Leading us astray

This letter is written in reply to Chuck Gould’s criticism of your article “Lead from shotgun pellets is poisoning bald eagles.”

Although I agree with Mr. Gould that this article was not well written or thoroughly researched, he unfortunately is incorrect in stating that eagles are predators who cannot possibly ingest lead fragments from the remains of animals killed by hunters.

Eagles are birds of prey, but they often feed on carrion. I have personally witnessed an eagle feeding on a deer carcass in the field across from my home in Goldvein.

Mr. Gould criticized you for not asking Ed Clark of the Wildlife Center of Virginia if necropsies were done on the dead birds.

According to an article in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star’s Jan. 10 edition, veterinarians at the center performed X-rays, blood analysis, and complete physicals on the birds. They are not guessing when they state that in 2011, 21 eagles treated at the center were found to have lead poisoning.

Ed Clark, who is an avid hunter, is quoted in the Free Lance-Star article as advising hunters to “bury or remove all remains” or “use copper bullets instead of lead.”

Yes, the Times-Democrat could have done a much better job of covering this story; unfortunately, Mr. Gould’s opinions further lead readers in the wrong direction.

Jill D. Stopka

Goldvein