Hunting with Non-lead Ammunition: Preserving hunting and wildlife for Oregon’s Future

This workshop will provide Pacific Northwest hunters and wildlife professionals with an interactive forum to learn about and discuss the effects of lead ingestion on wildlife in Oregon, the ballistics of non-lead ammunition, and ways to reduce lead’s impact on wildlife. Panel discussions will provide participants with opportunities to share their experiences and contribute ideas towards a strategy to reduce the availability of lead from ammunition to wildlife in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Topics include:

  • Overview of lead and wildlife issues in other states
  • Current field research in Oregon
  • Hunter opinions, attitudes, and experiences
  • Ballistics and effectiveness of non-lead ammunition
  • Engaging hunters to help solve the problem

Agenda

9:00 am to 12:00 pm: Morning Session: Overview of wildlife exposure to lead from ammunition, challenges of changing to non-lead ammunition and performance of non-lead ammunition
9:00 – 9:05 Teri Dresler, Oregon Zoo
Welcome and introductions
9:05 – 9:10 Oregon Chapter of the Wildlife Society
Opening Remarks, introduction to morning session
9:10 – 9:35 Chris Parish, Peregrine Fund
Overview and personal experience of research and voluntary outreach in Arizona. Why should sportsmen engage in this issue?
9:35 – 10:00 Dana Sanchez, Oregon State University
Oregon hunter survey results
10:00 – 10:25 Eric Pederson, ballistician and firearms expert (formerly Barnes Bullets)
Ballistics of non-lead bullets
10:25 – 10:50 Murphy McHugh, shotshell ammunition expert (HeviShot)
Performance of non-lead shotgun ammunition
10:50 – 11:15 Break
11:15 – 12:00 Interactive Panel Discussion – Ballistics and terminal performance of non-lead ammunition
Leland Brown (Oregon Zoo), Kevin Christenson (USDA/APHIS), Murphy McHugh (Hevishot), Eric Pederson
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch & Door Prize Raffle Draw (Ventana Wildlife Society & High Desert Museum)
13:00 to 4:00 – Afternoon Session: Studies in the PNW, how to move forward
13:00 -13:10 Moderator,
Introduction to the afternoon session
13:10 – 13:25 Collin Eagles-Smith, U.S. Geological Survey
Overview: Exposure of avian scavengers to PB in Oregon
13:25 – 13:40 Jeremy Buck, USFWS
Preliminary Report: Blood lead levels in Golden Eagle chicks in E. Oregon
13:40 – 13:55 Garth Herring, U.S. Geological Survey
Preliminary Report: Ground squirrel shooting and potential lead exposure in breeding avian scavengers.
13:55 – 14:20 Break
14:20 – 14:45 Jim Akenson, Oregon Hunters Association
Over a Century of Hunting and Conservation and new paradigms for ammunition
14:45 – 15:05 Leland Brown, Oregon Zoo
Role of outreach and education
15:05 – 15:50 Interactive Panel Discussion, Going forward what is the best approach for Oregon?
Ron Anglin (ODFW), Paul Henson (USFWS), Chris Parish (Peregrine Fund), Scott Scherbinski (NPS), Steve Hagan (OHA)
15:50 – 16:00 Moderator
Closing remarks