Two bullets not affected by the ban are the Nosler’s E-Tip (L) and Barnes X-Bullet (R).

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ignored the advice of the California Department of Fish & Game and sportsmen’s groups and signed into legislation a bill banning the use of lead bullets in a large part of the state. The bill, known as the Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act, was enacted after scientists and environmental groups determined endangered California condors were dying after ingesting bullet fragments from gut piles left by hunters. The new law states that big-game and coyote hunters must use lead-free bullets starting July 2008.

Bill Gaines, president of the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance, a lobbying group that works on behalf of state hunters and anglers, said the science was debatable at best. He doesn’t doubt that condors are dying from lead poisoning, but he said there are other sources of lead besides bullet fragments, something scientists haven’t fully investigated.

“This is a slippery slope, so to speak, where lead bullets could be banned in the entire state. In fact, many of the groups that pushed for this bill said flat out that their goal is to see this go statewide,” said Gaines. “If it takes hold in California, it could spread to other states.”

The bigger issue, he added, is that the new law subverted California Department of Fish & Game jurisdiction in establishing regulations pertaining to fish and wildlife management. Just as the state legislature banned mountain lion hunting a decade ago, it could take science-based management decisions away from the department and put them in the hands of lawmakers or voters.

To help offset the higher cost of non-lead ammunition, the new law includes a clause that reimburses hunters for bullets. Gaines, however, said the wording of the clause gives the state an easy out.

“It says ‘To the extent that funding is available.’ The way things are in California right now, I don’t see any financial help coming anytime soon because funding just isn’t available,” added Gaines.