“A lead ammunition ban in Arizona is not the answer. We’ve grown accustomed to seeing these litigious groups in the courtrooms, yet seldom are they seen in the trenches and almost never with the dirt of hard conservation work under their fingernails. These groups have ignored the absolutely critical role that cooperation and on-the-ground involvement play in a successful wildlife conservation program. A court-forced ban could result in important condor conservation partners withdrawing from the reintroduction effort.” – Arizona Game and Fish Department Director Larry Voyles, Arizona Game and Fish files to intervene in lead ammunition lawsuit for condors [via azgfd.net]
Illegal Aliens use up far more limited natural resources, pollute and otherwise damage the US environment far more than lead bullets ever will.
This guy, Larry Voyles, from the Arizona Game & Fish. Has some common sense. Why didn’t he run for Pres……I would vote for him in a second.
Oh yeah, has a real job, Does not meet the qualifications for President,
Too honest, too hard working, actually cares, not a millionaire, not a lawyer, does not lie enough, no con man skills, forgot to take any bribes lately. Bloomberg is not a drinking buddy. No money accounts in the Cayman Islands. Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago is not on his speed dial.
He is right and it is sad really.
If you have an aversion to something you would think they would be out there making sure that places were properly cleaned up and that the environment was set to attract the wild life they want to live there. But no they are trial lawyers sitting in court rooms. They drive home in their BMW’s and drink beer out by their pools, thinking about what great champions of the environment they are.
Mean while the other guys are out there making sure the wild life actually survives.
leaving out why they would withdraw
Sounds like Arizona hired the right guy.
Sounds like the voice of reason. Makes me wonder how he got the job? I mean, he seems qualified, dedicated and not someone’s drunken brother-in-law. I am so used to seeing gubment jobs given to lackeys that flat out don’t care about anything but the paycheck.
Aharon, you speaketh the truth, as a resident of Southern AZ I know the illegals and drug runners leave more trash and crap in the wilderness than anyone. Who the F@*k is trying to regulate sh!t in my state??! take that crap over to California.
I’ve read about the trash they leave while going north. In general they have little regard for the environment overall. I think there are about 30+ million (that’s an invasion) and I know it is far more than groups like La Raza claim only about 10 million. Those millions use up fresh water, fuel, wood, etc. I don’t like it.
And their untended cooking/warming fires spread and become wild land fires, that cost millions to control.
HA… I respond to your logic with “righteous” indignation
and gleefully insinuate you were bought off by Big Lead.
You extremist you.
I don’t know why the folks in AZ are going overboard on the whole condor-protection thing. Here in CA we have a very clearly defined range in which you can’t hunt with lead because it gets into the condor food chain. (Pretty sure it’s bad for the other near-apex predator/scavenger animals, too.)
Doesn’t stop us from hunting — hell, the bismuth/tungsten turkey shells I use are significantly higher performing than conventional lead. Banning all lead ammo is ridiculous, but banning hunting with lead in condor ranges isn’t unreasonable IMHO and has strong scientific proof behind it.
Besides, it’s not like the condors are eating the backstops at the target ranges. Shoot all the lead you want if it’s not going into the food chain.
You missed the point. The voluntary program by the hunters results in better compliance than an outright ban. We in AZ are not going “overboard”, we just set some requirements for the Feds and they agreed to them. So far this whole program is working, just like some of the other re-introduction programs the AZ Game and Fish Dept. is doing. Utah’s co-operation in joining the program is helping the condors as well. Lawyers filing lawsuits in Federal court never helped in any conservation program. Hunters, fishermen, ranchers and others who actually get out and use the land and wildlife are the REAL conservationists. You should research what some of the wildlife groups like the Desert Bighorn Sheep Society actually do to help wildlife. How about two multi-million dollar concrete overpasses over the new highway around Hoover Dam to provide safe passage for desert bighorn sheep.
If he was in the PRK he would be looking for a new job
F&G board member was run out for shooting a puma/cougar/mountain lion in another state were it is legal, might have been his “It tasted great” comment that really pissed off the weenies
Yeah, that was a bullshit move to do that to him. We talked about that with the instructors at my recent CA hunter Ed class, actually.
Hey, TTAG, Thanks for bringing this story to a bigger audience.