OK, so I’ve been on vacation and as a result, it looks like Dave Hurteau’s Field Notes blog “scooped me” on the latest in the lead ban chronicles. Looks like the lead ban folks have set sights on Utah now, as described in this article from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The article is actually a pretty good look at where things stand, and I’d suggest reading the whole thing before going too far off on your comments. A key point to take note of is that the folks at the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are not proposing a California-style ban, but are instead looking at Arizona for a more successful and hunter-friendly approach. For those who don’t know, Arizona has implemented a voluntary compliance program, asking hunters not to use lead ammo and providing coupons for two boxes of non-lead ammunition.
Jim Parrish, nongame avian coordinator for Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources, said video footage has shown that the condors are feeding on gut piles in Utah and have been exposed to lead. He said Utah plans to implement a program similar to one in Arizona that would provide vouchers to hunters for non-lead ammunition, starting in 2010.
“We’re trying to get the information out there now,” he said. “We’re in an outreach mode and rallying support mode.”
Unfortunately, organizations like the Center for Biological Diversity are still pushing the myth that switching from lead to non-lead is as simple as changing from Coke to Pepsi. That’s the kind of propaganda that needs to be challenged and kicked to the road. This kind of misinformation for the sake of an agenda is a real good reason that so many hunters are skeptical of organizations like the Center for Biological Diversity and the Peregrine Fund. Fortunately, the article does challenge the CBD’s assertion with some facts.
“It’s a simple fix to just ban lead-based ammunition,” said Jay Lininger, an ecologist for the group [Center for Biological Diversity] in Flagstaff. “It would be far less expensive and less of a headache for everyone if widely available alternatives were simply required.”
Lead ammunition has been popular with hunters because it performs well and is cheap. Copper bullets, touted as the alternative to lead bullets, perform just as well but are more expensive and not available in all calibers.
There’s a lot more coming on this one. Center for Biological Diversity is already threatening to sue the Bureau of Land Management and National Parks Service for failing to require non-lead ammo. Hopefully the feds will have a little more spine than the CA Fish and Game Commission, and this suit will meet the very timely end it deserves. If not, sportsmen stand to bear the brunt of the outcome.
Anyway, if you live or hunt in Utah, it wouldn’t hurt to put your thoughts and feelings in writing, and send them to the Governor, your state legislators, and the Division of Wildlife Resources. Let them know that you support and appreciate their reasonable efforts to protect the condor, and their respect for the needs and concerns of hunters in the process. Tell them that you agree with the plan for a voluntary switch to lead-free ammo, and that the vouchers are an excellent incentive for big game hunters to comply.
Look’s like Barnes Bullets is at it again…promoting their bullets. I live and hunt (not much any more, here) in the condor range and have seen how the manufacturer’s promoted these bullets to appease the small band of condor/non-hunting groups. “Come try our non-lead bullets free”, these were words passed around the county for hunters. What a bunch of b.s., these manufacturers will sell us hunters out just like politicians have been doing for years, only now it is about money. Has anyone noticed the costs to get into hunting nowadays? The younger generation find this to be to expensive. When the larger corporations get their military/law enforcement contracts,we will be let go for $$$$$$. Regarding the Barnes bullets on the local blacktail deer, they are far to solid and continue on: “shoot throughs” are very common around here. This begs the question: “does the condor people want shoot throughs to provide animals for the condor?” I wonder.