Cynical ad campaign seeks to mislead lawmakers and the public about the dangers of lead ammunition

In a last-ditch attempt to reverse strong public opinion supporting a proposal to require non-lead ammunition for hunting in California – and stem a series of legislative defeats in the Capitol – an extreme gun advocacy organization has launched an aggressive paid advertising campaign in California that includes newspaper, radio, billboard and Internet ads.

The effort by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, based in Newtown, Conn., specifically targets Assembly Bill 711, which was approved by a two-to-one margin by the state Assembly, and is now awaiting a vote in the state Senate.

The NSSF advertising campaign attempts to distract attention from a mountain of research showing the dangers of lead ammunition to both wildlife and people. In fact, the bill has broad- based support from veterinarians, scientists, hunters, environmental groups, health advocates, animal protection organizations and others from across the state. AB 711 is sponsored by Audubon California, The Humane Society of the United States and Defenders of Wildlife.

“They’ve lost public opinion, they’re losing in the legislature, and the science on the threat from lead ammunition is a closed book,” said Dan Taylor, director of public policy for Audubon California.

Nearly every major newspaper in California has editorialized in support of AB 711, including the Sacramento Bee, the Los Angeles Times, the San Jose Mercury News, the Fresno Bee, the Monterey County Herald, the Riverside Press Enterprise and the Bakersfield Californian.

“No ad campaign can change the fact that lead kills,” said Jennifer Fearing, California state director of the Humane Society of the United States.

More than 25 other states have laws on the books that go beyond the federal restriction on lead shot for hunting waterfowl. Despite claims that requiring lead ammunition will result in an end to hunting, sales of deer hunting licenses have actually increased in the California condor range, where lead ammunition is not allowed for big game hunting.

“Given what every American already knows about the toxicity of lead, AB 711 is just common sense – and no amount of advertising is going to change that,” said Kim Delfino, California director for Defenders of Wildlife. “Thousands and thousands of hunters are already using nonlead ammunition because they care about the environment and don’t want to poison their families.”

A statewide poll released in the spring showed that California voters of both parties overwhelmingly supported requiring non-lead ammunition for hunting by well over a 2:1 margin. A majority of gun owners also supported limits on lead ammunition in hunting, as well. Californians agree that lead is just as serious a concern for voters as other prominent toxic substances like mercury and arsenic.

In March, a group of prominent, nationally-renowned scientists in the field of lead poisoning released a statement of consensus agreeing that lead from ammunition poses a significant threat to both wildlife and people. The scientists agreed that “Lead-based ammunition is likely the greatest, largely unregulated source of lead knowingly discharged into the environment in the United States.”

The number of groups that support AB 711, beyond the co-sponsors, includes Children Now, California Coastal Protection Network, California Public Interest Coalition, Clean Water Action, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and more than 30 others.

About Audubon California 

Audubon California is building a better future fo rCalifornia by bringing people together to appreciate, enjoy and protect our spectacular outdoor treasures. With more than 100,000 members in California and an affiliated 48 local Audubon chapters, Audubon California is a field program of the National Audubon Society.

More information is available at www.ca.audubon.org.