Bad Science, Faulty Studies Continue Attacks on Hunting, Lead Ammo

[maximus otter]

Yet another study has been published that claims the use of lead-based ammunition by hunters is the root cause of rampant poisoning of America’s bald eagles.

Like clockwork, the media runs with these “studies” with breathless coverage that hunters are killing bald eagles.

A new Cornell University study posits bald eagles are especially susceptible to lead poisoning as a result of hunters taking game in New York, and that using traditional lead component ammunition puts humans at severe risk of being poisoned. Overwhelming evidence shows that the recovery of bald eagles is truly remarkable and that across the United States they are thriving like never before, thanks to hunters.

Three years ago, Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland reported more than 71,400 nesting pairs of American bald eagles in the lower 48 states, and more than 316,000 individual birds. That’s a quadrupling for the bald eagle population since 2009.

American bald eagles’ remarkable turnaround from the dire numbers in 1963 – when there were only 417 nesting pair – led to Sec. Haaland declaring bald eagle recovery a “truly a historic conservation success story.”

Want New York-specific data to counter the Cornell study? Look at The Wildlife Society Bulletin’s 2022 report titled “Population impact to bald eagles by ingested lead in New York State, 1990–2018.” This study covered 28 years – twice the Cornell study – and comes to a completely different conclusion.

“From 1990 to 2018, New York State exhibited expanding bald eagle populations with empirical abundances rising from 13 breeding pairs in 1990 to 369 breeding pairs in 2018,” the WSB report stated. Expanding further, the WSB report revealed, “Over the same period, the NYSDEC Wildlife Health Unit generated necropsy records on 594 individual eagles that died in New York State. Of these records, 0.082 experienced Pb‐poisoning (according to our thresholds), 0.061 experienced Pb‐exposure (but did not have Pb‐poisoning), 0.418 were tested for Pb in liver but did not have Pb‐exposure nor Pb‐poisoning, 0.241 were not tested for Pb in liver, 0.017 had unknown results, and 0.182 were not tested for Pb in any tissue.”

To be clear, almost 250 New York bald eagles, over 40 percent, were tested and had no lead exposure.

Hunters are America’s original conservationists. American hunters have used lead-based traditional ammunition for the taking of game for more than four-hundred years. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note there has never been a documented instance of a human falling ill after ingesting game harvested with traditional ammunition.

Bad Science, Faulty Studies Continue Attacks on Hunting, Lead Ammo | Tac Gear Drop

By Salam Fatohi, NSSF Yet another study has been published that claims the use of lead-based ammunition by hunters is the root cause of rampant poisoning

tacgeardrop.com

maximus otter

 

[Smellydog]

Yet another study has been published that claims the use of lead-based ammunition by hunters is the root cause of rampant poisoning of America’s bald eagles.

Like clockwork, the media runs with these “studies” with breathless coverage that hunters are killing bald eagles.

A new Cornell University study posits bald eagles are especially susceptible to lead poisoning as a result of hunters taking game in New York, and that using traditional lead component ammunition puts humans at severe risk of being poisoned. Overwhelming evidence shows that the recovery of bald eagles is truly remarkable and that across the United States they are thriving like never before, thanks to hunters.

Three years ago, Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland reported more than 71,400 nesting pairs of American bald eagles in the lower 48 states, and more than 316,000 individual birds. That’s a quadrupling for the bald eagle population since 2009.

American bald eagles’ remarkable turnaround from the dire numbers in 1963 – when there were only 417 nesting pair – led to Sec. Haaland declaring bald eagle recovery a “truly a historic conservation success story.”

Want New York-specific data to counter the Cornell study? Look at The Wildlife Society Bulletin’s 2022 report titled “Population impact to bald eagles by ingested lead in New York State, 1990–2018.” This study covered 28 years – twice the Cornell study – and comes to a completely different conclusion.

“From 1990 to 2018, New York State exhibited expanding bald eagle populations with empirical abundances rising from 13 breeding pairs in 1990 to 369 breeding pairs in 2018,” the WSB report stated. Expanding further, the WSB report revealed, “Over the same period, the NYSDEC Wildlife Health Unit generated necropsy records on 594 individual eagles that died in New York State. Of these records, 0.082 experienced Pb‐poisoning (according to our thresholds), 0.061 experienced Pb‐exposure (but did not have Pb‐poisoning), 0.418 were tested for Pb in liver but did not have Pb‐exposure nor Pb‐poisoning, 0.241 were not tested for Pb in liver, 0.017 had unknown results, and 0.182 were not tested for Pb in any tissue.”

