Tom:

Is your research work-related?

I am really curious as to the numbers of waterfowl saved by the banning of lead shot. Intuitively, it makes sense that lead shot would be dangerous to them due to the manner in which birds eat {crop action, etc}. I grew up in southern New Jersey and there are, as no doubt in parts of VA, coastal areas where intensive waterfowl shooting has been going on for over a hundred years, areas where, as you say, lead shot can and has accumulated in vast amounts.

Since accumulations of shot didn't just go away after the ban, I would think that deaths by lead poisoning would be measurable even for years after the ban, particularly with diving ducks, that is, until the shot settles deeply enough into the bottom to be safe. So, IS THERE clear evidence of lead poisoning in waterfowl?

And has the ban positively impacted waterfowl numbers in any measurable way?

And also, has any research been done to determine if the vast amounts of small shot deposited in the water has resulted in lead leachate, ANY lead leachate, migrating into surrounding water? I understand that the environment is oxygen deprived, but I would still think that the water would bear lead merely due to the vast amounts present.

I remember back in the '70's articles being written that identified lead shot found in the crops of birds taken during hunting season, and the presence of the shot was assumed to follow with lead poisoning, but the mere presence of the shot doesn't mean the birds were poisoned, and the fact that they were taken during hunting season or shot by game department researchers indicates they were alive till introduced to lead shot in another manner...

Can you comment on what actual effect WAS lead shot having on waterfowl health?