”
Dear Red Phone, I am calling regarding the Red Phone article
about the ground squirrel problem on Aug. 26. You gave some
incorrect information to the caller who lives in San Martin telling
him he cannot shoot lead shot.
”
“Dear Red Phone, I am calling regarding the Red Phone article about the ground squirrel problem on Aug. 26. You gave some incorrect information to the caller who lives in San Martin telling him he cannot shoot lead shot. That is not entirely true. Anywhere west of Highway 101 in Santa Clara County you can still lead shot. I’m a hunter. I would know.”
Red Phone: Dear On The Other Side, you are indeed correct, well partially correct.
The boundary for Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act, which limits what areas lead ammunition can be used in, extends down U.S. 101 to near the San Benito County border.
On the west side to the coast, lead ammunition is allowed, but on the east side hunters must use the non-toxic ammunition that the Department of Fish and Game biologist mentioned in response to the original Red Phone caller. So that means folks who live in San Martin are split in the ammunition they can use. Most of Gilroy and Morgan Hill can still use the traditional projectiles.
Assembly Bill 821, which became law in 1998, was designed to reduce lead poisoning in California condors, one of the top causes of death. It applies to both public and private land. The regulation doesn’t include target shooting or pellet rifles. Fines are $500 for the first offense, $1,000 for the second and $5,000 for the third.
Being that there are only about 400 of these birds in existence, we should do our part to protect them. To read more about the law, visit dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/condor.
Good caller, thanks for Keeping Red Phone on its toes.
