Great post craigd. Especially that quote from Audobon on their actual position on sport hunting. That needs to be repeated in big bold letters!
Another quote from the Audubon folks, "....we will advocate restrictions on hunting, including the complete closure of a hunting season, whenever we are convinced that the welfare of the species involved requires it...we do not advocate hunting. This is no contradiction, though some people seem to think it is. Our objective is wildlife and environmental conservation, not the promotion of hunting. We think lots of justifications for hunting are weak ones, and too often exaggerated for commercial reasons....".
I never claimed that eagles, condors, ducks, or other species have not consumed lead bullets or shot. I'd guess that they have. The question is, was that the total cause of high lead levels or lead poisoning... or was it merely a contributing factor to some other sources that are much more bio-available, but possibly not visible in X-rays? That would include lead dust from mining waste, leaded gasoline, paint, and a multitude of other sources. The presence of a bullet fragment in an eagle's stomach or crop absolutely does not prove that lead ammunition was the cause of sickness or death.
I certainly hope we all are driven by our own agenda to preserve hunting and shooting. It is under constant attack, and we need to either stay focused on keeping those rights or we we certainly lose them. Shotgunner's placing blame on rifle hunters and vice-versa is not an intelligent strategy going forward. It is indefensible.
