Lead Ban Chronicles – Montana Update and CA Under Fire Again
First things first… a couple of weeks back, I posted up about a proposal floated around Montana to ban lead ammunition from State Wildlife Areas. As of February 11, the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission voted against the ban. As was reported in the Billings Gazette, it was a close vote.
HELENA — By a slim, one-vote margin, Montana’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission on Thursday killed an effort to ban lead shot ammunition for upland game bird hunting on a series of state-owned hunting lands.
The commission voted 3-2 against banning lead shot ammunition at the Freezeout Lake and Canyon Ferry wildlife management areas. Earlier, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks had suggested banning lead shot on all the management areas. The commission never considered a total ban, the only two that came up for discussion at Thursday’s meeting were Freezeout Lake and Canyon Ferry.
That’s the good news.
The not-so-good news comes from California. I received the following press release the other day, but was asked to hold it. Well, it’s reported all over the place now… so much for being first out of the gate.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: John D. Mann
February 23, 2010
(916) 718-7420
Nava Announces Introduction of Bill Banning the Use of Lead Shot in State Wildlife Areas
Nava Will Be Joined by Audubon California, Defenders of Wildlife, the Humane Society and other Environmental Groups
What: Press conference regarding Nava’s proposal to ban the use of toxic lead shot in all California State Wild Life Areas
When: Wednesday, February 24, 2010, 11 a.m.
Where: State Capitol, Room 1190
Who: Assemblymember Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara)
Audubon California
Defenders of Wildlife
The Humane Society of the United States
The bill will expand existing federal limitations on the use of lead shot to include all 627,000 acres of California’s most important wildlife habitat that host many species which are listed as threatened, endangered or fully protected under state law.
“This is an important environmental issue for California wildlife,” said Assemblymember Nava. “The science is increasingly clear that lead shot poses a real danger to bird populations on these lands. With viable alternatives to lead shot – this is just a no-brainer.”
Two years ago, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Nava’s Ridley Tree Condor Preservation Act that banned the use of lead ammunition in California condor country. The ban has been instrumental in the recovery of the endangered California condor.
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It just makes me tired. The arguments have all been made, and I don’t have much new to add. I recognize that lead-free ammo is becoming more and more available, and that the lead ban juggernaut has worked up a pretty solid head of steam in this state. Even so, statements like, “the science is increasingly clear that lead shot poses a real danger to bird populations on these lands,” really piss me off.
At the same time Nava is making statements like this, the folks in Montana are saying that the science does NOT support a lead ban. So which is it?
Well, anyone who’s been paying attention knows it might be a little of both. Research does show that carrion birds and even some raptors are picking up residual lead which may be coming from hunter-shot game. But it’s also not showing a sharp increase in mortality. In fact, bald eagles, golden eagles, and some hawks appear to be doing very well. Ravens, crows, and buzzards are also thriving.
The problem is that the real science here is being buried under emotions, politics, and agenda. Statements like Nava’s only make it worse. It’s not a “no-brainer”. It’s just that some people apparently aren’t using their brains.
Posted on 25th February 2010
Under: lead ammo ban | 4 Comments »



