Hunting points to ponder.

So, I was talking to a friend about getting into hunting and he brought up some good points to think about. Lead shot was used for many years and still used today in some areas. Why it is still legal I will never understand. Birds die of lead poisoning from the small pellets they end up eating. How each species is affected depends on the region and the amount of lead that is ingested.

"..diving ducks are more likely to swallow lead shot than dabbling ducks. Ducks that feed on plants and invertebrates in the water or on the surface are less likely to pick up lead shot that has settled into the bottom than ducks like pintails that may dig 4 or 5 inches into the bottom for tubers. Snow geese and swans can dig even deeper – as much as 12 to 15 inches."

Then, as far as deer goes, who will be dragging back a deer I wound? I, me, myself will have to track and drag that deer back and load it on the truck. :/ And, it's not like they run off on a cleared trail. Oh no, no. They go through bushes, trees, ravines, jump over huge logs, who knows where they will end up. I, me, myself will have to drag that deer out. Just something to really think about.

You know what else I hear? They don't allow dogs to track deer in Washington. It sure doesn't sound right but it could be true. I can see it not allowed in a national forest like Olympics and Mt Rainier, since there are no dogs allowed there at any time but they are allowed in the Cascades Mountain Range so I don't see why they couldn't be used for tracking.

Besides, why would anyone risk loosing or allowing a wounded deer to suffer? I would think people would want to have a dog handy that is good enough to be able to track so that the deer isn't lost and a wounded deer would not have to suffer. I will have to look that one up.