Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Season Shot
This is not as much of a news topic and more of an interesting idea that helps people and the environment. As I was looking through a magazine, I saw an article talking about a product called 'Season Shot'. Out of curiosity I checked out the website. http://www.seasonshot.com The idea behind the product is this: pack herbs and spices tightly together into little pellets to simulate steel shot used in wild bird hunting. This product is enviromentally friendly because it is fully bio-degradable and people friendly because you don't have to worry about breaking any teeth or swollowing the shot.
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5 comments:
Paul and others,
There are great concerns for the lead that is used in outdoor hunting and sports. For example, the lead weights that are used on a fishing line have had significant effects lakes and waterfowl. Here's an excerpt from a study about this issue:
"Birds commonly eat small pebbles to grind food for digestion. Small lead sinkers and jigs may be mistaken for these pebbles, or lures with fish and lead attached may be consumed by the bird directly.
A bird that eats lead will become ill and die. Ingested lead enters the gizzard, where a combination of stomach acids and abrasion breaks down the metal. It then is absorbed into the bloodstream.
A bird with lead poisoning will exhibit physical and behavioral changes including loss of balance, gasping, tremors, and an impaired ability to fly. The weakened bird is more vulnerable to predators, or it may have trouble feeding, mating, nesting, and caring for its young. It becomes emaciated and often dies within two or three weeks after eating the lead. Just one lead sinker or jig can poison a water bird.
An extensive literature documents the risks of lead toxicosis in water birds that ingest lead. Direct ingestion, rather than other environmental sources, is clearly the path of lead poisoning in birds.
Lead, once dispersed into lakes, may persist for up to 300 years, though degradation can be more rapid depending on soil conditions and other factors. At least 27 different species are known to be affected by lead poisoning, including numerous duck species, the Trumpeter, Tundra and Mute swans, Bald eagles, Sandhill cranes, and the Common Loon. A systematic New England study has found that in some areas, over 50% of loon mortality is due to lead poisoning from lead sinker and jig ingestion; it is by far the most frequent cause of loon deaths in New Hampshire. Up to 17% of Minnesota loon deaths are the result of lead poisoning. Likewise, the Canadian Wildlife service has demonstrated significant mortality in the Common Loon from ingestion of lead sinkers and jigs."
Once again, this is an area where personal choice, combined with regulatory authority, can make a difference. I know some units of government have banned lead fishing tackle, and it's easy as a consumer to find alternatives. Tungsten alloys, for example, are both much heavier than lead and not poisonous, and are available in all the local flyshops.
Sounds like a good idea, i'm not a big fan of finding lead in my meat while i'm eating it. I like to hunt whenever I get a chance and would have no problem making the change. I wonder what the cost of this shot would be though. Does it season the bird for you by shooting it then?
Wait, so you are actually shooting the bird with compact herbs and spices? What a great idea. Will this product come in different flavors, say Asian five spice, or maybe garlic herb?
I think that this is a cool idea. What a great way to take out a bird and to protect the environment at the same time. The only thing that i would be worried about is the potential for lead poisoning that the bird can get from the bullets that are shot into it even if it is packed woth herbs and spices. Other than that i think that it is a pretty cool idea.
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