Wild game, lead bullets and the dinner table
Photo courtesy of NYSDEC Using nontoxic shot is already a familiar part of waterfowling, helping hunters and protecting ducks, geese and other wildlife from ingesting spent shot in wetlands and feeding areas.
Photo courtesy of James Monteleone As another deer season approaches, there’s a simple change hunters can consider that may make that tradition a little cleaner: switching to lead-free ammunition. The Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Department of Health is recommending it.
Photo courtesy of NYSDEC Using nontoxic shot is already a familiar part of waterfowling, helping hunters and protecting ducks, geese and other wildlife from ingesting spent shot in wetlands and feeding areas.
Photo courtesy of James Monteleone As another deer season approaches, there’s a simple change hunters can consider that may make that tradition a little cleaner: switching to lead-free ammunition. The Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Department of Health is recommending it.
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For generations, hunting has been part of the fabric of Western New York. It gets us outdoors, puts us in touch with the land and wildlife, and -- perhaps best of all -- can put healthy, locally harvested food on the table.
As another deer season approaches, there's a simple change hunters can consider that may make that tradition a little cleaner: switching to lead-free ammunition. The Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Department of Health is recommending it.
Lead is highly toxic, and there is no known completely safe level of lead exposure. When a lead bullet strikes a deer, it can break apart into numerous tiny fragments. Some may be visible, but others can be extremely small and difficult to detect during butchering or even while eating the meat.
That doesn’t mean hunters should be alarmed about the venison in their freezers. There have been no reported human illnesses associated with eating wild game harvested with lead ammunition. But it does mean there is a reasonable opportunity to reduce exposure -- particularly for children and people who can become pregnant. The DOH recommends that these groups not eat game harvested with lead ammunition.
The good news is that going lead-free doesn’t mean giving up performance.
Modern nonlead hunting bullets, typically made from solid copper or copper alloys, are available in a wide range of calibers and bullet weights. They are designed to deliver the accuracy and effectiveness hunters expect while reducing the fragmentation associated with traditional lead bullets.
If you make the switch, remember one important rule: sight in your firearm again. We all know that different ammunition from varying brands can perform differently, even when the caliber and bullet weight appear similar. A little time at the range before opening day is time well spent.
For deer hunters, there is another compelling reason to consider the change -- and it has nothing to do with what’s on your dinner plate. What remains in the field after a deer is harvested can become food for eagles, hawks, ravens, coyotes and other scavengers. Lead
fragments left in gut piles or carcasses can be ingested by wildlife. Bald eagles, in particular, can be vulnerable to lead poisoning.
In other words, what happens beyond the target matters, too.
New York hunters have an added incentive this year. For the 2026-27 deer hunting season, rebates of up to $60 are available statewide for eligible purchases of lead-free ammunition. Hunters can purchase qualifying ammunition at any time and location, but should save their receipts and check the current program requirements. To see a list of commonly used lead and non-lead bullets by manufacturer visit: https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/bulletbymaker.pdf.
Deer hunters aren’t the only ones who can benefit. Waterfowl hunters have long understood that ammunition choices can have consequences beyond the immediate hunt. Using nontoxic shot is already a familiar part of waterfowling, helping protect ducks, geese and other wildlife from ingesting spent shot in wetlands and feeding areas.
Ultimately, hunting is about much more than pulling a trigger. It’s about knowing your quarry, respecting the resource and accepting responsibility for what happens after the shot.
Switching to lead-free ammunition is one relatively small step that we hunters can take toward that responsibility. It can help reduce potential exposure at the dinner table, lessen risks to wildlife and keep the focus where it belongs: on enjoying the hunt, bringing home good food and leaving the woods and waters better for the next generation.
For hunters who haven’t tried it yet, this might be the year to give lead-free ammunition a shot. The rebates are great.
Gotta love the outdoors.
CALENDAR
Sept. 5: NYSDEC Hunter Ed, Harmony Conservation Club, Panama, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., taught by Charles W. Dole, register: https://decals.events.east.licensing.app/em/events/389/registrations/new, or call 585-226-5463.
Sept. 6: Annual Club Picnic, Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., members $30, nonmembers $45, Info: 716-366-8836.
Sept. 6: Allied Sportsmen Labor Day Trap Shoot, 8:30 a.m. to noon registration, shooting starts at 9 a.m.; 12846 Clinton St., Alden. 716-937-3615.
Sept. 7: Hawkeye Bowmen Labor Day Shoot, 7 a.m. to noon, 13300 Clinton St., Alden. $15. Info: https://www.ecfsc.org/ecfscevent/hawkeye-bowmen-labor-day-shoot/.