As a retired occupational and environmental medicine physician and MPH in Environmental Health , ex-bird and deer hunter and fisherman using lead ammo and sinkers in
my younger years through ignorance , I commend you for bringing this information to birders. Lead in ammunition and fishing sinkers is an ongoing serious environmental health issue and occupational health for those workers involved in manufacturing.. It should be a no-brainer for anyone who loves the outdoors, including fishing and hunting, to be an advocate in removing all lead from hunting ammunition and fishing gear anywhere and everywhere.
Thank you for this thorough review of a terrible problem that should have gone away a long time ago. It is inconceivable that even when we know the cause of a serious problem, and have a clear solution to it, we can't agree to solve it! What an idiotic species we are!!
Lifelong birder and adult onset hunter here. I switched to copper rifle ammunition for deer hunting about fifteen years ago. People who claim it is ineffective are using the wrong copper bullets (are you listening, MeatEater testers?) The Scandinavians have successfully used copper bullets for many years on moose, brown bear, red deer (same genus as elk) and various smaller deer species.
(FWIW, I use only a bow for turkey, grouse and hare hunting.)
As a retired occupational and environmental medicine physician and MPH in Environmental Health , ex-bird and deer hunter and fisherman using lead ammo and sinkers in
my younger years through ignorance , I commend you for bringing this information to birders. Lead in ammunition and fishing sinkers is an ongoing serious environmental health issue and occupational health for those workers involved in manufacturing.. It should be a no-brainer for anyone who loves the outdoors, including fishing and hunting, to be an advocate in removing all lead from hunting ammunition and fishing gear anywhere and everywhere.
Thank you for your thorough article. I hope that the 'right' people read it.
Thank you for this thorough review of a terrible problem that should have gone away a long time ago. It is inconceivable that even when we know the cause of a serious problem, and have a clear solution to it, we can't agree to solve it! What an idiotic species we are!!
Lifelong birder and adult onset hunter here. I switched to copper rifle ammunition for deer hunting about fifteen years ago. People who claim it is ineffective are using the wrong copper bullets (are you listening, MeatEater testers?) The Scandinavians have successfully used copper bullets for many years on moose, brown bear, red deer (same genus as elk) and various smaller deer species.
(FWIW, I use only a bow for turkey, grouse and hare hunting.)