Just trying to be "fair and balanced". As for Audubon, I showed the positive part of the statement because someone else already showed the negative. That would be fairness and balance. And I also showed an excellent example--from personal experience--of Audubon working hand in hand with a pro-hunting organization in an effort to improve habitat for birds we hunt.
Re freezing and thawing . . . indeed, stuff "pops out" of the soil as a result. But there's a lot happening on most shooting ranges in addition to what Mother Nature does. For example, most ranges mow grass with riding mowers. You run over lead pellets, that can bury them. That's just one example.
If a critter that dies has high blood lead levels and shows signs of lead poisoning, then it's a pretty good bet it died from lead poisoning. If it has lead in its system--either lead pellets or lead fragments--that adds to the likelihood.
Re the situation with waterfowl, maybe someone can take a shot at explaining the coincidence I mentioned previously: Waterfowl dying with lead pellets in their systems. Ceases to be a problem, or at least a problem to the same degree it was previously . . . when we stop shooting lead. If that's just a coincidence, what was killing them before that isn't killing them now? And why isn't it killing them now?
