Take Back The MDC
A Gathering Point for True Sportsmen
The Lead Ban Scam
By Linda M. Everhart
BS in Biology, Master in Common Sense
If you are not outraged at the recent lead shot ban in Missouri, you are either not a hunter, or not paying attention.
In August of 2006, the MDC Commissioners voted to ban the use of lead shot, for ALL kinds of hunting, on 21 conservation areas across the state. The law went into effect on March 1, 2007.
This ban means you cannot, at any time, during any season, have in your possession lead shot on these public areas for any kind of hunting or target shooting. Not for dove, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, crow, coyote, quail, or any other critter.
An article in the February 2007 All Outdoors, "Nontoxic Shot Requirement Expands to New Areas", announced the new ban and explained this action as a response to a "concern for the health of waterfowl and other wildlife."
http://www.mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/news/arc1-2007.html
The article seems jumbled, starting off with the MDC’s “concern” for all wildlife then suddenly focusing on dove research, as if that was the main topic in the first place.
This confusion was created by a last minute change to the story, which removed one very important bit of information: the Rules and Regulations Committee had also voted on and passed a STATEWIDE LEAD SHOT BAN for dove hunting on ALL conservation areas, which, if approved by the Commissioners, would take effect in 2008. This part was removed shortly before publication.
The article, fabricated by Assistant Director John Smith, who is also the chairman of the Rules and Regulations Committee, is packed with lies and misleading statements, with the intention of selling this unnecessary rule to the hunting public.
Here are a few excerpts from the article.
"Concern for the health of waterfowl and other wildlife is the basis for new regulations … the changes are based on research …"
According to their own employees, the ban is based mainly on fear of lawsuits from environmental groups; secondly on the fact that some other states have similar laws, and Missouri needs to get on the ban-wagon; thirdly on convenience (since each of these 21 CAs have duck marshes where nontoxic shot is already required for waterfowl hunting); and fourthly on a feel-good fuzzy feeling that it’s the right thing to do.
"Research findings indicate that lead shot is being deposited in quantities sufficient to cause birds to pick it up when foraging for food."
A two-year MDC funded study at the James A. Reed Conservation Area dove hunting fields, where lead shot is allowed, found only 18 pellets in 314 soil samples. This was after 14,087 shotshells were fired over the fields. At Eagle Bluff dove fields, where lead shot has been banned for several years, zero pellets were found in the posthunt soil samples.
When shot is fired over a field of sunflowers, where birds would be feeding, it doesn’t suddenly stop and fall to the ground. It travels way beyond the field. It took lots of time and money to figure this one out.
Hunter killed dove were examined for ingested shot pellets at both areas. At James A. Reed they found only 2 of 574 dove had ingested lead pellets (1 in each of these birds). At Eagle Bluff 15 of 310 dove had ingested steel pellets. Apparently the few dove that will pick up pellets prefer the taste of steel over lead.
" … ingesting lead shot causes many birds to die."
True. Hundreds of studies have shown that if you force-feed any bird enough lead shot, and it doesn’t poop it out or throw it up, they will eventually get sick and die. But, the question is, will they actually eat shot pellets?
In a 2006 MDC funded experiment, 120 wild dove were captured and offered lead pellets mixed with their feed, making lead pellets thousands of times more available than could ever happen in the real world. Only 6 dove ate the pellets, and three of these expelled the pellets with no lasting effects. The other 3 where dissected before they had a chance to recover. Conclusion: Birds are smarter than the MDC.
" … nearly as many doves die of lead poisoning each year as the number of doves shot by hunters."
Let’s see, that would be around 738,000 dove a year. Since no one knows how many dove exist (only that they are as common as starlings) how do you calculate this? Where are the bodies?
"Species found to suffer from lead poisoning include mourning doves, eagles, hawks, owls, quail, wild turkeys and shorebirds."
This is a totally manufactured statement. No research has ever shown a significant number of any of these birds suffering from lead poisoning in the wild. It only happens on extremely rare occasions and in laboratories where lead was shoved down their throats. In fact, a well-documented 24-year study of lead shot ingestion in quail, found absolutely no ill effects on the population.
