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Date:         Sat, 20 Aug 2011 15:55:55 -0500
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From:         Inger Lamb <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [IOWA-NATIVE-PLANTS] DM Reg editorial: dove hunting, lead shot
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Lawmakers ignored our environment

Decision to block the ban on lead shot was wrong

 

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110820/OPINION03/308200014/0/BUSI
NESS04/?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Anyone who wants to shoot mourning doves in Iowa doesn't have to wait much
longer. A 70-day hunting season on the songbirds begins Sept. 1. After this
state protected the birds for nearly 100 years, lawmakers this year agreed
it was time for people to start shooting them.

Hunters can pick up their shotguns and boxes of shells and take aim. If they
hit a bird, they'll have a few forkfuls of meat right away. If they use lead
shot and wait a while, they may find they've killed even more doves - and
other wildlife.

The small pellets contained in a shotgun shell look just like the weeds and
seeds that doves eat from the ground. They also mix with the grit eaten by
many other birds to aid digestion.

There is a problem: Lead shot is poisonous.

Ingesting one or two pellets can kill a bird. Other wildlife, including bald
eagles, may also die if they eat animals that ingested the lead. But Iowa
lawmakers apparently don't care.

It was shameful enough when the Iowa Legislature, Democrats and Republicans,
fast-tracked approval of dove hunting without giving Iowans the customary
opportunities to make their views known before lawmakers voted. Lawmakers
disregarded poll after poll that showed Iowans opposed killing the cooing
birds. But now our elected officials are disregarding science and the
recommendation of a state commission charged with setting policies and rules
related to hunting.

The Iowa Natural Resource Commission voted to require dove hunters to use
nontoxic shotgun pellets instead of shot made from lead. On Tuesday, the
Legislature's Administrative Rules Review Committee struck down that
provision.

They don't seem to understand what everyone else knows: Lead is toxic.
That's the reason the 2012 Legislature should allow the rule banning lead
shot to go into effect.

But what about right now? In a few weeks dove hunting season begins. That
means the best hope for doing right by Iowa's environment in the short-term
lies with hunters.

Don Anderson of Des Moines is an avid hunter. He has the guns, dogs and the
love of the sport. But he is concerned about hunters using lead shot.

When he's hunting pheasants or quail, Anderson said he might take a total of
five or six shots. But doves are smaller and hunters are allowed to kill
more of these birds per day, meaning the hunters will be "throwing lead" all
over the place and putting other birds in danger with the shot on the
ground, he said.

Greg Drees, chairman of the Iowa Natural Resource Commission, has not used
lead shot to hunt anything for years. He doesn't want to be among those
spreading the toxic substance in forests and fields.

"We got rid of it from our gasoline. We got rid of it from our paint," he
said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service banned lead shot in hunting
waterfowl 20 years ago. "The lead toxicity in the water environment is
well-documented. How can people think the toxicity isn't present in the
uplands as well? There is solid science."

Drees says he pays four cents more per shell for nontoxic, steel shot. Other
hunters should do the same.

Gov. Terry Branstad has recognized Iowa's "rich tradition" of hunting. "We
are on the eve of starting another great tradition, dove hunting," he said.

Contaminating the environment with lead shot that endangers other animals is
not a great tradition. It is not anti-hunting, as some seem to think, to ban
lead shot.

SIDEBAR:

What does the science say?

Lead pellets in shotgun shells are poisonous. When a hunter shoots at an
animal, these pellets are scattered all over. Wildlife ingesting a few of
these tiny pellets can be poisoned to death. Studies reviewed by the Iowa
Natural Resource Commission and shared with the Des Moines Register
editorial page found: 
. Unlike other upland-game hunting, mourning dove hunting "can deposit large
quantities of lead shot on relatively small areas." Research has shown that
860,185 lead pellets were deposited on managed fields in New Mexico, 27,515
pellets in Indiana and 6,342 pellets in Missouri. "Mourning doves feeding in
these managed fields ingest lead shots because the spent shotgun pellets
appear similar to weed and grain seeds." 
. As previous research has suggested, free-ranging mourning doves ingest
spent lead pellets, succumb to lead poisoning and die "in a relatively short
time." Wildlife management agencies should develop a "long-term strategic
plan aimed at implementing a nontoxic shot regulation for mourning dove
hunting." 
The editorial page also contacted the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks agency
because the debate over lead shot versus steel shot has raged there for
several years. According to information distributed by the state of Montana:

. Each year about 6,000 pounds of lead shot are deposited into the
environment by waterfowl hunters - killing an estimated 2 to 3 million birds
each year from lead sot ingestion. "Losses of this magnitude nearly equal
the annual duck harvest in the Central Flyway." 
. "Studies show that significant numbers of endangered bald eagles also have
died from lead poisoning since 1980." These eagles died after ingesting lead
shot while eating waterfowl tissues containing lead pellets.

 


_____________________________________________________
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The Iowa Native Plants Mailing List provides a forum for those interested in Iowa's natural
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Native Plant Society.  This list is owned and managed by Diana Horton, and sponsored by
the University of Iowa Department of Biology.

