I concur. Considering I've spent the majority of my lifetime studying raptors and reading relevant journals on the topic, I know a thing or two. As a Federally licensed raptor rehabilitator I've seen more than a few cases of lead toxicity as well. As a student of western eco-systems and their raptors I recognize the volume of Ferruginous Hawks, Rough Legged Hawks and Golden Eagles that depend upon prairie dog towns for a symbiotic relationship, I know the raptor's feeding tendencies.

Lastly, I know from x-rays and from marketing literature provided by Hornady, Remington, Barnes, Nosler and others that the frangible, fragmenting ammunition does just what it says...it fragments violently, often causing an awesome explosion with the prairie dog / ground squirrel rocketing into the air out of its hole to dramatic fanfare. That is what the varminter wants...shock and awe. Last time I was at a gun show they had a video for sale called "Exploding Varmints" that showed tumbles and spins of prairie dogs getting knocked out of their holes by frangible/fragmenting rounds.

It seems for most imbeciles, Full Metal Jacket clean kills aren't enough, it has to become a spectacle. Taking delight in the most gruesome death possible for an animal that has intrinsic value to the wild and for which has no value to the shooter is sociopathic behavior. If a kid did the same thing to the animal with a machete they'd lock him up certain he would become a serial killer next.

This coming from a lifelong hunter and NRA Life Benefactor Member mind you. Just my opinion based on real data and formalized study of the problem.

Clean up your gut piles and stop leaving dead varmints in the fields, maybe, just maybe, we can retain the right to use lead in various forms of hunting.

Last edited by Rookhawk; 08/31/11 10:41 AM.