# Riddle me this? Lead v steel



## GasFish26 (Aug 15, 2012)

Why is it that bird hunters can't use lead shot... Yet use lead for decoy weights?

Just wondering 


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## BuckeyeZac (Aug 15, 2012)

I'm guessing it's because your shot stays behind after it has been shot and your decoy weights leave the area with you when you are done.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

There was evidence, though minimal, of wildlife ingesting lead pellets. I find it hard to believe that lead would cause any real harm over the short life span of a wild animal, but that was their justification for the change. 
It didn't have anything to do with lead being in the water. That's why we can still use lead sinkers, though that's on some groups' hit lists as well.


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## Minnowhead (Jan 12, 2011)

They found that waterfowl (puddle ducks) would "tip-up" to feed and dabble the lead shot that has been scattered across the marshes over the years. They would pick it up and ingest it into their craw. This was killing waterfowl and prompted the lead shot ban. They must not have found any decoy weights in the birds bellies!


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## GasFish26 (Aug 15, 2012)

Thanks for the info guys!


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## big spurs 111 (Jun 4, 2013)

part of it is because the ducks would eat the shinny lead on the bottom .2 it puts to much lead in the water .


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

big spurs 111 said:


> .2 it puts to much lead in the water .


No, that's not true.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

i prefer steel cause im eating my bird and as lead passes into the meat it deposits the lead. safer for me and my kids. 

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## OrangeMilk (Oct 13, 2012)

eating a couple of BB's or a bird killed with lead shot will not harm you.

Eat 40 or 50 Bb's a day for a month, then you got a problem, kinda like apples.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

"Although lead poisoning is one of the oldest known work and environmental hazards, the modern understanding of the small amount of lead necessary to cause harm did not come about until the latter half of the 20th century. No safe threshold for lead exposure has been discoveredthat is, there is no known amount of lead that is too small to cause the body harm."

quoted from wikipedia

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

If you chew your meat, then lead shot is no big deal. When you feel it in your bite, spit it out. After you bite down on steel shot enough times you will have cracked teeth.


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## OrangeMilk (Oct 13, 2012)

Please don't quote Wikipedia as a viable source.

I, as well untold numbers of other hunters, have been killing animals with lead for 200 years and I am willing to bet the number of people eh have died or even gotten ill from shooting a bird with lead shot then eating it can be counted on one hand.

Stand back for second and look around at common sense before you go quoting Wikipedia please. I think I'm going to go change that lead page, since anyone in the world can, to say that 4 out of 5 doctors recommend seasoning steak with lead.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

who are you to tell me what to do? wikipedia is full of viable information but your to brainwashed to understand most of it...please by all means eat all the lead you want...for those who would like a different opinion on lead how about the mayo clinic.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lead-poisoning/FL00068/DSECTION=symptoms 

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## MuskieDan (Nov 8, 2012)

OrangeMilk said:


> Please don't quote Wikipedia as a viable source.
> 
> I, as well untold numbers of other hunters, have been killing animals with lead for 200 years and I am willing to bet the number of people eh have died or even gotten ill from shooting a bird with lead shot then eating it can be counted on one hand.


Yeah I like that logic, medicine hasn't changed or advanced at all in the last 200 years, we should do everything like they used to...Lead is toxic at any dose, it's best to just avoid it as much as possible. Unless you WANT to get hemolytic anemia. That's your choice and not the point, the point is that waterfowl require a much smaller amount of lead than us to get serious health problems and that's why we use steel now. It's better for us, it's better for the birds.


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## Angler ss (May 15, 2008)

People have a stomach that lead shot passes through in your poop! Waterfowl have a gizzard,the lead shot will not pass through the gizzard instead it is ground up killing the bird.


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## OrangeMilk (Oct 13, 2012)

Yes, medicine has changed thats why I take my "anitlead poison pills" before I eat anything I shot with lead.

If a minute dose of lead was sooooo bad for us then there would be no lead shot, no lead slugs and no led bullets.

Hey, ostbucks98, thank you for realizing that there are real sources for info on the internet that have real facts, good job, but like I said, I've eaten plenty of birds, deer, rabbits, and squirrels shot with lead to no ill effects.

Yes MuskieDan, I know why we use steel on waterfowl and not lead, and, when I use common sense, much like I do when I know a small amount of lead wont hurt me, I can understand that 1 BB wont hurt me, but an animal very much smaller than me could be hurt by it. Not that I eat the BB's but as far "lead deposited as it passes through the meat" that is something I will never worry about.


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