**DUCK HUNTERS BEWARE**

[Peter Emberley]

POSTED ON BEHALF OF RAY HYNES.

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========================TO ALL DUCK HUNTERS====================

BE AWARE: IF YOU ARE A DUCK HUNTER, YOU ARE NO DOUBT AWARE OF THE LAWS RESTRICTING THE USE OF LEAD SHOT, I.E., IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR HUNTING TURS AND SMALL GAME OTHER THAN MIGRATORY BIRDS. THERE IS NO LAW RESTRICTING THE USE OF LEAD SHOT FOR HUNTING SMALL GAME, AND COYOTES, ;OTHER THAN SIZE LIMITATION. THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST THE USE ,OR POSSESSION OF LEAD SHOT FOR TARGET PRACTICE, OR FOR USE AS AN EMERGENCY SIGNAL ETC.

YOU CAN HAVE LEAD SHOT IN YOUR POSSESSION, EVEN IF YOU ONLY HAVE A MIGRATORY BIRD LICENSE, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE NON-TOXIC SHOT FOR DUCK HUNTING. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS THAT WILDLIFE OFFICERS, AND IN PARTICULAR FEDERAL WILDLIFE OFFICERS, DON'T LOOK AT IT THAT WAY. THEY ARE ONLY TOO GLAD AND TOO EAGER, TO CHARGE YOU WITH ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF LEAD SHOT, I.E 'POSSESSION OF LEAD SHOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF HUNTING MIGRATORY BIRDS' THIS IS NOT A VALID CHARGE. HOWEVER, HUNTERS WHO DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE AND WHO ARE UNAWARE OF THE RAMIFICATIONS, ARE PLEADING GUILTY TO SUCH CHARGES. IN ADDITION TO A HEAFTY FINE , THEY LOOSE THEIR HUNTING PRIVILAGES FOR A YEAR AND MAY OR MAY NOT GET BACK THEIR PROPERTY, IE, GUNS, AMMO AND ANY OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS. SO THERE ARE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES IN THE AFTERMATH OF ANY SUCH UNWARRANTED CHARGES. I KNOW OF ONE INSTANCE WHERE FEDERAL WILDLIFE OFFICERS REFUSED TO GIVE BACK ALL ITEMS SEIZED,DISPITE THE FACT THAT THE CASE WAS DISMISSED IN COURT, AND DISPITE THE FACT THAT THE HUNTER INVOLVED CLAIMED OWNERSHIP OF ALL ITEMS SEIZED. SO HUNTERS, BE ON YOUR GUARD.

IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT IT. I AM A FIRM BELEIVER IN THE PROTECTION OF OUR WILDLIFE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH IT LIVES, AND I BELEIVE WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS REGUARD. SOME WILDLIVE OFFICER GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT, JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE ISSUED A BADGE AND GIVEN A UNIFORM AND '' A BIG IRON ON THE HIP', THEY ARE COCK- OF- THE- ROOST AND THE ONLY ONES THAT CARE ABOUT THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF OUR WILDLIFE. ONCE YOU TAKE A GUN AND GO HUNTING THEY THINK YOU HAVE TO BE DOING SOMETHING WRONG AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THEM FINDING OUT WHAT IT IS.

ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, IN PARTICULAR THE FEDERAL WILDLIFE OFFICERS, ARE RACKING UP CHARGES UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCE, ON PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND/OR WHO DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. THEY ARE USING THIS DRUMMED UP CHARGE TO BOOST THEIR STATISTICS AND MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK GOOD. MOST HUNTERS CHARGED UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE SO ILL-INFORMED AND SCARED THAT THEY JUST GO IN A PLEAD GUILY AND END UP WITH THE PENALTIES I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.

I HAVE HEARD ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENCE AND IT'S ABOUT TIME A STOP IS PUT TO IT. DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU. STAND YOUR GROUND AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

PASS THIS MESSAGE ALONG TO ALL YOUR HUNTING FRIENDS SO THEY WON'T RUN INTO THIS SITUATION AND END UP BEING CONVICTED WRONGLY AND LOOSING THEIR FIREARMS AND HUNTING PRIVILAGES. AND , I SHOULD MENTION, THAT IF YOU ARE CONVICTED UNDER THE MIGRATORY BIRD ACT YOU CANNOT PURCHASE A LICENSE THE FOLLOWING SEASON. IF YOU DO, YOU CAN THEN BE CHARGED AGAIN FOR PURCHASING A LICENSE ILLEGALLY.

AS I SAID EARLIER, I AM ALL FOR THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF OUR WILDLIFE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN GENERAL. BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS LACK THE ABILITIY AND DISCRETION TO PUT THE OVERALL ENFORCEMENT AND PROTECTION ISSUE INTO PERSPECTIVE. I HAVE PLENTY MORE TO SAY ON THIS ISSUE, BUT WE WILL LET REST HERE FOR THE TIME BEING.

THAT BEING SAID, DON'T FORGET IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND MINE TO DO OUR PART TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR WILDLIFE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. IT IS NOT OURS, IT IS ONLY OURS TO ENJOY AND PROTECT.

RAY HYNES,

BRISTOL'S HOPE, NL

[Fred Woodman]

I agree 100%.... the challenge is when people are using lead to hunt waterfowl other than turrs.
This is against the law whether we like it or not.And if you get caught, you most likely will lose your gear, hunting privedges and get a fine.
There are some very good alternatives to lead shot, if you do your homework.Some are very expensive, many aren't much more than lead .