If you hunt, use non-toxic ammunition

4 October 2023

SOAR is a “family” of hunters that has chosen long ago to use non-toxic ammunition. We know that lead is a toxin — a poison. SOAR (and others) have documented that lead fragments from shotgun slugs and rifle bullets have been found in processed meat. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control tell us that even very low levels of lead can cause issues in those pregnant and very young. Please read this >> Hunting Ammunition and Implications for Public Health, University of Minnesota Food Policy Research Center Issue Brief (112 KB PDF) to learn about how lead in hunting ammunition can impact our bodies.

Watch these videos about why these hunters switched to non-toxic ammunition

Here are a few op ed / popular press articles:

From Mountain Journal the author writes a comprehensive article chronicling the research and challenges to getting lead out of hunting ammunition, “It’s Time to Get the Lead Out of Hunting Ammo”
Check out this article posted at “In These Times: Rural America” website where the author lays out ways that this two seemingly different groups can work together for conservation!
“A Hunter asks, “Why are Lead Bullets still a Thing?”

Buy your non-toxic ammo well before season!

Non-toxic ammunition includes bullets, slugs, muzzleloader ammunition, and shot that do not contain lead. Although non-toxic ammunition may be difficult to find, do check with your local retailers and ask for non-lead ammunition may be the most convenient way to purchase non-lead ammunition. Knowing what brands and bullet models are available in non-lead before going to your local store is always a good idea. Search for “ammo finder website” for sites that you can search for options available.

Also, if you deer hunt, process the meat yourself. If you take your deer to a meat locker, they will commingle several deer together when making ground venison? You don’t know how the other deer were harvested!

Posted in Notes