Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife





*mefishwildlife.com*






Hunters have a long conservation history...
bald eagle
Reducing lead from the food web is another step we as hunters can take to support wildlife and continue our leadership in conservation.

When an animal is shot with lead bullets, as much as a third or more of the bullet's total weight can be fragmented into hundreds or even thousands of tiny pieces upon impact and remain inside the body. Fragments have been seen as far as 18 inches from the pathway of the bullet inside the animal. Some of these lead fragments are so small they are not visible to the naked eye but are clearly present in x-rays.

xray showing lead fragments in sheep

Credit/Description: X-ray of a domestic sheep shot with lead ammuntion. Bullet fragments are visible as bright specks within the red circles and are located throught the thoracic cavity and into the pelvic cavity. Photo courtesy of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Farmland Wildlife Populations and Research Group, 35365 800th Ave, Madelia, MN 56062.

When gut piles or parts of animal carcasses that were shot with lead bullets remain in the field, lead fragments often are left with it. Scavenging wildlife such as bald eagles take advantage of these free meals, unintentionally ingesting lead fragments while consuming the remains. Even after ingesting a tiny amount of lead, lead poisoning can occur, causing neurological and motor impairments that can lead to death or long term impairment within a matter of days.

In recent years, studies have illuminated these wildlife health risks. Luckily there are affordable and effective lead-free options for many popular rifle, shotgun, and muzzleloader calibers/gauges. 

Making a choice to use lead-free ammunition for big game hunting is another way we as hunters can continue to support wildlife, ensure effective harvests, and protect the future of hunting by turning a conservation challenge into an opportunity to demonstrate our conservation leadership and stewardship.

For more information on lead-free hunting ammunition, as well as tips for finding, testing, and selecting the correct grain and bullet for your next hunt, consider taking the free online Modern Hunting Ammunition class on learnhunting.org [ [link removed] ]. To start, create an account, and then navigate to the Online Courses section. 

If you aren't ready or able to make the switch, there's still things you can do to keep lead out of the food web. Read on for best management practices to minimize impact to scavenging wildlife even if you're using lead ammunition. 

*Learn More About Making the Switch* [ [link removed] ]






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Other Ways to Minimize Impact

If you are not ready to make the switch to lead-free ammunition, there are still ways you can take action:

spruce tree icon
Hide Remains from Above

Hide gut piles and carcasses under the thick cover of conifers. This method requires minimal effort and focuses on reducing the risk to the most susceptible species, avian scavengers, who fly above in search of their next meal.

"Reminder: You do need landowner permission to cut branches of a tree."



shovel icon
Dig a Hole

Consider going one step further to eliminate visual location and direct access by burying your gut pile and carcass in a shallow hole beneath conifers. Just be sure you have permission from the landowner if you aren't on your own property.



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Leave No Trace

The last, and most effective option is to leave no trace. Consider carrying the remains of your gut pile and carcass out with you, leaving nothing behind for any scavengers to find. If you choose this option, you can use a trash bag and dispose of the carcass in a certified landfill.



A little effort goes a long way in protecting wildlife. We encourage all hunters to stay informed about the continuous improvements to and benefits of lead-free ammunition. Take the time to talk with others in the hunting community about their positive experiences using lead-free ammo. You may be closer to making the switch than you think.

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More information

North American Lead-Free Partnership [ [link removed] ]
Search Maine's hunting laws [ [link removed] ]
Purchase a hunting license or permit online [ [link removed] ]
Antlerless deer permit information [ [link removed] ]
Plan your hunt
[ [link removed] ]Search Maine's hunting laws [ [link removed] ]
Keep CWD out of Maine [ [link removed] ]
Hunting with lead-free ammunition [ [link removed] ]
Exploring the outdoors on private land [ [link removed] ]








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This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife ·41 State House Station · Augusta, ME 04333-0041 · (207) 287-8000 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]