Bangor Lawmaker Seeks To Ban Hunting With Lead Ammunition

Lawmakers are taking another shot at banning the use of lead ammunition while hunting in Maine.

Bangor Representative of House District 125, Amy Roeder, has introduced a bill that would put an end to hunting with lead ammo in Maine. LD 1015 — An Act To Ban Hunting with Ammunition That Contains Lead is pretty straight forward, the bill seeks to do what was partially done 30 years ago. In 1991, it became illegal nationwide to use lead shot for waterfowl hunting. Proponents of an all-out lead ammo prohibition cite studies that found many waterfowl species experienced a rebound after the ban went into effect.

The act as written would prohibit the use of all forms of lead ammo for any species of hunting, and penalize those caught using it. According to the legal document, violating LD 1015 would result in a written warning for the first offense. A second offense results a $100 fine, with the penalty increasing by $50 for each subsequent offense.

In Roeder's written testimony introducing the bill she says: "When lead bullets are used, they have the ability to kill much more than the game a hunter is after. The shrapnel from bullets can end up in water sources and eaten by other animals, thus harming and potentially killing them, which also impacts hunters."

The public hearing for Roeder's bill is on Monday.

Opponents of the bill say the ban will destroy the hunting heritage in Maine. One Representative, Will Tuell of House District 139, says he will vote against the ban if the measure makes it to the senate floor. The lawmaker opposes another bill, LD 1265, that seeks to control the hunting of coyotes. In a Facebook post Tuell says, "I do not support either bill, and believe both are part of an overall push to end hunting in Maine."