Hunters have an opportunity
for hands-on conservation.
The Challenge
Hunters are the original leaders in conservation and through their purchases of firearms, ammunition, and hunting licenses they contribute millions of dollars annually to conservation. However, many are unaware that lead ammunition can have unintended negative impacts beyond the animals they harvest. Conventional lead ammunition fragments in many small pieces that can travel up to 18 inches from the point of impact. These small fragments are commonly left behind in the gut piles of field-dressed big game. Many different animals scavenge on those gut piles and are at risk of lead poisoning when they consume lead fragments that were unintentionally left behind.
The Opportunity
New York Hunters for Conservation are offering up to $60 in rebates to all big game hunters that voluntarily use certified lead-free ammunition and participate in a post hunt survey for the 2026/2027 regular season.
For more questions about the New York program, please contact wildlife@dec.ny.gov with the subject lead-free ammo study.
Hunters for Conservation is a program of Conservation Science Global, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2016 to advance conservation and management of our natural resources through science and education.