are showing the same level of concern for wildlife," Fry said.

American Bird Conservancy (www.abcbirds.org) conserves native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas by safeguarding the rarest species, conserving and restoring habitats, and reducing threats while building capacity of the bird conservation movement. ABC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership organization.

[TOP PREDATOR]

yeah, true, and reality in california.

however it may not be a bad thing, as manufacturer's find new materials to build bullets, they may "stumble" upon a combination that will further the accuraccy and terminal performance of bullets.

imagine hunting landed geese in a field using non toxic rimfire ammo!

i have confidense that neccessity will produce a non lead "super bullet". not because they want to, but because they have to.

[sha-ul]

you might do a fact check with the NRA-ILA 1-800-392-8683

[Bad Water Bill]

TOP PREDATOR When do we stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH? If we were to believe half of what those people say we should have been hip deep in WW on every road in the U S. How many are filling up your drive way? These people have the same agenda that the Brady bunch has.

Why should the ammo mfgrs have to spend millions looking for a substitute for a naturally accruing product. Mother nature put it there and it has been used for many years, Most of their claims have never been proven but we are supposed to take it as fact. If I tell you that by soaking lead over night in bleach it will turn into GOLD wouldn't you at least try it.

We are allowing ourselves to be thrown off the cliff with no protests. Not in my lifetime.

Stand up and be counted or .

[rez187]

we stand up now!!!!!! this lead issue is bull!!!! it sounds good but no one can prove its happening??? how long has lead shot been being used..............we still have birds right!!!!!! so i guess it wont kill them all. please don't just go along with this read and educate yourself and see the bull for what it is. they count on you to just go along with them because it sounds plausible. we are not mindless drones!!!!!!

[Bad Water Bill]

If this is true there should be 0 birds in the eastern U S A

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/W...hiladelphia_PA

[BIG MIKE]

We know we're right but we don't have a bottomless pit of money to prove it against brainwashed educated morons with Gov't backing.They only know what they're taught and won't jeopardize their jobs to find out otherwise. >

[rusty815]

in my opinion all this will do is jack up the prices or ammunition in the short term. here in california lead bullet ammunition costs around $25 (for 300 wsm, which is what i hunt with), but i have to shell out 50-60 dollars for non lead ammuntion because the area i primarily hunt in is part of the lead ban. its making me almost want to stop hunting all together. (my father has to shell out over $100 dollars for non lead 7mm RUM rounds, this is for a box of 20, hes on the verge of quitting hunting as well)

[thomae]

I believe this will have little effect on most of us. Looking at the details, I found that, according to Field & Stream magazine, this means that "...if you're shooting nuisance birds under a federal depredation permit you must now, apparently, use non-toxic ammo. However, the ruling doesn't say anything about the sport hunting of crows in states where that is legal and there's an established season." (emphasis mine).

reference: http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/...n-bird-hunting

[borg]

We know we're right but we don't have a bottomless pit of money to prove it against brainwashed educated morons with Gov't backing.They only know what they're taught and won't jeopardize their jobs to find out otherwise. >

It is impossible to know you are right in the absence of proof.

[anomad]

I believe this will have little effect on most of us. Looking at the details, I found that, according to Field & Stream magazine, this means that "...if you're shooting nuisance birds under a federal depredation permit you must now, apparently, use non-toxic ammo. However, the ruling doesn't say anything about the sport hunting of crows in states where that is legal and there's an established season." (emphasis mine).

reference: http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/...n-bird-hunting

http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/Re...ber%202010.pdf

This is the only Federal Register Notice I could find that was related. Its not just depredation, its depredation permits for a very short list of species.

I'm ok with non-toxic. For the same reason I recycle old car batteries instead of throwing them off a bridge.

[handirifle]

in my opinion all this will do is jack up the prices or ammunition in the short term. here in california lead bullet ammunition costs around $25 (for 300 wsm, which is what i hunt with), but i have to shell out 50-60 dollars for non lead ammuntion because the area i primarily hunt in is part of the lead ban. its making me almost want to stop hunting all together. (my father has to shell out over $100 dollars for non lead 7mm RUM rounds, this is for a box of 20, hes on the verge of quitting hunting as well)

If you quit, then you are falling right into the scenario the lead banners really want. I, too, live and hunt in the lead free zone (A zone), the cheaper solution, and much better, is for you and your father to split the cost of reloading equipment. If he loads 2-3 boxes of his RUM ammo, it's saved enough to pay for itself. Lots of 7mm non lead bullets to load with. Several companies make them now, so we have choices. Do NOT give in to them, that only makes the anti's smile.