Document 5b72qGb3e872QvRK7J6nrXr18

Lead Industries Association, Inc. tit MttftoOfl Aw iis N*w Yorts N. Y. 10017 T#**phom: (71Q 077 0000 DKMbir 14f 1972 SUBJECTI THREAT TO USB 0T LEAD SHOT XH WATERFOWL IRQ TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LEAD INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION, DtC.i As you probably know, a special Committee was formed sarllar this ysar from among tha Membership to sonitor and attempt to daal with tha Rational Wildlife Federation's concartad efforts to outlaw tha usa of lead shot for migratory vatarfowl hunting. This Conmittee has Mt aavaral times, and has baan Rapt ahraast of actions by tha Departstent of Xntarior (Buraau of Sport rishariss and Wildlife) with raspact to laad shot. Tha Bureau's major activity has baan tha initiation of a test program to compare tha affect of using experimental soft iron shot instead of laad at seven Federal Gama Refuges. Bow soma officials tha State of Maryland have apparently decided not to wait for results from tha Buraau of Sport Fisheries tests, and O are conducting hearings on a proposed bill that would affectively ban all waterfowl hunting with laad shot. One such hearing was held December 6, 1972, at tha Oueen Annas County High School, Centreville, Maryland, and LIA was represented. James B. Coulter, Director, Department of Batural Resources for Mary land, opened the meeting with the announcement that ha would push for enactment of this regulation posthaste, and set tha tone for all that followed. The Association is preparing publicity to counteract releases already made by the Wildlife Federation blaming lead shot for massive waterfowl kills in tha State of Maryland. In addition, we have called for an other meeting of the Committee on January 16, 1973, to decide our next course of action. We solicit your comments and suggastions regarding this matter and invite your participation in future meetings. Please let us hear from you. Tours very truly. CORBEL A. BAKER, JR. CABiip Enel. I WPBMIHWUIIUHWIWWMMIHHUUIMm LEAD POISONISO OF WATCHFOWL -- BACKGROUND AND POSSIBLE APPROACHES MAGNITUDE OF KILL. The greatest bulk of the work done in detect ing and diagnosing was performed by Mr. Frank Bellrose starting in 1939. Then a biologist at the University of Illinois, Mr. Bellrose was commissioned by the Illinois Department of Hatural Resources to discover why hundreds of migratory waterfowl were dying, apparently of starvation in the midst of a surplus grain harvest year. Subsequently, upon laboratory tests of specimens Mr. Bellrose found birds dead and dying of lead poisoning, pel lets from shot shells having been ingested from the bottoms of marshes by feeding birds. The shot is ground up in the birds* crop and enters the bloodstream arid tissue where classic lead poisoning occurs. After World War XI the work was restarted and sporadically supplemented until the 1960's. At the Mary land meeting, however, Mr. Bellrose would not estimate the numbers of birds poisoned each year, but simply deduced that based on his studies, the problem was a major one. While not denying that waterfowl die of lead poisoning, we believe that this scope study is badly in need of updating and have eo sug gested to the Federal Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. This Bureau has promised to consider seriously. SPBSTITOTE SHOT. Mo suinufacturer to date has stated when, if ever, iron shot, which holds the most promise, will be comsMTcially available. While Winchester/olin is continuing extensive and elaborate test programs they have made no statesmnt to date as to expectation of commercial availability. The director of that program said in the Washington meeting in July that "the laws of physics have been exhausted". Ballistically, these companies agree, iron shot could possibly cause crippling losses equal to those due to lead poisoning. Also, the gun damage caused by iron is still unresolved and the manufacturers take the stand that they will not be responsible for this damage, nor any resulting physical injury to hunters. We believe that this is another area of vulnerability and should be exploited. SPONSORS OF TtE CAMPAIGN. The leader is clearly The national Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC. While the Federation claims a membership of three million aportemen, huntere, and local coneervatlon groups, we are not convinced that the rank and file meshership suscribes to the campaign to eliminate leed ehot. After talking to dozens of hunters in the Refuge test arses, end based on vigorous protests by hunters et the Maryland meeting, we believe that SWF My be suppressing dissension within their own organisation. This, too, could be exploited. > PB-M I ^ A C\ A A1