Jump to content

Wikipedia:Sandbox

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Wikipedia:TEST)

Lead Ammunition Use in Hunting

[edit]

In 2022 in the United States, there were 14.4 million hunters reported by the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation [1]. Hunting is multifunctional in which there are economic benefits, food security and conservation management roles [2]. Lead ammunition has been used as projectiles in hunting for centuries. Lead is a toxic metal which is naturally occuring in small amounts on the earth's crust [3] .It was not until the 19th century when lead was linked to have a negative impact on wildlife, particularlly posioning in ducks [4]. The negative impact of lead ammunition use is not limited to animals, but to humans and the environment as well [5].

Background Information

[edit]

Hunting has a longstanding history with humans as hunting provides a food source, clothing and spiritual significance. Hunting with firearms became a common practice among Europe and Asia around the 15th century [6]. The use of lead for ammunition has been in use since the 15th century as well [7]. It was not until the 19th century that there were reports of posioning in ducks and pheasants in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively [8]. More information and research has since been conducted on the effects on humans, animals and the environment of lead ammunition used in hunting. When a lead bullet strikes an animal, the bullet fragments into small pieces causing destruction of the surrounding tissues. If a hunter chooses to leave the gutpile in the field, there is a chance that fragments of the lead bullet could be within the tissues. Birds and other wildlife may come feed on the gutpile and become ill from lead posioning. Similarly, research has also shown that lead fragments have been founding in processed wild game meat [9].

Epidemiology

[edit]

In the European Union, it is estimated that there is an estimated 700,000 birds that die annually due to lead posioning [10]. A study conducted on bald and golden eagles in Greater Yellowstone compared blood lead levels during the hunting and non-hunting seasons and found that the lead blood levels in the hunting season were significantly higher than the non-hunting season, where the age had no effect on the lead blood levels [11]. A medical journal documents a hunter from New Zealand that consumed ground game meat had dramatically decreased lead blood levels after switching to non-lead ammunition [12].

Prevention Strategies

[edit]

Prevention strategies and policies have been developed to help prevent lead exposure in humans and wildlife as lead can have a fatal impact if overexposed. The Environmental Protection Agency reccommends to keep homes clean and well-maintained. People who are most susceptible to lead exposure include children and pregnant women [13] . The Arizona hunter education program reccomends two methods for hunters to reduce lead exposure by choosing to hunt with non-lead ammunition or to remove the entire carcass from the field, including the gutpile [14].

Statistics

[edit]

Birds, particularly waterfowl and raptors, and other scavenging wildlife are at the greatest risk of lead exposure and posioning [15]. Ocular lesions have been noted in a bald eagle as sub-lethal effect of lead posioning [16]. A study found that up to 30% of randomly selected packaged ground venison contained metal fragments with more than 90% of the metals positively identified as lead. The meat was then fed to pigs and the lead blood levels of the pigs elevated within 2 days of ingestion [17]. Only a few lead fragments are enough to kill a bald eagle or California condor, both which are protected species. [18]. According to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, a majortiy of hunters use lead ammunition, however in areas that have the protected species like the California condor, up to 80% of hunters will used non-lead ammunition voluntarily [19]

  1. ^ Sandoval, C. (2024). Report offers a snapshot of hunters and anglers in the U.S.: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/story/2024-09/report-offers-snapshot-hunters-and-anglers-us
  2. ^ Wagner, G. (2022). Why hunting is so important. Retrieved from http://digital.outdoornebraska.gov/nebraskaland-magazine/why-hunting-is-so-important#:~:text=Hunting%20manages%20wildlife%20populations.,human%20activity%20and%20land%20use.
  3. ^ Environmental Protection Agency. (2024). Learn about Lead. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/lead/learn-about-lead
  4. ^ Ellis, M. B., & Miller, C. A. (2023). Efforts to ban lead ammunition: A comparison between Europe and the United States - Ellis - 2023 - Wildlife society bulletin - wiley online library. Retrieved from https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1449
  5. ^ California Air Resources Board. (n.d.). Lead & Health. Retrieved from https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/lead-and-health#:~:text=Ecosystems%20near%20point%20sources%20of,and%20neurological%20effects%20in%20vertebrates.
  6. ^ Perkins, L. (2025). A history of hunting with firearms. Retrieved from https://mgs.edu/history-of-hunt-with-firearms/
  7. ^ OTM Tactical. (2018). The History of Ammunition (The First Bullet). Retrieved from https://shop.otmtactical.com/The-History-of-Ammunition-The-First-Bullet.html#:~:text=~1400s%3A%20The%20Cast%20Lead%20Ball&text=Gunsmiths%20and%20ammunition%20manufacturers%20got,firearms%2C%20were%20the%20first%20bullets.
  8. ^ Ellis, M. B., & Miller, C. A. (2023). Efforts to ban lead ammunition: A comparison between Europe and the United States - Ellis - 2023 - Wildlife society bulletin - wiley online library. Retrieved from https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1449
  9. ^ Pinnacles National Park. (2024). Lead bullet risks for wildlife & humans. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/nature/leadinfo.htm
  10. ^ Pain, D. J., Mateo, R., & Green, R. E. (2019). Effects of lead from ammunition on birds and other wildlife: A review and Update. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6675766/#Sec14
  11. ^ Bedrosian, B., & Craighead, D. (2008). Blood lead levels of bald and golden eagles sampled ... Retrieved from http://science.peregrinefund.org/legacy-sites/conference-lead/PDF/0209%20Bedrosian.pdf
  12. ^ Totoni, S., Fabisiak, J., & Terry, M. A. (2022). Lead in hunted meat: Who’s telling hunters and their families? Retrieved from https://www.ehn.org/lead-ammunition-in-meat
  13. ^ Environmental Protection Agency. (2024). Learn about Lead. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/lead/learn-about-lead
  14. ^ Hunter-ed. (n.d.). Hunter’s role in preventing lead poisoning. Retrieved from https://www.hunter-ed.com/arizona/studyGuide/Hunter%E2%80%99s-Role-in-Preventing-Lead-Poisoning/20100402_101130/
  15. ^ Nastase, P. (2024). Lead toxicity in birds. Retrieved from https://valleyforgeaudubon.org/2024/03/22/lead-toxicity-in-birds/#:~:text=An%20estimated%2016%20million%20birds,fishing%20sinkers%20are%20also%20lethal.
  16. ^ Pain, D. J., Mateo, R., & Green, R. E. (2019). Effects of lead from ammunition on birds and other wildlife: A review and Update. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6675766/#Sec14
  17. ^ Pinnacles National Park. (2024). Lead bullet risks for wildlife & humans. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/nature/leadinfo.htm
  18. ^ Pinnacles National Park. (2024). Lead bullet risks for wildlife & humans. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/nature/leadinfo.htm
  19. ^ Arizona Game & Fish Department. (2024). Don’t forget the lead-free ammo this fall. Retrieved from https://www.azgfd.com/2024/10/25/gearing-up-for-a-fall-hunt-dont-forget-the-lead-free-ammo/#:~:text=Since%202008%2C%20over%2080%20percent,were%20shot%20with%20lead%20ammunition.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Sandbox&oldid=1297029393"