Washington State Could Ban Lead Ammo

[Corey Graff]

The National Rifle Association has alerted shooters and hunters to a plan proposed by the state of Washington's Department of Ecology.

"The lead ammunition you use for hunting as well as target and competitive shooting will be banned from purchase, use and ownership in the state of Washington if the state's Department of Ecology has its way," the NRA said. "Lead ammunition is a target of a series of recommendations in the Lead Chemical Action Plan prepared by the Department of Ecology."

That anti-lead sentiment is part of a larger national movement.

"Most recently, California passed a law that prohibits hunters from using lead ammunition in areas within the range of the California condor," NRA noted. "A symposium was held in June in Boise, Idaho, about the effects of lead ammunition on wildlife and humans. Most of the speakers supported a ban on lead ammunition, regardless of the cost, performance and availability of substitutes. The Department of Ecology plan is yet another effort to remove lead ammunition nationwide."

The Washington plan is open for public comment until Oct. 6, and the NRA has urged Washington shooters and hunters to make their feelings known. The plan and information about submitting comments are available at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/pbt/leadcap.

- Brian McCombie

[gutpile]

Washington's answer to anything is ban ban ban. And it will pass cause we pass anything that has to do with hunting. This is probably from bird hunting, it's still legal to use lead on pheasant and such, unless you are hunting near waterfowl areas or on release sights, I think I will have to check the rules again...But Washington Sucks when it comes to hunting bans...

[hunter480]

I know lead is an environmental issue, lead is bad for us as well as most wildlife. Having said that, I think the environmentalists and the lawmakers tend to gove the edge when attempting to figure out the right thing to do.
 
Certainly we want a healthy environment, and healthy wildlife, but legislation has to be balanced with reasonable expectations as well as, looking out for the best interests of the land management.

[ranwin33]

There are some good non-lead bullets out there: Barnes Triple Shock, Barnes MRX, Nosler eTip.  Just not sure I can agree with a ban unless there are some significant studies showing poisoning from lead bullets.  Not shot, but bullets.  Would like to see some of the material presented at the symposium.

[gutpile]

There wont be any studies. Like the time the enviro's sued cause there was to many log jams in the rivers, they said cause of logging. State said ok cleaned out the rivers, I know guys that took cats down the middle of the river to bust up jams, they dynamited them to..Anywho they made these wonderful free flowing rivers, void of resting pools, or spawning grounds, now the state pay's people to place logs in the rivers to make fish habitat. Brilliant yes! Our state won't challenge enviro's, cause the enviro's are slowly taking over these agency's and the game department...

[Highlander Archery]

Lead is a naturally occurring element found in trace quantities nearly everywhere, including your water. The environmental impact from bullets fired during the hunting season and even at rifle ranges is negligible at best.

The contention that bullets are responsible for poisoning Condors(the issue that started all this) is inconclusive and paints hunters in a bad light. For this argument to be valid hunters would have to leave their targeted species where it dies.

The only fact that can be stated with any certainty is that nearly all animals subjected to a rapid, violent injection of lead die and die rapidly.

[JOEL]

i actually wrote to the people over there and got a "we're looking in to all aspects of it(lead) .we dont want to hurt hunters and shooters." yeah i got this bridge here in NY ya want to buy it?