Reasons to Consider Getting the Lead out of Your Hunt The past few years have seen a lot of discussion on the issue of lead in hunting ammunition, especially rifle bullets. Regardless of who's saying what, most of us want to see the evidence behind an argument. This site is intended to act as a place to gather that information together and take a look at reasons to hunt with non-lead ammo. 1. Ensure the Highest Quality Meat from a Harvest
2. Prevent Lethal Collateral Damage to Wildlife
What Ingested Lead Does to Wildlife
More Info to Come... This web site is still under construction. Please check the links at the top right for more information and check back periodically for new content. Thanks for taking the time to consider this issue. |
One great thing about hunting wild animals is being able to put high quality meat on the table. When people invented lead bullets, it was because the metal is easy to work and makes an effective bullet. It's both heavy and malleable - so it's been a logical and effective choice for over 100 years. But no one intended that the lead would end up in people's food. So when the results of the 
Most hunters would agree that a good hunt is one that
takes only one pull of the trigger and drops the animal with a quick,
humane kill. The idea of accidentally poisoning other non-target wildlife
isn't anyone's intention. But many birds and mammals feed on the gutpiles and carcasses that they find during and after hunting season. In many cases, these animals unknowingly eat lead when the carcasses have been shot with lead ammo.
So, what animals might end up as collateral damage when lead fragments remain in gutpiles or carcasses?
Once lead bullet fragments are taken into the digestive system, the lead is dissolved by the very acidic conditions found in bird and mammal stomachs. This dissolved lead is absorbed into the bloodstream and then into the tissues and bones. Once present, the lead destroys the myelin sheath that insulated the nerve fiber bundles. This disruption causes a number of problems, including tremors, convulsions, lack of coordination, paralysis of the digestive system, and eventually either kills the animal outright or makes it too weak to avoid predators.