In this report ( AFWA), they noted that lead poisoning was observed in waterfowl as early as 1874, which led to the U.S. The working group consisted of individuals from hunting and environmental groups, agencies, industry, and independent scientists or researchers. The purpose of the study was to identify high-quality peer-reviewed scientific research regarding lead and its effects on fish and wildlife populations. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) launched a review to tackle this potential issue. The problem is that many people doubt the validity of claims from either direction, as they feel the reviewers are biased one way or another. Due to this concern, scientists from North America and Europe have issued consensus statements on the risks to the environment, wildlife, and human health from the use of lead ammunition (Arnemo et al. In humans, lead poisoning can cause kidney damage, blood pressure increases, anemia, reduced fertility, and childhood neurological or neurochemical issues. ( 2006) observed that hunters in Greenland eating waterfowl killed with lead shot had a significant increase in blood lead level versus those who did not eat them. Read: Why I Stopped Shooting Lead at Doves More pressing, lead can then be transferred to humans who eat these birds. Once it enters a bird’s bloodstream in sufficient quantities, it can cause nervous system damage (leading to erratic flight and movement), emaciation (i.e., loss of fat and muscle), or even reproductive system harm. And scavenging birds may eat the gut piles or remains of other animals killed with lead fragments or shot still in the tissue. Upland birds eat the pellets mistaking it for seeds or grit. Waterfowl and loons consume the spent shot pellets and fishing sinkers on the bottom of wetlands and lakes (Daury et al. Wild birds, for example, are primarily affected by lead due to ingestion. No matter where you fall on the lead debate, it’s hard to argue on the toxicity issue. But the problem is that lead is also toxic – to humans and wildlife alike. The dense and heavy metal is great for its pattern uniformity at various distances, and it’s relatively cheap because it’s so abundant. Lead is a very common load for upland birds, turkeys, and small game. If hunting is a part of your family, your grandparents and parents probably used lead shot exclusively, and there’s a good chance you still use it, as well. And while the alternative options have improved and prices have dropped in the decades since then, the socio-political lead debate still continues. Fish and Wildlife Service mandated that all hunters nationwide use non-lead shot on waterfowl in 1991, there was a lot of unrest from hunters. Nobody really likes it when their choices are taken away from them, and lead ammunition is no different. If the topic of climate change affects people’s blood pressure, you can bet that the discussion of lead shot will do it, too. Looking at both sides of the lead shot debate and its effects on the environment
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