To be clear, almost 250 New York bald eagles, over 40 percent, were tested and had no lead exposure.

Hunters are America’s original conservationists. American hunters have used lead-based traditional ammunition for the taking of game for more than four-hundred years. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note there has never been a documented instance of a human falling ill after ingesting game harvested with traditional ammunition.

Bad Science, Faulty Studies Continue Attacks on Hunting, Lead Ammo | Tac Gear Drop

By Salam Fatohi, NSSF Yet another study has been published that claims the use of lead-based ammunition by hunters is the root cause of rampant poisoning

tacgeardrop.com

maximus otter

Thank you.

It's never pesticides is it!

 

[308tikka]

Fundamentally, it is automations without the ability to think critically, who repeat mantras such as ‘there is no safe level of lead’. On the face of it a statement many would agree with but which has no concept of real world application.

When policymakers and lobbyists cannot comprehend the difference between risk, threat, hazards and any mitigating measures, there is no possibility of sensible policy measures.

Very sad to see some self-described ‘voices of shooting’ unable to see measures against lead projectiles (as opposed to lead shot over watercourses) as just another attack on legitimate shooting.

 

[A Guy Out West]

I’m still looking for a human that has been harmed by eating game shot with lead bullets. If it were really a thing, wouldn’t it be harming humans too?

 

[Smellydog]

Surely if we are going to employ these thought processes to lead then surely pesticide and herbicide spraying needs to go immediately?!

Motorised vehicles definitely kill thousands world wide every year, shouldn't they go first?!

It's pure prejudice and nothing else period.

 

[Selous]

I’m still looking for a human that has been harmed by eating game shot with lead bullets. If it were really a thing, wouldn’t it be harming humans too?

No not necessarily due to differences in avian and mammalian anatomy. People do not have a proventriculus so do not grind food as efficiently before it enters the stomach. This increases the surface area of lead particles and increases the rate of absorption.

 

[Buchan]

I'd missed this first time round. The report referred to in the linked article actually has this conclusion: We did not find evidence that Pb altered survival of hatchlings, but Pb-poisoning deleteriously altered survival of female non-breeders, male non-breeders, and female breeders. A combination of Pb-poisoning and Pb-exposure deleteriously altered survival of male non-breeders, female breeders, and male breeders.

The linked article is being a bit selective.

Lead is toxic and cumulative, that's been long established. Has anyone died from ingested lead in game meat? - I don't know, but there are plenty of papers showing higher lead levels in people who regularly eat lead shot meat. So even without actual deaths there is a logic to not eat meat with lead in it, not least if you are planning on raising children. As the non-lead bullets work, there is no real reason to carry on using lead for shooting edible game.

 

[timbrayford]

Thank you.

It's never pesticides is it!

Or bird flu

 

[timbrayford]

I'd missed this first time round. The report referred to in the linked article actually has this conclusion: We did not find evidence that Pb altered survival of hatchlings, but Pb-poisoning deleteriously altered survival of female non-breeders, male non-breeders, and female breeders. A combination of Pb-poisoning and Pb-exposure deleteriously altered survival of male non-breeders, female breeders, and male breeders.

The linked article is being a bit selective.

Lead is toxic and cumulative, that's been long established. Has anyone died from ingested lead in game meat? - I don't know, but there are plenty of papers showing higher lead levels in people who regularly eat lead shot meat. So even without actual deaths there is a logic to not eat meat with lead in it, not least if you are planning on raising children. As the non-lead bullets work, there is no real reason to carry on using lead for shooting edible game.

In your opinion, which of course you are entitled to. Just the same as the rest of us who believe that the risks of lead projectiles to both ourselves and the environment are being blatantly exaggerated by those who disapprove of our activities are entitled to ours

 

[hw101]

No not necessarily due to differences in avian and mammalian anatomy. People do not have a proventriculus so do not grind food as efficiently before it enters the stomach. This increases the surface area of lead particles and increases the rate of absorption.

Very interesting. I didn’t know that. Thanks!

 

[tdawson]

it is automations without the ability to think critically, who repeat mantras such as ‘there is no safe level of lead’

The very same automations that run the Scottish government who insist there is ‘no safe alcohol levels’

 

[Dunwaters]

Yet another study has been published that claims the use of lead-based ammunition by hunters is the root cause of rampant poisoning of America’s bald eagles.

Like clockwork, the media runs with these “studies” with breathless coverage that hunters are killing bald eagles.

