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Deer hunters in the American mid-west have shown little enthusiasm for new non-toxic copper ammunition which would reduce the impact of lead bullet fragments on local fauna.
The Duluth News Tribune reports that local hunters have so far been indifferent to the new copper bullets which government agencies hoped would replace the use of toxic lead ammunition.
Lead is well-known to be a poisonous heavy metal, and fragments of ammunition left in the flesh of deer killed by hunters can have a toxic effect on both human beings consuming venison as well as eagles feeding on the remains of uncollected kills.
According to Mark Johnson, executive of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, hunters do not consider lead in venison to be a toxicity problem “primarily because it hasn’t affected them,” even though “99 or 100 percent hunters would say it can (affect eagles).”
Despite the acknowledgement that lead bullets left in deer kills can affect wild raptors, Johnson maintains use of the toxic heavy metal in ammunition does not pose an environmental problem because “we have the largest eagle population in recorded history.”
Another factor weighing heavily on the decision by most hunters to continue using traditional lead bullets is the exorbitant cost of copper ammunition. Scott VanValkenburg of Fisherman’s Corner in Pike Lake says the expensiveness of new bullets is a major deterrant for hunters, as copper loads cost around two times the price of comparable lead cartridges.
2 Comments
drift123
Tungsten is rare and is considered a conflict mineral so it would not be a good replacement for lead . Depleted uranium especially if coated with Teflon would be a nightmare for law enforcement as well as chipmunks and gerbils.
The only solution I can think of would be a 12 gauge steel slug. It would only be accurate at a short range though. Almost anybody with some knowledge of Kentucky Windage can hit a deer with a high powered scoped rifle and the right bullet at 100 yards.
A shotgun slug would put a bit more of the hunting aspect in hunting,.. I guess.
One problem I see, is that if a hunter misses the deer, whatever is behind the deer that gets hit is going to be Severely Discombobulated.
vadinho
The number one desirable characteristic of metal for all bullets
is high density. This is the main reason that armor piercing projectiles for
the artillery on military tanks are made with depleted uranium. Try feeding
shards of that to raptors and the unfortunate dwellers of areas where tank
battles are fought.
The desirable characteristics for soft skinned game bullets are
high density and malleability. A copper bullet will completely penetrate a deer
with a needle like hole and transfer little energy into the body of the deer. The
deer will run away to die a lingering, painful death and not be retrieved by
the hunter.
Copper bullets for hunting have slots and holes in the tip
in a partially successful attempt to promote expansion upon impact. However,
nothing economical retains down range energy, expands, and retains near 100% weight with few shards upon impact with a deer like unalloyed lead.
Imposition of copper hunting bullets by government decree is hypocrisy
and yet another attempt at implementing central planning and imposing the
political outlook of a political elite for all phases of life in the USA.