It’s just matter of when lead bullets will be banned. There was a lot of hollering over the ban on steel shot 30+ years ago, but ultimately steel shot works fine for waterfowl and other bird hunting.
The feds manage migratory birds, and have been keeping a database on migratory birds that have been diagnosed with lead toxicity—especially raptors.
Whether prohibiting lead bullets starts with specific federal lands, or with state hunting regulations remains to be seen.
The USFWS proposed a ban on lead bullets on federal wildlife refuges during Trump’s era, but was dropped. I fully expect it to be revived with Biden.
A proposed ban on lead bullets was being proposed in one of the upper midwest states (Wisconsin?) recently, but It appears the legislature didn’t pass it.
I think it is likely Colorado will prohibit lead bullets in the near/mid term future, and won’t be surprised if some of the other western states follow suit.
Any new hunting rifle I acquire is getting a “alternative” mono bullet hunting load, just in case…….
Actually Trump overturned the EO by Bam Bam banning all lead bullets for use on federal lands.
WASHINGTON— On the last full day of the Obama administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued an order phasing out the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on national wildlife refuges by 2022.