A new Cornell University study posits bald eagles are especially susceptible to lead poisoning as a result of hunters taking game in New York, and that using traditional lead component ammunition puts humans at severe risk of being poisoned. Overwhelming evidence shows that the recovery of bald eagles is truly remarkable and that across the United States they are thriving like never before, thanks to hunters.

Three years ago, Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland reported more than 71,400 nesting pairs of American bald eagles in the lower 48 states, and more than 316,000 individual birds. That’s a quadrupling for the bald eagle population since 2009.

American bald eagles’ remarkable turnaround from the dire numbers in 1963 – when there were only 417 nesting pair – led to Sec. Haaland declaring bald eagle recovery a “truly a historic conservation success story.”

Want New York-specific data to counter the Cornell study? Look at The Wildlife Society Bulletin’s 2022 report titled “Population impact to bald eagles by ingested lead in New York State, 1990–2018.” This study covered 28 years – twice the Cornell study – and comes to a completely different conclusion.

“From 1990 to 2018, New York State exhibited expanding bald eagle populations with empirical abundances rising from 13 breeding pairs in 1990 to 369 breeding pairs in 2018,” the WSB report stated. Expanding further, the WSB report revealed, “Over the same period, the NYSDEC Wildlife Health Unit generated necropsy records on 594 individual eagles that died in New York State. Of these records, 0.082 experienced Pb‐poisoning (according to our thresholds), 0.061 experienced Pb‐exposure (but did not have Pb‐poisoning), 0.418 were tested for Pb in liver but did not have Pb‐exposure nor Pb‐poisoning, 0.241 were not tested for Pb in liver, 0.017 had unknown results, and 0.182 were not tested for Pb in any tissue.”

To be clear, almost 250 New York bald eagles, over 40 percent, were tested and had no lead exposure.

Hunters are America’s original conservationists. American hunters have used lead-based traditional ammunition for the taking of game for more than four-hundred years. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note there has never been a documented instance of a human falling ill after ingesting game harvested with traditional ammunition.

Bad Science, Faulty Studies Continue Attacks on Hunting, Lead Ammo | Tac Gear Drop

By Salam Fatohi, NSSF Yet another study has been published that claims the use of lead-based ammunition by hunters is the root cause of rampant poisoning

tacgeardrop.com

maximus otter

You do realise that those results correspond pretty tightly with the bans on DDT, PCB’s and the Federal ban on lead shot?
Once again, is lead harmful and if so why are humans uniquely immune to ill effects from ingesting it?

 

[Smellydog]

Once again, is lead harmful and if so why are humans uniquely immune to ill effects from ingesting it?

In the form of static metal, no not really.

 

[Dunwaters]

In the form of static metal, no not really.

Not true, and you know it.
You are trying to argue that lead ammunition, uniquely, is harmless to humans, you’ve had to accept that lead itself is toxic, how can it be harmless?

 

[Smellydog]

Not true, and you know it.
You are trying to argue that lead ammunition, uniquely, is harmless to humans, you’ve had to accept that lead itself is toxic, how can it be harmless?

It is true, it's all around us, like other toxic material. You can not be shielded in this day and age from toxic material period.

Toxic material by nature does not mean that by default it will harm you. Different toxic elements either need unique circumstances or chemically altered to shift from toxic to harmful.
Toxic material has potential to harm but not necessarily a definite.
Take intoxicating liquor for instance. It's alcohol content is toxic, do you think it should be banned therefore?

 

[Apthorpe]

I'd missed this first time round. The report referred to in the linked article actually has this conclusion: We did not find evidence that Pb altered survival of hatchlings, but Pb-poisoning deleteriously altered survival of female non-breeders, male non-breeders, and female breeders. A combination of Pb-poisoning and Pb-exposure deleteriously altered survival of male non-breeders, female breeders, and male breeders.

The linked article is being a bit selective.

Lead is toxic and cumulative, that's been long established. Has anyone died from ingested lead in game meat? - I don't know, but there are plenty of papers showing higher lead levels in people who regularly eat lead shot meat. So even without actual deaths there is a logic to not eat meat with lead in it, not least if you are planning on raising children. As the non-lead bullets work, there is no real reason to carry on using lead for shooting edible game.

Given the assumption that is true, therefore there is no need for a ban. The market will eliminate lead ammunition as surely as it eliminated telegrams, horse-drawn transport, Blackberry phones etcetc.
Regulation actually.impedes progress rather than accelerating it.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I’m still looking for a human that has been harmed by eating game shot with lead bullets. If it were really a thing, wouldn’t it be harming humans too?

You’ll curl your toes up before you find one!