![By Lord Mountbatten (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://markavery.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/800px-7.5_Cartridges.jpg)
There will be a long list of attacks on ‘antis’ and ‘townies’ and attempts to cast doubt on the science. They may even say things like ‘We need to consider these findings carefully, once peer-reviewed, and not rush into anything’ I guess.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Holly Heyser, a famous, female hunter from California writes about how she never uses lead shot these days and although everyone was initially very het up about it, nobody seems to be bothered any more.
This ultra-keen gun-woman stopped using lead ammunition five years ago but hunts as much as ever. She writes ‘Things change. People who love hunting adapt. People who don’t stay home.’ and that has to be the message to British shooters too. Things change – you’ll have to adapt – but no-one is suggesting that you have to stay home.
Let’s see whether Teresa Dent, Richard Ali and Tim Bonner can step into the 21st century reality and make any sort of attempt to bring the British shooting industry with them.
By the way, Denmark, banned the use of lead ammunition for all hunting in 1996. Denmark has more than three times the number of hunters per head of population than does the UK.
[registration_form]
If the grouse shooting fraternity were to give up using lead ammo it would indicate that they are reasonable people capable of compromise – which is why I don’t think they will give it up.
Interesting neurological affects of exposure to lead in adults:
decreased libido
depression/mood changes, headache
diminished cognitive performance
diminished hand dexterity
diminished reaction time
diminished visual motor performance
dizziness
fatigue
forgetfulness
impaired concentration
impotence
increased nervousness
irritability
lethargy
malaise
paresthesia
reduced IQ scores
weakness
I wonder if Tim Bonner has ingested any lead?
Claire – well I’m sure Tim has ingested lead. But he may well be one of those people who goes red in the face and says ‘I’ve been eating lead shot game all my life and it’s never done me any harm’, to which I sometimes reply, ‘Well we’ll be the judge of that’, although I certainly cannot comment on whether the Countryside Alliance boss suffers from all the symptoms listed above (I’m glad to say).
That list is distrubingly close to one describing the ageing process in humans
Given that limits on the content of lead – among other potentially toxic elements – in soils has been a factor in the acceptability of land for spreading biosolids, presumably against some form of evidence supporting the original Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regs, it stretches belief that the same rules should not apply to any other land use – particularly where public subsidy is received. Shoot owners are just as full of it as Joe Soap so why are they treated differently? Why was more evidence needed? Shot made from lead lands on soil so the toxicity is transferred. How contentious is that? Having read the letter from John Swift to the SoS for Pork it suggests no new knowledge will emerge in the final report and that any decision on the matter will be a political one. What a surprise. Could have been done between 1997 and 2010 – why wasn’t it?
Replacement technology always emerges against the wishes of diehards – wax-cylinders, shellac, vinyl, cassette, CD, .mpeg; Daguerrotype, plate, celluloid, .jpeg; steel, aluminium, titanium, carbon fibre are some common examples. There always a collectors’ market where redundant objects of desire can be traded as wall-hangers so I can’t see any objection to the manufacture, sale and purchase of guns designed for non-lead ammunition – in fact it would stimulate manufacturing and the rural economy and add more ticks to SoSfP’s to do list.
Finally – I posit that while playing with guns is entertaining (I keep my eye in with my trusty HW77 in preparation for my vain attempts to keep the rats in check) it isn’t the main driver for participation in game shooting, Shirley. I would like to believe that no-one takes pleasure in the killing itself. As a means for providing food it is a very inefficient and expensive way of furnishing rather indifferent fare – which is one of the reasons I gave up reservoir trout fishing. So it must be the demonstration of relative wealth, hobnobbing, networking, arrivistism, et al that drive it. None of which justify the mass pollution of soil and water.
However – banning lead ammunition would be inconsistent if other forms of mass pollution were not also banned. As people want their pointless chemical bathwater additives, motorised travel, air travel, mass spectator events, I can’t see any of this happening
filbert – great comment, thank you.
Have just read Debbie Pain’s contribution on lead poisoning in Behind the Binoculars. Brilliant! I hope Tim Bonner has read it.