"Similar findings led federal officials to ban the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting 20 years ago."
The research findings were similar, but the feds ignored the results as well.
In the 1980’s, with the waterfowl population on the decline, and facing a lawsuit which involved one dead eagle, the USFWS placed all blame on lead shot, claiming that millions of ducks and geese were dying every year from eating it. They were the ones that funded the hundreds of research projects that involved stuffing birds with lead to justify the ban.
Lead shot was banned nation-wide for waterfowl hunting in 1991. Strangely, none of those millions of ducks and geese they claimed were previously dying every year, decided to suddenly appear and start reproducing. Improving the habitat and season limits are the only things that have helped waterfowl numbers.
"Up to 6.5 percent of doves eat lead pellets."
The original MDC draft stated the more accurate number of 2.5%. I guess that didn’t sound large enough.
Still, either number is misleading because it suggests that a certain percentage of ALL dove eat pellets, when the numbers actually refer only to the tiny fraction of dove that happen to find and feed on a tiny fraction of the state that actually contains lead shot on the surface.
There are 44 million acres of land in Missouri. Of this, 30 million acres is farm ground. Less than 5000 acres are managed by the MDC for dove hunting. Some of these dove fields are very popular, and many are not. MDC researchers have found that only .6% (that’s less than 1%) of shot fired ends up on these fields.
What are the chances that any one dove entering Missouri, will stop and feed at one of these tiny spots on the globe (where many guns are aimed at them) and find, and eat a lead pellet, and die before their expected life-span of 1 ½ years is over? You do the math.
"The conservation movement started with hunters, who recognized that some restrictions were necessary to preserve their heritage. Hunters have always supported science-based conservation. They know it is the only way to ensure the future of their sport. When they know the facts about lead shot and doves, hunters will be glad to do what's right." – John Smith
Oh, that’s so sweet, John … but there’s no need to patronize us. We do know the facts, John, and we would welcome a return to science-based conservation. We also know the only way we can ensure the future of our sport is to make major changes in the leadership at the MDC. Maybe we could find some people actually who know how to hunt, fish, trap and read research papers.
Long before the news of this ban was released to the public, a MDC sponsored survey of small game hunters found that 84.8% of upland hunters and 71.7% of other small game hunters opposed nontoxic regulations for all small game, and 61.8% of dove hunters opposed nontoxic regulations for dove hunting.
Thanks, MDC, for listening to the public.
As of March 1, 2007, lead shot is banned for all types of hunting on the following Missouri Conservation Areas:
B. K. Leach Memorial
Black Island
Bob Brown
Columbia Bottom
Cooley Lake
Coon Island
Duck Creek
Eagle Bluffs
Fountain Grove
Four Rivers
Grand Pass
Little Bean Marsh
Little River
Marais Temps Clair
Montrose
Nodaway Valley
Otter Slough
Schell-Osage
Settler's Ford
Ted Shanks
Ten Mile Pond
References
Current MDC employees who prefer to keep their job by remaining nameless.
"Attitudes of Missouri Small Game Hunters Toward Nontoxic-Shot Regulations", Schulz, Reitz, Sheriff & Millspaugh; 2006
"Spent-shot availability and ingestion on areas managed for mourning doves", Schulz, Millspaugh, Washburn, Wester, Lanigan & Franson; 2002
"Experimental Lead Pellet Ingestion In Mourning Doves", Schultz, Gao, Millspaugh & Bermudez; 2006
"Acute Lead Toxicosis in Mourning Dove", Schultz, Millspaugh, Bermudez, Gao, Bonnot, Britt & Paine; 2006
Sen. Dan Clemens Remarks
Just last month State Senator Dan Clemens made remarks on the Missouri Senate Floor expressing his concerns with the current leadership at the MDC. Please read his remarks and forward them on to others who may wish to read them. Click Here
Report to Elected Officials
Please download and pass on the Take Back The MDC report to elected officials concerning the current state of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Please call your state elected representatives and senators and tell them that you are concerned with the Leadership at the MDC. Tell them you want change!
Download HERE
