Promoting enforcement of non-lead hunting ammunition regulations and compliance in Europe and North America

Thomas, Vernon G.; Kanstrup, Niels

doi:10.1007/s13280-023-01863-y

Ambio

2023

DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01863-y

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Promoting enforcement of non-lead hunting ammunition regulations and compliance in Europe and North America

Vernon G. Thomas

Niels Kanstrup

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Cited by 3 publications

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Diving into the wicked discourse of lead ammunition for big game hunting

Eleftheriou,

Schuler

2024

Wildlife Society Bulletin

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As evidence regarding the toxicity of lead (Pb) amassed, the heavy metal became banned from several products, such as automotive gasoline and paint. However, Pb bullets are still used for hunting big game animals in most of the world. Although regulatory bans of Pb bullets may appear optimal solutions, stakeholders have reasons to oppose them, favor them, or lie somewhere in between. As the problem has transformed from biophysical to socioecological, we employed a wicked problem lens to dissect the discourse and help inspire targeted solutions. Herein, we identified and critically analyzed 4 relevant traits of a wicked problem: multiple stakeholders are involved, disagreement on a definition, unique nature, and being a symptom of a larger problem. To minimize the impact of these traits, our analysis suggests that voluntary Pb free ammunition programs are more likely to soothe conflict among stakeholders, enable collaborative action upon agreeing on common values, and promote programs tailored to the local landscape of sociopolitical power and values.

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Diving into the wicked discourse of lead ammunition for big game hunting

Eleftheriou,

Schuler

2024

Wildlife Society Bulletin

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Highlighting the risk of environmental lead contamination for deer management in Australia

Hampton,

Flesch,

Wendt

et al. 2023

Eco Management Restoration

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SummaryLead‐based bullets used to shoot deer typically fragment. These toxic fragments are a threat to wildlife scavengers and human consumers of venison. Awareness of this issue is widespread internationally but limited in Australia. The aim of this research was to characterise deer carcass contamination via bullet fragmentation associated with lead‐based and lead‐free ammunition in a deer culling program conducted in Australia. We used radiography (X‐rays) to study Hog Deer (Axis porcinus) shot in a professional ground‐based shooting program in Victoria, south‐eastern Australia. Our data captured 33 deer shot with frangible lead‐based bullets in 2021, and 21 deer shot with monolithic lead‐free (copper‐based) bullets from the same rifles in 2021–2022. For lead‐based bullets, the mean number of lead fragments per carcass ranged from seven to 629 (mean ± SD = 256 ± 169), mean fragment size was 1.2 mm2 (74% of fragments were <1.0 mm2) and the mean fragment coverage area (the smallest ellipse covering all fragments) was 325 cm2. Of these deer, 36% had metallic fragments in the ‘back strap’ (loin) muscles and 42% had metallic fragments in the shoulder muscles: meat cuts typically removed for human consumption. In contrast, for lead‐free bullets, the mean number of metallic fragments per carcass ranged from zero to four (0.5 ± 1.0), with only 29% of carcasses having any fragments, and no deer had metallic fragments in the loin or shoulder muscles. On the basis of these results, it is clear that lead‐based bullets used for shooting deer in Australia pose risks to wildlife scavengers, and to human consumers when used in hunting. Australian wildlife managers involved in mitigating deer impacts should strongly consider a timely transition to lead‐free bullets.

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Lead-free 22lr ammunition for sport shooting: A simple implementation or a huge challenge?

Marklund,

Pettersson

2024

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P:

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In Europe it is approximated that around six million people are active in sport shooting. Currently, most bullets are manufactured out of lead which in many cases is combined with a copper jacket. There are several reasons for using lead; lead is relatively cheap, soft, and has a high density, and is therefore often the ideal material for bullets. Currently, the EU is seeking a restriction or ban on the use of lead in firearm bullets, with the main motivation that hunting with lead bullets might result in lead poisoning of both animals and people. The proposed lead ban will also have a major impact on sport shooting, as it is likely to be subjected to the same regulations. One caliber that has been shown to be very difficult to produce as a lead-free alternative is 22lr (long rifle), which today is the most common caliber for sport shooting in many disciplines. Today, there are not many scientific investigations available which show the performance of lead versus lead-free ammunition in caliber 22lr, even though it would make sense to investigate the possibilities of designing lead-free ammunition before a possible lead ban is further discussed. In this work the performance of two common lead-free 22lr-cartridges is evaluated and shown in comparison with existing lead-based ammunition, with a primary focus on sport shooting. Performance has been evaluated under both summer and winter conditions to cover different sports shooting disciplines. The results of this study clearly show the difficulty of finding lead-free 22lr cartridges with acceptable performance on the market today. In fact, the performance of the tested lead-free ammunition is so poor that the EU’s proposed lead ban could completely ruin shooting as a sport due to a lack of functioning ammunition.

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Promoting enforcement of non-lead hunting ammunition regulations and compliance in Europe and North America

Cited by 3 publications

References 45 publications

Diving into the wicked discourse of lead ammunition for big game hunting

Diving into the wicked discourse of lead ammunition for big game hunting

Highlighting the risk of environmental lead contamination for deer management in Australia

Lead-free 22lr ammunition for sport shooting: A simple implementation or a huge challenge?

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