For assistance, contact Diana Horton, [log in to unmask]

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vlink=3Dpurple><div class=3DWordSection1><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'background:white'><b><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:22.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:blac=
k'>Lawmakers ignored our environment<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'background:white'><b><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#999=
999'>Decision to block the ban on lead shot was =
wrong<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D'><a =
href=3D"http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110820/OPINION03/30820=
0014/0/BUSINESS04/?odyssey=3Dnav%7Chead">http://www.desmoinesregister.com=
/article/20110820/OPINION03/308200014/0/BUSINESS04/?odyssey=3Dnav%7Chead<=
/a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>Anyone who wants to shoot mourning doves in Iowa doesn&#8217;t have =
to wait much longer. A 70-day hunting season on the songbirds begins =
Sept. 1. After this state protected the birds for nearly 100 years, =
lawmakers this year agreed it was time for people to start shooting =
them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>Hunters can pick up their shotguns and boxes of shells and take aim. =
If they hit a bird, they&#8217;ll have a few forkfuls of meat right =
away. If they use lead shot and wait a while, they may find =
they&#8217;ve killed even more doves &#8211; and other =
wildlife.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>The small pellets contained in a shotgun shell look just like the =
weeds and seeds that doves eat from the ground. They also mix with the =
grit eaten by many other birds to aid digestion.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>There is a problem: Lead shot is poisonous.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>Ingesting one or two pellets can kill a bird. Other wildlife, =
including bald eagles, may also die if they eat animals that ingested =
the lead. But Iowa lawmakers apparently don&#8217;t =
care.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>It was shameful enough when the Iowa Legislature, Democrats and =
Republicans, fast-tracked approval of dove hunting without giving Iowans =
the customary opportunities to make their views known before lawmakers =
voted. Lawmakers disregarded poll after poll that showed Iowans opposed =
killing the cooing birds. But now our elected officials are disregarding =
science and the recommendation of a state commission charged with =
setting policies and rules related to hunting.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>The Iowa Natural Resource Commission voted to require dove hunters =
to use nontoxic shotgun pellets instead of shot made from lead. On =
Tuesday, the Legislature&#8217;s Administrative Rules Review Committee =
struck down that provision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>They don&#8217;t seem to understand what everyone else knows: Lead =
is toxic. That&#8217;s the reason the 2012 Legislature should allow the =
rule banning lead shot to go into effect.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>But what about right now? In a few weeks dove hunting season begins. =
That means the best hope for doing right by Iowa&#8217;s environment in =
the short-term lies with hunters.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>Don Anderson of Des Moines is an avid hunter. He has the guns, dogs =
and the love of the sport. But he is concerned about hunters using lead =
shot.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>When he&#8217;s hunting pheasants or quail, Anderson said he might =
take a total of five or six shots. But doves are smaller and hunters are =
allowed to kill more of these birds per day, meaning the hunters will be =
&#8220;throwing lead&#8221; all over the place and putting other birds =
in danger with the shot on the ground, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>Greg Drees, chairman of the Iowa Natural Resource Commission, has =
not used lead shot to hunt anything for years. He doesn&#8217;t want to =
be among those spreading the toxic substance in forests and =
fields.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>&#8220;We got rid of it from our gasoline. We got rid of it from our =
paint,&#8221; he said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service banned lead =
shot in hunting waterfowl 20 years ago. &#8220;The lead toxicity in the =
water environment is well-documented. How can people think the toxicity =
isn&#8217;t present in the uplands as well? There is solid =
science.&#8221;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>Drees says he pays four cents more per shell for nontoxic, steel =
shot. Other hunters should do the same.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>Gov. Terry Branstad has recognized Iowa&#8217;s &#8220;rich =
tradition&#8221; of hunting. &#8220;We are on the eve of starting =
another great tradition, dove hunting,&#8221; he =
said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>Contaminating the environment with lead shot that endangers other =
animals is not a great tradition. It is not anti-hunting, as some seem =
to think, to ban lead shot.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>SIDEBAR:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
8.0pt;background:white'><b><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2=
C2C'>What does the science say?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal =
style=3D'mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:1=
2.0pt;background:white'><span lang=3DEN =
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#2C2C=
2C'>Lead pellets in shotgun shells are poisonous. When a hunter shoots =
at an animal, these pellets are scattered all over. Wildlife ingesting a =
few of these tiny pellets can be poisoned to death. Studies reviewed by =
the Iowa Natural Resource Commission and shared with the Des Moines =
Register editorial page found: <br>&#8226; Unlike other upland-game =
hunting, mourning dove hunting &#8220;can deposit large quantities of =
lead shot on relatively small areas.&#8221; Research has shown that =
860,185 lead pellets were deposited on managed fields in New Mexico, =
27,515 pellets in Indiana and 6,342 pellets in Missouri. &#8220;Mourning =
doves feeding in these managed fields ingest lead shots because the =
spent shotgun pellets appear similar to weed and grain seeds.&#8221; =
<br>&#8226; As previous research has suggested, free-ranging mourning =
doves ingest spent lead pellets, succumb to lead poisoning and die =
&#8220;in a relatively short time.&#8221; Wildlife management agencies =
should develop a &#8220;long-term strategic plan aimed at implementing a =
nontoxic shot regulation for mourning dove hunting.&#8221; <br>The =
editorial page also contacted the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks agency =
because the debate over lead shot versus steel shot has raged there for =
several years. According to information distributed by the state of =
Montana: <br>&#8226; Each year about 6,000 pounds of lead shot are =
deposited into the environment by waterfowl hunters &#8211; killing an =
estimated 2 to 3 million birds each year from lead sot ingestion. =
&#8220;Losses of this magnitude nearly equal the annual duck harvest in =
the Central Flyway.&#8221; <br>&#8226; &#8220;Studies show that =
significant numbers of endangered bald eagles also have died from lead =
poisoning since 1980.&#8221; These eagles died after ingesting lead shot =
while eating waterfowl tissues containing lead =
pellets.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div></body></html>
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<br>For assistance, contact Diana Horton, <a href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">
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