More info for those who would ban lead for upland, but of course the science doesn't really matter does it???
Elemental lead and inorganic lead compounds are absorbed through ingestion or inhalation. Pulmonary absorption is efficient, particularly if airborne lead particle diameters are 1 mm generally are completely absorbed by the alveoli. Gastrointestinal absorption of lead is less effective and depends on a number of factors. Lead absorption rates may increase with iron, zinc, and calcium deficiencies. Children are at the highest risk for toxicity because they absorb up to 50% percent of the amount of lead ingested, whereas adults absorb only about 10 to 20% percent. Transdermal absorption is minimal for inorganic lead. reference
Lead shot of diameter 1mm or less is smaller than #12 shot of 1.3mm. Ammo charts I have seen do not go smaller than #12 and I sure have never seen it used. Upland birds are usually shot with #6 but as large as #4 for heavy late season birds and as small as #7 1/2 for in close birds. Never shot doves but I hear talk of #8 and #9. So any upland shot size is too heavy and large for inhalation. Next is ingestion. Who is going to eat lead shot?? Well, maybe the hunter but the amount would be minimal after proper preparation of the bird and the transition time in the gut is too short to have an impact. So, not much risk to the hunter and no risk to the non-hunting public. Finally, transdermal absorption is not really a factor, even if someone went behind the hunter and made every effort to retrieve by hand every pellet that hit the ground and not the bird. Now that would be beyond the realm of any realistic probability of occurring.
But then none of this matters, because it is the same for migratory birds and clay birds and popping pattern boards. It is all about an emotional response to mis-information or non-information. Next there will be an investigation of tungsten toxicity. Copper is also toxic - there goes the Daisy.
I think I should stop now.
Cheers,
Jack
BTW I have ingested the occasional pellet and for fun I had the doc do a blood test for lead. The doc told me I had no reason for concern. I have eaten a lot of lead shot game from the time I started on solid foods many decades ago.
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