Minnesota lawmakers mulls lead bullet ban

Yes, lead is toxic. But as many have already pointed out to the press and legislators, there's no evidence that the use of lead in hunting ammunition has created a significant threat to public health or the health of wildlife.

Sure, there are anecdotal reports of people finding lead in venison. Or of animals getting sick from lead poisoning. But these events are rare. Certainly, the incidents of people finding lead in venison can be reasonably estimated through studies, and the results have shown that this really is rare. We can't do the same with wildlife per se (deer and coyotes and such are pretty bad at filling out DNR surveys), but no wildlife studies have shown any significant problems.

Is it reasonable then to ban lead in ammunition for even a small chance of any harm? Not unless you consider it reasonable to ban all the other things that are equally as likely to harm people and wildlife. For example, are we going to ban driving in Minnesota? The fatality rate for automobile drivers is much higher than the fatality rate for eating venison. Or how about playing high school and college sports? More people die each year doing those activities than from eating venison.

The other odd thing about this article is that it makes it sound like there are bullets made completely of lead and bullets made completely of copper. While there ARE bullets made completely of lead, there are NO copper bullets - just lead bullets with thin copper jackets. The latter are what the military commonly calls Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) ammunition. And it's required for use by the military because of the Geneva convention. It's considered to be more human because it is does not fragment like a lead or semi-jacketed bullet, and hence is less likely to cause a traumatic wound.

However, in hunting, the idea is to kill your prey as quickly and humanely as possible. FMJ bullets are more likely to non-fatally wound larger prey like deer, and that's the worst possible outcome: to injure prey and have it suffer that wound for the rest of its life.

And for those who wonder why lead is used in the first place, there's three important properties to lead that make it ideal for bullets:

1) It's extremely dense.
2) It's relatively soft.
3) It's cheap.

There are other metals that meet the first two criteria, such as gold, however they're not nearly as cheap. And you really want something dense, as that allows a bullet to carry more energy to the target - and again, we want to do everything possible to ensure a quick, humane, one-shot kill.

If people really want to see lead banned from bullets, then first come up with a cost-effective alternative. Otherwise, they might as well be banning firearms in general as they don't do much without bullets.

Get the facts straight. the vast majority of centerfire rifle bullets are copper jacketed/coated/coated with a lead core, and they have been that way for a very long time. What is you outdoors report's qualifications? Did he take a walk in the woods once?
If they were honestly concerned about lead in the environment why are we still using lead weights for fishing?
All of this flack got started by a Californian Dermatologist with an agenda, groups like his know they can't make an honest case so they chip around the edges and impose more and more regulations, until only the wealthy can afford to participate in our traditions of hunting.

I'd rather they ban mullets.

Let's mull a ban on Legislators instead.

Once again the DFL'ers from 612 land are trying to push the liberal tree hugging agenda on an area they rarely venture too-outside the city.

This is what happens when you keep electing Demthuglicrats.

Thanks Sandy Masin for bringing all your hunting experience into the debate. What a goof, stay in Eagan Rep. Masin.

Same hidden-agenda/gun-banning drivel that was reported on the Star Trib's site hours ago. I guess liberal news stories with no fact get readers' attention. Too bad the facts aren't there to support this argument, most hunters and meat processors know lead isn't a hazard to those who eat wild game, and rarely are birds affected by lead they might get from eating hunted game's remains. I can't believe people like this get voted into office...I guess that's what happens when nobody brings up, or is too afraid to bring up, the 2nd Amendment, hunting rights, castle doctrine, right to carry, or the NRA during election campaigning. Next time, check the NRA-ILA's candidate ratings before choosing to elect boobs like this gal, who I assume would have been rated F.

"Beth Siverhus has hunted deer since 1976, and for the first time next year, she plans to use copper-coated bullets instead of lead."

Unless she's using a muzzle loader, all modern bullets have been copper jacketed for longer than Ms. Siverhus has been hunting. Sounds like a bit of fictitious fabrication to me.

Also, lead in gut piles? I'm sure the eagles Beth watched die of lead poisoning must have eaten dozens of gut piles each day to get enough lead to eventually die of 'lead poisoning.'

Another thinly veiled anti-gun/anti-hunter attempt to eliminate guns and hunting. Too bad there are so many cidiots in the MN legislature, hopefully not enough to let this bill even come close to being passed. Let the DNR do their job, if they feel it is a problem, let them decide what to do, that's what they are paid to do!

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it, and then misapplying the wrong remedies.”

Check with the National Eagle Museum in Wabasha and see what they say about the lead in deer,

This is a brillant idea! If we can not get the hunters to give up their guns, then ban the bullets. Maybe then the gunslingers can use caps to play cops and robbers.

We live in an age of superstition, not reason. This faux hunter and busybody legislator are just the sort of idiots the MSM likes to write articles about.

Studies also find most hunters have a very low
I.Q.......UMM interesting.

Could it be lead in their system from years of
eating tainted venison or lead tainted fishes
from the sinkers being used?

O-GOOD! This will also help stop Global Warming!
You Get what YOU VOTE for.. Minnesota is full of Suckers...

This what happens when you let girls come out to play boy games. Next she'll be redecorating the hunting shack with pastel prints and festive wreaths. It reminds me of the chick that joined the army, went to Iraq and wanted to bring home a puppy. I say if she wants to hunt tell her to hunt you up a cold beer and the remote. And here's another tip. If you bite into a piece of lead, spit it out and keep eatin'. Keep your laws off my ammo!

"Masin agreed with the call for more research but said there's already enough evidence to warrant legislation. "
Typical legislator. If you think there is already enough evidence to warrent legislation, what is the point of expending more resources on research? To make you feel better about your decision?
Consider spending your time on more important things like the State budget deficit and the condition of our roads.

Savage Fan wrote:

I know this is off topic but I can't help thinking that State Rep. Sandy Masin, DFL-Eagan should work as hard on stopping the killing of innocent children in the womb. That would be time better spent. It is a much more valiant cause.

ok take care of the unborn, then what ? Take care of the mom who gave birth too ? Take care of the baby for how long ? Take care of the daddy ? Take care of the siblings ? That care includes schooling, housing, food assistance, jobs, health care and transportation. A puzzle has more than just one piece.

Sounds like she's still eating lead paint.

Take the state education aid from the Eagan area and teach the eagles to not dead carrion( ROTTING DEAD FLESH). I almost hit an eagle as he rose from a roadside diner( DEAD DEER). The crows didn't fly across the highway but the DUMB eagle did.