Montana Lead Shot Ban Narrowly Defeated
Saturday, February 13th, 2010 at 7:49 PMTags: Ammunition BansFish and GameLead Free AmmoMontanaMontana Department of Fish And GameMontana Shooting Sports AssociationMSSA
Montana Lead Shot Ban Narrowly Defeated
Montana Shooting Sports Association
MISSOULA, MT --(AmmoLand.com)- You may have read or heard that the FWP Commission turned back the FWP Department’s proposed lead shot ban for upland game bird hunting on a narrow 3-2 vote.
The Missoulian/Lee Bureau story is located HERE.
From the story: “Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Joe Maurier suggested looking at such a ban in certain areas in Montana after returning from a conference of wildlife managers.”
You may remember that Maurier has little experience in Montana and maybe little or no experience hunting, and was hired primarily because he was Governor Schweitzer’s college roommate and buddy.
Apparently Joe heard about this California-style idea at a conference of western F&G directors and thought it would be California-groovy to run it in Montana.
As you probably know, there was no scientific basis offered for the lead ban, and little or no consideration of unintended consequences.
However, encouraged by the narrow vote, Maurier expressed intent to attempt the ban again. And, somebody who attended this meeting of the F&G Commission told me that the strong public comment against the ban was largely discounted and dismissed when the ban was presented.
Of the seven people primarily responsible for setting FWP policy, the five members of the Commission plus the Department Director and Deputy Director, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that none of them are hunters, especially big game hunters. And, remember, they are all appointed by Governor Schweitzer.
Bottom line: Expect the lead ban proposal to be proposed again with enough new justification to attempt to peel off one more vote on the Commission. And, expect a bill in the next session of the legislature to prohibit FWP from regulating ammunition for hunting.
Thanks to Commission Chairman Shane Colton of Billings for making the motion to dump the lead ban proposal.
Gary Marbut, presidentMontana Shooting Sports Association mssa@mtssa.org http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com
About Montana Shooting Sports Association:
MSSA is the primary political advocate for Montana gun owners. SAF is a national organization headquartered in Bellevue, WA that works nationally to advance the interests of gun owners. Visit: www.mtssa.org
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There should be a nationwide ban on the use of lead for ALL hunting and fishing. This is a no-brainer, folks. And hunters should be leading the fight. This has nothing to do with “anti-gun” or “anti-hunting” sentiments. It’s all about environmental protection and the health of the planet and its disappearing wildlife.
The toxic properties of lead have been well-known for more than 2,000 years. It’s been banned in waterfowl hunting, paint, gasoline, ceramic dishes, children’s toys….
If hunting ever goes down the tubes, it will be largely due to issues like this. It’s clear that, except for a few ethical hunters, the hook ‘n’ bullet boys have been co-opted by the NRA. Too sad.
Don’t believe it LEAD SHOT IS NOT THE PROBLEM!
So you are saying that after 300 years of using lead shot in rifles and hand guns that suddenly it is now a problem, with less hunter than ever?
That is BS, in fact the CDC agrees “that traditional ammunition poses no health risk to people who consume game harvested meat and that the call to ban lead ammunition was nothing more than a scare tactic being pushed by anti-hunting groups”
Even if the remote possibility existed that lead ammo could be a problem it is certainly would pail in the comparison to the millions and millions of lead burning cars and motors that pumped out vaporized lead for years and continue to do so today.
Speaking of cars, cars driven by people routinely kill, maim and injure animals, including endangered species, every day, why don’t you ban driving cars too?
The reason is simple it is anti hunting groups that are leading the charge to ban lead ammo with no proof or science to back it up.
Hunters don’t be fooled by this LIE!
Note to readers: “Joe Blow” is Eric Mills Email: afa@mcn.org Eric is a member of and coordinator for Action for Animals.
He is the enemy and exactly the people that the reader Iam is warning you about. Kudos for Iam for calling it right.
I encourage our readers to email Eric and politely try to get him to change his mind.
As a wildlife rehabilitator I have seen the effects of lead and it is a terrible way to die. So until you see a animal suffer or your kid suffer from lead toxicity you have no room to talk. It’s not a ploy to ban all hunting just remove the toxic heavy metals in our environment.
Becky, since you work at Montana Raptor Conservation Center can you provide any documented cases of birds that were effected by lead shot?
All you can find on the internet is animal rights groups claiming they have cases, but again no documented proof that this is a problem…
Becky, what a serious bucket of B.S. you are just plain full of Shxx. The minimal amount of lead introduced into the environment by shooting in all disciplines is not proven to be a hazard to any person or animal. There are more caustic natural elements introduced by mother nature. Your comment is not factual and its shameful that you would outright lie to influence people.
horrible.