The best united front for shooters is one that unites against unreasonable restrictions on lead. I have nothing against those restrictions--where they have a sound biological/environmental basis. (Like shooting into water or around marshes or wetlands. I have no problem switching to nontox when I hunt pheasants in such places, for example.) But if we don't take a stand against UNREASONABLE lead restrictions, we're allowing more and more of that camel--who already has not just his nose but most of his head--inside our tent. And we're making it easier to admit the entire animal, which would be an eventual total ban on lead shot.
We've already won some significant victories in this area. Thanks to Congress, the EPA cannot regulate lead in ammunition. Right there, that's the 800 pound gorilla off our backs. That leaves only the USFWS to deal with at the federal level. And because their charter runs only to what happens on federal land or to migratory species, they've largely already regulated everything they can regulate (except doves, which may well happen). And just this year, at the state level, Montana, Iowa, and South Dakota have rejected additonal requirements for nontoxic shot--which shows that if we pay sufficient attention and make sufficient noise to our politicians, further unreasonable bans on lead are not inevitable. Let's keep fighting!
KB,
what would be reasonable restrictions? I am not against fighting but lets just say that this is not goverment intevention. This is a private matter. I say either go and shoo tor vote with your feet and your wallet at the other venue. I am not baout not opposing shot restricitons. I personally feel its flawed science, along with global warming, climate change, elvis sightings and transfats . let the consumer decide. in the market place.
why are lead bans around marshes okay but not on rivers? last I knew lead sank and birds/fowl didnt eat dirt. Yes pheasants and grouse among others will gather stones for their crops but i hardly feel the elad issue obverall is any thing other than an attempt to plactae the environmentalists. Sort of throwong a child form the sleigh being chased by the wolves.
I think you mistook my initial position for one of caving . Far form it. I just think that the shooters can decide and so can the promoters. If the Vinatgers made "Dandy garb" mandatory, I wouldnt attend. They dont so I do.
To each his own.
