Lead Ban Chronicles – More Research On Lead Ammo In Our Meat

Dan, like I said, personally I’m keeping what I’ve got when it comes to lead ammo, and I’ll keep using it (where legal). As a fully grown adult, and arguably as developed as I’m ever gonna be, I have no fears whatsoever about eating lead-killed game… whether it’s pheasants, quail, or venison. I’ve been eating this kind of stuff since I was old enough to eat meat, so I can say with some authority that the danger is pretty slight.

However, even the Wisconsin study made me question whether or not I’d serve this stuff to young children or pregnant women. Maybe in and of itself it’s not that big a risk, but combined with the environmental pollution over which I’ve got no control, it’s one more thing working against a healthy kid. I don’t see the point in adding one more risk factor when I really don’t have to.

People seem to keep coming back to the conclusion that, because I’m willing to consider this information and take personal action based on it, that I somehow support the anti-lead movement and even that I am trying to promote their message. I do not and I am not. I’m simply suggesting that folks get their fingers out of their ears (or other orifice of your choice) and actually listen to what some of these scientists are saying.

Screw the PETAs and HSUS, we know what their message is all about… but the majority of researchers who are actually studying this stuff are doing good and valuable work. In the long run, I’m pretty sure they’ll discover what most of us already know; lead is potentially dangerous, but the levels found in wild game meat are generally innocuous for adult humans.

It’s also becoming increasingly clear that lead ammo DOES have an impact on carrion eaters, especially birds, and that’s something else I’m considering. It isn’t anywhere near an environmental disaster, and it certainly doesn’t rate a nation-wide lead ammo ban, but it’s one more place that a hunter can choose to make a minor difference. To me, that sort of choice is no different than the waterfowler choosing to avoid shooting hens, or the deer hunter who chooses to take only mature bucks or does and pass on juvenile animals.

Bottom line for every hunter… educate yourself and make decisions based on knowledge and fact (and Dan, I’m aware of your background and am not implying that you don’t have your own facts to work from).

Dan, I’m with you 100% on everything you just wrote.

It IS easy to feel persecuted as hunters, because the fact is that we are. It’s also a fact that the anti-hunting organizations will jump on board with any action or initiative that could possibly hurt hunters, and the lead ammo issue is a perfect example. They’re out there, and they ARE trying to twist the legislation into something that will put the screws to hunters no matter which way we turn.

I’ve also read the copper article (it was printed up here in the Bay Area too), and it is interesting and a little unsettling.

No matter what we (humans) do, we’re going to have an impact on everything else in the ecosystem. We have choices, mostly, about how we manage our individual impacts… whether it’s recycling, switching to solar power, or switching ammunition. Or we can say, “screw it,” and just live like we want to live. Nobody wants to be regulated at every turn, but there are too many people to just leave it all alone.

I don’t have the answers, so I’m going to make my own educated choices to the best of my ability and live according to my own convictions.

Hey Josh,

I’m pretty certain you’re right about that, but at the same time, there’s some serious work out there to prove you wrong. Regardless of the truth of it, what worries me about this kind of report is the likely backlash against hunters and copper bullets. The US Army and the National Park Service have both removed tungsten from consideration due to questions about its toxicity and instability in the environment. Steel bullets do not expand, and are considered armor-piercing and subject to federal prohibition. Due to ballistic issues, Bismuth is problematic for use as a bullet (although it’s excellent in shotshells).

Can you see where this goes? It doesn’t matter if copper is really toxic or not… if enough people can be led to believe it is, we’ll soon have another fight on our hands.

Hank, unfortunately the market is gonna have to drive the solution to your particular problem. There’s not a ton of call for small steel in the 20ga, although Winchester has some pretty good stuff for the sub-gauges. I broke lots of clays with their 20, 28, and 410 loads at SHOT, but haven’t tried it on live birds. Not sure about general availability. When I get my 20ga SxS, I’ll pay closer attention.