I have stated in the past that sport hunting is nothing more than an act against nature.  It offers no benefit for the animals hunted, and despite lame and senseless rationalizations by the hunting lobby, I can’t think of even one redeeming feature that would enable me to support such cruelty and bloodshed.

A recent on-going study conducted by the US Geological survey and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, has confirmed that spent lead shot, deposited by hunters shooting mourning doves, causes increased mortality because “mourning doves are likely to ingest spent lead shot” and die of lead poisoning.

For more than 50 years, lead shot ingested by doves has been well documented and researched.  Doves are naturally attracted to grit and round pebbles for use as a digestive aid to help grind up crop contents in the gizzard.  While naturally feeding on waste grain, doves mistakenly ingest spent lead shot.  A single pellet is enough to cause death.

A study was done in the state of Michigan in areas that were lightly and heavily hunted.  About 5,000 doves were studied, and more than one fourth tested positive for elevated lead levels.  On the average, each dove had from one to forty three pellets in their gizzards, with more than 57% containing more than one pellet in their crop.  As the hunting season progressed so did the ingestion of lead shot by the doves.  The overall saturation of lead shot deposited in the environment also increased.

The consumption of lead pellets by mourning doves kills millions of the birds every year.  Some die quickly, while others linger on until the lead poisoning claims its victim.  The study also found that about 70% of the doves that ingested at least one pellet were juveniles or yearlings.  Approximately, 30% were birds that were at least 2 years old or older.  When the scientists tested lead levels in the liver and wing bones of some of the birds, the lead levels were 30 times the normal rate.

Lead poisoning is not just restricted to mourning doves.  When hunters shoot ducks, geese, and other game birds over water, the lead shot embeds itself in the bottom of the lake or stream.  Species like mallard ducks are natural “bottom feeders,” and inadvertently consume the pellets only to succumb to lead poisoning and further add to the burgeoning death toll.

In the past, there are some states that have made lead shot illegal.  However, where it is still legal, there is an uglier side of the story that has even more horrific consequences for doves, ducks, geese and other waterfowl.  When these animals ingest lead shot they become weak and are more susceptible to predation by other animals.  Unfortunately, when other animals prey on or consume the birds when they die, they too become ill and also die as a result of lead poisoning.  It is a vicious cycle that claims the lives of millions of animals, both predator and prey, hunted and non-hunted.

This survey is one of many confirming the problem of increased mortality on doves and waterfowl directly attributed to hunting.  Though there is non-toxic shot shells available and affordable, it is not readily used by hunters mainly because of problems related to wear in the gun barrel.  Lead shot was banned for waterfowl hunting throughout the country in 1991, but is now only restricted in certain states.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 at 4:38 am.