Take Back The MDC
A Gathering Point for True Sportsmen
Stretching The Truth
Friday, January 11th, 2008
Towards the end of last year we mentioned an article in the August edition of the NRA's American Hunter Magazine asking if all hunting might go "unleaded". In the article the NRA makes the case that there is no case for the groups in the U.S. now pushing for a ban on lead ammunition.
Read the article here: -LINK-
The NRA is very clear that the small effect that lead may have on the California Condor is being widely overblown and the reason for this is to push for a lead ban and further regulations that in the end would mean less hunting for the state. The NRA has been very vocal in the past that these bans are backed up by junk science, funded by organizations and individuals with ulterior motives other than protection of animals from nasty toxins.
In the article, the NRA mentions that Missouri is considering a state wide lead shot ban for shotguns and notes that the Department of Conservation has already passed its own regulation to ban lead shot in 2007 for many of its conservation areas. In the article, MDC administrator Dave Erickson says, "studies show doves and upland birds will ingest lead shot."
Hmm....that is at best stretching the truth according to the text of the study we obtained from sources inside the MDC. They are basing the above on a 2006 study in which 117 captured dove were force fed lead pellets in their feed making the lead thousands of times more available than would normally happen in the wild. Despite this, only 6 dove actually ate the pellets and 3 of them expelled the pellets without any ill effect while the other 3 were dissected before they had a chance to recover or pass the pellets.
So the MDC has now banned lead shot on 21 conservation areas for ALL SMALL GAME and according to the article, wants to take the ban statewide all because they have a study where 3 dove ate pellets force fed to them in their feed.
Another MDC funded study in 2002 shows soil samples for lead pellets and the result is similar in the fact that it in no way should be used as a reason for a lead ban. In this study, 314 soil samples were taken from the James A Reed Conservation Area dove fields over a two year period and only 18 pellets were found. This after a recorded 14,087 shot shells were fired over the field!
This is just a farce and we hope the MDC will repeal this forced lead ban on Missouri hunters and back out of all attempts to take this ban further in Missouri. If the MDC leadership refuses, we would hope that our Missouri elected officials and the NRA work to repeat what recently took place at the California Fish and Game Commission where they applied enough political pressure to see the commissioner who supported the lead ban resign in shame.
The current MDC director and his immediate staff are supporting this lead ban. The leadership at the CFM (Conservation Federation of Missouri) also seems to be going along with this fraudulent attempt to over-regulate small game hunting.
We hope that in this next legislative session, the proper course of action will be taken to see changes at the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The studies mentioned above are now available for download on our Articles page.
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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
