Jan 02, 2009 - 04:05:22 CST
MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) - Beth Siverhus has hunted deer since 1976, and for the first time next year she plans to use copper-coated bullets instead of lead.That's because the Warroad woman also spends time rehabilitating injured birds, and in the last year observed several eagles die from lead poisoning. She believes they likely ingested the lead while eating piles of deer guts left in the woods by hunters.
"It's a pretty sick feeling to realize I could have been doing something to both contaminate the food we eat, and make wildlife sick that are feeding on the gut piles," Siverhus told Minnesota Public Radio News.
Siverhus said she hadn't previously worried much about reports of lead fragments in venison, which led some Minnesota food shelfs to ban venison donations.
State Rep. Sandy Masin, DFL-Eagan, thinks what Siverhus is doing voluntarily should instead be state law. She hasn't worked out details, but Masin said she intends to introduce legislation that would either ban or severely curtail the use of lead bullets for hunting.
"We know that it's impacting the death of birds, and we also know we've been working really hard to keep lead from our children," Masin said. "Somehow there has to be a way. This is within our environment, and we need to find a way to curtail it."
But Masin could face opposition from some recreation groups.
"I don't think there's a need for government regulation, and I don't think there's a traumatic influence here that is needing government regulation," said Mark Johnson, executive director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association.
Johnson said no one questions that lead is a neurotoxin, but said it's not been proven that lead bullet fragments have poisoned any people.
"Yeah, we have lead fragmentation in venison. It's in small amounts. The exposure is limited. So is it really a problem? The answer seems to be no at this point," Johnson said.
Copper ammunition is more expensive than lead, and Johnson said he used a type of copper-covered bullet for his 2008 hunt and found it less accurate than lead bullets.
Johnson said he'd like to see more research before steps are taken to ban lead bullets. Masin agreed with the call for more research, but said there's already enough evidence to warrant legislation. She plans to have a bill ready for review in the legislative session that starts next week.
Siverhus said she hopes more hunters will follow her lead. "I understand that hunters find this difficult," Siverhus said. "I found it difficult. But I believe it's time to change."
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