Washington advances lead restrictions to East Side pheasant release sites
ENVIRONMENT - Lead is gradually getting the boot in Washington's hunting and fishing circles.
Starting this season, hunters will be required to use non-toxic shot in their ammunition while hunting at pheasant release sites in Eastern Washington.
The nontoxic shot rule has been in effect at refuges and release sites for several years in Western Washington.
The pheasant release areas and boundaries of those nontoxic shot zones are defined in maps available online at the agency's website.
It was a federal rule that banned lead shot for use in waterfowl hunting starting in 1986.