LAST EDITED ON Aug-06-10 AT 00:06AM (MST)[p]I have a confession to make?
I was drawn for the 12AW early hunt this year (with my wife and father-in-law) and I got the free box of ammo coupon. I was also drawn about 4 years ago and got 2 boxes of ammo and intended to use them. I didn't have time to resight my rifle and ended up using some existing lead bullets I had to kill a small buck that year (I usually hunt with my bow so my rifle gets little use? a couple boxes of bullets last me a while). I kind of looked at the unused lead-free bullets as my go-to rounds if I was required to go lead free in the future (I know, not cool). I was even thinking of doing the same this year??..and then I watched the little DVD sent with the coupon. Someone at AZGFD was using their head when they created that DVD.
It showed x-rays of multiple deer shot with lead bullets. I believe some were clean pass throughs but virtually all had quite a bit of lead in the meat. Lead is pretty unhealthy, even in small doses (according to my local water company at least). I know there will be plenty of ?my 90 year old grandpa lived on rifle shot deer his entire life, it aint that bad? stories, whatever?. Maybe some lead is good but I am sure that no-lead is better?..lead particles can end up far from the bullet hole so cutting out the blood shot meat is probably not going to get it all. I have been hunting the Kaibab since I was a 10 year old kid and I think I will be using the lead free stuff up there from now on, I value that place and my own health too much not to. I have done some research and the copper Barnes bullets perform very much like lead (besides the higher price). As infrequently as I shoot my rifle the expense of the bullets will be negligible.
It is a personal choice but I would encourage anyone that uses their coupon to use the bullets THIS year. Don?t be ordering the 30-378 Weatherby bullets (MSRP is over $120.00) unless you actually have a 30-378 Weatherby rifle and you plan to kill your deer with it THIS YEAR. I believe this program is funded from a budget that could be used for other things like habitat projects, it is not cool to take advantage of it in my opinion. Don?t be an A-hole like I was a couple years ago, USE the copper bullets, the deer gods will bless you for it.
One more thing. I realize this is kind of a slippery slope (first a lead ban on the Kaibab, then the rest of Arizona, then $10.00 boxes of lead-free dove shells). I get it, and I don't support a comprehensive lead ban statewide. I just think the Kaibab is a special place and is worthy of special consideration, there is no place like it. I don't care much about the condors but I do think that spraying lead on the Kaibab (when you have free copper bullets in the truck) is as bad a tossing an empty water bottle in the road, maybe worse. I am not a biologist but I have taken some biology courses in college and I never once heard of a living organism that benefited from ingesting lead. And no, I don't work for AZGFD and I sure the hell didnt vote for Obama.
