DEC Expands Bald and Golden Eagle Conservation Study

[Steve D]

Study Offers Rebates for Hunters to Use Non-Lead Ammunition During 2024-25 Deer Hunting Season

Initially available for hunting in specific Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), the study is expanding statewide to include all WMUs where a firearm can be used to hunt deer. Participation in the rebate program is voluntary and will be available to all firearm deer hunters statewide. DEC’s research partners will be offering rebates up to $60 for the purchase of certified non-lead ammunition and participation in both pre- and post-hunt surveys.

DEC has partnered with the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Cornell University, U.S. Geological Survey, and Conservation Science Global on the study to determine the how the increased use non-lead ammunition for deer hunting can improve the health and survival of bald and golden eagles.

Lead bullets used for deer hunting are relatively soft and can fragment into many small pieces that travel throughout a deer’s vital organs after impact. Eagles can then ingest these fragments when scavenging the remains left behind after a hunter field dresses a deer. If an eagle consumes a lead fragment as small as a grain of rice, the subsequent lead poising can be lethal. While the bald eagle population is soaring in New York, research has shown that lead-related mortality has slowed population growth. The golden eagle population in the eastern U.S. is relatively stable, although vulnerable to a potential population decline due to lead poisoning. This study aims to determine whether this source of mortality can be reduced by increasing the proportion of hunters using non-lead ammunition.  

DEC expects to continue offering rebates during the 2025 and 2026 hunting seasons. For more information and where eligible hunters can participate, visit the Hunters for Eagle Conservation website. 

This research was identified as a high priority in DEC’s report, “Minimizing Risks to Wildlife and People from Lead Hunting Ammunition.” Since the release of this report in April 2022, DEC and partners have taken several steps to implement recommendations in the plan towards minimizing the risks associated with lead ammunition for hunting.

For more information, visit DEC’s website.

[airedale]

Control ammunition and you will control firearms, any kind of ban on lead core ammo will do just that.

The Democrats are looking at every angle to get some kind of ban on traditional lead core bullets and believe me this is nothing more than the beginnings of a back door route to control firearms. First they tried to put a scare into hunters that ate their game meat shot with ammo that contained lead, when it was found that no human ever was proven to have been lead poisoned and become seriously ill from eating game meat they abandoned that line of crap. 

That did not stop NY from pulling their stunt with background checks and an added fee just to buy a box of ammo, they are going to make it as hard as they can.

I have nothing against anyone that wants to fire copper ammo, I use copper bullets when I want to when the style and weight  are suited for a certain load I want to try.

The propaganda that a copper bullet is superior to a traditional lead core bullet is baloney! They are not more accurate, they do not kill any better than a quality traditional bullet and they cost twice as much with very limited availability. I have taken a fair amount of game in my lifetime and I can not think of one single instance where a copper bullet would have made any difference other than lightening my wallet, dead is dead!

151042 people died from various illegal drugs in this country last year, I would say their priorities about a few birds dying are misplaced!

Al

[airedale]

If you do not belong to the NRA or Gun Owners of America you should, they will keep you informed on what the sneaky Democrats are up to.

Al

September 10, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Last week, Gun Owners of America (GOA) filed public comment with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in opposition to their proposed rule to ban the use of lead ammunition of certain public lands, starting with this upcoming fall/winter hunting season. The proposed rule, which was first announced in early August, is the fourth attempt by anti-gun and anti-hunting activists in the Obama-Biden-Harris administrations to ban lead ammo on public lands in the last nine years.

While the Obama-Biden attempt to ban lead ammo and lead based fishing tackle was reversed by President Trump, the Harris-Biden Administration has now initiated its third lead ammo ban, prompting sportsmen to voice serious concerns with their lawmakers in Washington.

In its comments, GOA argues that USFWS has no statutory mandate to effect such a ban, and they highlight the complete lack of any compelling and statistically significant evidence that suggests the presence of lead ammo is detrimental to wildlife or human populations.

NOTE: these comments do not discuss or extend to the existing ban on lead ammunition for waterfowl hunting, which has been in place for several decades.

Read GOA’s full public comments here.

Mark Jones, GOA’s National Director of Hunter Outreach, issued the following statement:  

“As a Certified Wildlife Biologist® with 32 years of experience in wildlife management, I can say that the claims made by USFWS are not supported by peer-reviewed scientific literature. In turn, it’s obvious that this proposed rule is simply meant to frustrate and further disincentivize hunters and target shooters by making it harder and more expensive to participate in the shooting sports. GOA is proud to oppose this rule and will continue to push back on Capitol Hill should it go through.”

Aidan Johnston, GOA’s Director of Federal Affairs, added:  

“The Harris-Walz campaign can sell all the camo hats it wants, but that doesn’t change the fact that Kamala Harris has tried to ban lead ammunition and fishing tackle every year for the last three years. A Harris-Walz Administration would mean another four years of rogue federal agencies criminalizing the actions of sportsmen to suppress our nation’s proud traditions of hunting and fishing.”  

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews.  Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.

–GOA–