ALL HUNTERS SHOULD BE WARY OF THE DANGERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF LEAD SHOT AND ENDEVOUR TO USE NON-TOXIC SHOT

THE big topic a week or so ago was indigenous hunters using lead shot for waterfowl hunting and its link to elevated lead levels in some children living in some communities.

This is contentious and I hope that indigenous hunters are compelled to use non-toxic shot, like steel, for waterfowl hunting over wetlands.

Permit-holding hunters have been required to do this since 1997 on our local hunting reserves.

This has improved the habitat our waterfowl live in and reduced the incidence of them ingesting lead shot. That doesn’t mean it has stopped it happening at these reserves.

NT Field and Game has picked up trailer loads of recently-fired lead shot shell hulls at the reserves in the weeks prior to the season opening day every year since it was banned.

Subsequently, I personally have found birds weak and near death without a pellet hole in them near the shoreline. They were obviously suffering from lead poisoning after ingesting lead shot dispersed quite possibly by indigenous hunters.

Using lead shot over wetlands is derelict and negligent to the geese and waterfowl we aspire to conserve.

Hunters do conserve waterfowl and the habitat they rely on. Nothing was more apparent when a few weeks ago, when 22 NT Field and Game members sprayed mimosa and olive hymenachne weeds at Harrison Dam.

These people care enough for the swamp, which supports the majority of the local hunting pressure, to spend six hours on a Sunday slaving away for the benefit of the birds.

Lead shot is lethal to geese and duck in a wetland environment. It doesn’t matter what colour hunter fires it, it doesn’t discriminate, it insidiously kills Black Duck, Burdekin Duck and Magpie Geese. It should not be used over swamps.

Grant Hatcher from Fishing and Outdoor World in Cavanagh Street said the birds had been patchy at Harrison Dam during the past week. Hunters were reporting mixed success with the birds being there one day and gone the next.

Some customers had also reported that Lambell’s Lagoon was providing some reasonable pass shooting, as geese moved from the melon crop across Lambell’s to Fogg Dam for a drink. Lambell’s is dry, but they are using the areas as a flight lane.

“Shoal Bay Hunting reserve still has birds at the Gunn Point end but they are high”, Grant added.

“Don’t get despondent if you don’t find the birds one day – give it another crack, persevere and you won’t go hungry”, he said.

“The Goose Fever Expo, put on by NT Field and Game, was a big day sales wise for Fishing and Outdoor World and allowed us to show off our guns at the range. This equalled sales later in the week. We thank NTFGA for including us again in this great day.”

Tip: Two goose calls with different tones worked for me last week. Mix it up and make it sound like a few birds pleading for friends to join them. NT Field and Game have a 50-target Simulated Field event next Sunday from 8am.

This shoot will be helpful to accreditation for Crop Protection hunts. Sporting clay target practice continues every Friday arvo from 4pm till 9pm at the NT Field and Game range, Micket Creek Shooting Complex, Brandt Rd, Knuckey Lagoon. If you want the goss on crop protection hunting for the following week please come along. Join Field and Game, www.fga.net.au Join SSAA, www.ssaa.org.au Join Australian Deer Association www.austdeer.asn.au Like NT Field and Game on Facebook. Email: ntfieldandgame@gmail.com Or fnflodge1@bigpond.com – BART IRWIN