Outdoor Notes : U.S. Wants Lead Out of Waterfowl Shot in 44 States

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to ban the use of lead shotgun pellets in parts of 44 states next waterfowl hunting season. California is among them.

Under the proposal, intended to prevent lead poisoning in waterfowl and bald eagles, hunters would be required to use nontoxic steel shot in the prescribed areas.

In California, the Cibola, Colusa, Delevan, Modoc, Sacramento and Sutter wildlife refuges would be included.

Waterfowl suffer lead poisoning if they eat spent lead shot, and eagles, or other animals, that feed on sick or dead birds also can be poisoned. Lead poisoning has been blamed for the deaths of more than 100 bald eagles since 1963.

The proposal specifically designates “eagle protection zones” in 26 states, up from eight last year.

Other areas are on the list because of lead poisoning in waterfowl, because states asked that they be included, and because of monitoring studies on national wildlife refuges, the agency said.

The agency will accept public comments on the proposal until Feb. 5. Regulations will be issued later this year.

At its first meeting of the year, last Friday in Ventura, the California Fish and Game Commission heard public testimony on the capture of remaining California condors in the wild.

The commission’s long-standing proposal to capture the six known condors in the wild was opposed by some. Speaking on behalf of the Audubon Society, Dr. Richard Martyr said: “Without condors in the wild, there will be little incentive for maintaining and acquiring habitat.”

He suggested capturing two of the birds and leaving the four others in the wild.

Commissioner Brian Kahn of Santa Rosa said that the risk of losing the last remaining birds in the wild was not justifiable.

There are 22 California condors in captivity, one a female captured last week and apparently suffering from lead poisoning.

The commission adopted a resolution to request that the state Wildlife Conservation Board assist with funding needed to acquire Hudson Ranch lands in Ventura County for future condor habitat.

The commission also elected to maintain existing laws regarding the killing of mountain lions that cause damage to farmers and ranchers, and adopted a regulation to permit sport fishermen to have their catches canned by commercial canners.

Briefly Recent surveys indicate that the population of a western Tehama County deer herd might have been reduced by half since the fall of 1983. Blue tongue disease, spread by gnats and transmitted between wildlife and livestock at water sources, is one suspect. Herbicidal spray to kill broadleaf plants is another. . . . Showtime: The 21st annual Anaheim Sports, Vacation and RV show will continue through Sunday at the Anaheim Convention Center. . . . Fall spawning migrations brought improved returns of adult king salmon to the Sacramento-San Joaquin river systems and the state’s principal salmon hatcheries in 1985, but natural spawning activity in the Klamath-Trinity system continues to be a disappointment, according to the Department of Fish and Game. . . . What good is an old Christmas tree? It can be used as fish cover. The Nevada Department of Wildlife ios collecting leftover trees from sales lots and individuals for placement in Lake Mead Feb. 1-2. . . . The limit on crappie was reduced to 15 on both Lake Mead and Lake Mohave Jan. 1. Also on Lake Mohave, there are now 13-inch minimum size and 5-fish bag limits on largemouth bass. . . . The North Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet at the Centennial Building in Sitka, Alaska, Jan. 15-17.