Since 2012, Ventana Wildlife Society has provided
boxes of free non-lead ammunition to hunters and ranchers in the condor range!
And still going strong - even after the July 1, 2019 regulations.
And still going strong - even after the July 1, 2019 regulations.
DUE TO COVID-19 AND EFFORTS TO WORK REMOTELY TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OUR STAFF AND GUESTS, LOCAL PICKUP AT OUR OFFICE IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE. WE ARE PROVIDING LOCAL DELIVERY OF AMMUNITION TO HUNTERS AND RANCHERS RESIDING IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
• MONTEREY
• SAN BENITO
WE ARE TAKING EXTRA PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AT ALL POINTS IN THE TRANSFER PROCESS TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO RESUMING SERVICES TO OTHER COUNTIES IN THE FUTURE. CHECK BACK HERE FOR UPDATES.
• MONTEREY
• SAN BENITO
WE ARE TAKING EXTRA PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AT ALL POINTS IN THE TRANSFER PROCESS TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO RESUMING SERVICES TO OTHER COUNTIES IN THE FUTURE. CHECK BACK HERE FOR UPDATES.
WHAT WE OFFER
- One free 20-round box of non-lead centerfire rifle ammunition per eligible person per calendar year (or one 50-round box of bullets for reloaders).
- Each eligible person may also receive non-lead rimfire (.22 LR or .17 HMR) upon request.
- We are not offering shotgun shells at this time.
All ammunition transfers are subject to product availability and staff availability for delivery. All transfers must be approved by the Department of Justice in the form of a Standard or Basic Eligibility Check. For more information on eligibility checks, see the yellow box below. Only one person per household may be eligible for this offer, unless each person is approved by the Department of Justice in a Standard Eligibility Check.
AM I ELIGIBLE?
You are eligible for the offer if you meet all three of the following conditions:
- You must be at least 21 years of age and not prohibited from possessing or purchasing any ammunition by federal, state, or local laws.
- You must be a California resident of one of the following counties: Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, or Kern. Ammunition might also be available to residents in select portions of adjacent counties that are within the condor range.
- An eligibility check (Standard or Basic) must be approved by Department of Justice to receive factory-loaded ammunition.
HOW DO I APPLY?
By email (nonlead@ventanaws.org). No entry forms to fill out; just tell us what you are looking for. Choose between factory-loaded ammunition and reloading below and follow the steps:
FACTORY-LOADED AMMUNITION |
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BULLETS FOR RELOADERS |
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Eligibility Checks
As of July 1, 2019, all ammunition purchases and transfers in California require DOJ approval, and this approval can be obtained through an eligibility check. As a licensed ammunition vendor, Ventana Wildlife Society will conduct these checks and only provide ammunition once the transfer is approved. The Standard Ammunition Eligibility Check cross-references the information on your driver’s license with the information on file in the DOJ Automated Firearms System.
For a list of required information, click here. Ventana Wildlife Society will cover the $1 fee for a Standard Ammunition Eligibility Check, and the ammunition will remain 100% free. A decision is given within a minute or two. If the transfer is denied by DOJ, we will provide a DROS number which can be used to determine the reason for the decision. A transfer might be denied if you did not register a firearm to your ID (since 1996 for a handgun or 2014 for a long gun). In that case, you can undergo another check, the Basic Ammunition Eligibility Check. This check requires the same information, but a decision by DOJ takes longer, typically up to 10 days. This would be the check to run if you have no firearms registered to you (i.e., you are not in the DOJ Automated Firearms System), or if you have moved and there are no firearms registered at the new address. The Basic Ammunition Eligibility Check carries a fee of $19, which we will also cover for the time being. Please note that once transfers have been approved, we are required to submit to DOJ information on the type and quantity of ammunition you were provided.
For a list of required information, click here. Ventana Wildlife Society will cover the $1 fee for a Standard Ammunition Eligibility Check, and the ammunition will remain 100% free. A decision is given within a minute or two. If the transfer is denied by DOJ, we will provide a DROS number which can be used to determine the reason for the decision. A transfer might be denied if you did not register a firearm to your ID (since 1996 for a handgun or 2014 for a long gun). In that case, you can undergo another check, the Basic Ammunition Eligibility Check. This check requires the same information, but a decision by DOJ takes longer, typically up to 10 days. This would be the check to run if you have no firearms registered to you (i.e., you are not in the DOJ Automated Firearms System), or if you have moved and there are no firearms registered at the new address. The Basic Ammunition Eligibility Check carries a fee of $19, which we will also cover for the time being. Please note that once transfers have been approved, we are required to submit to DOJ information on the type and quantity of ammunition you were provided.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
Didn't a federal judge recently rule against the eligibility checks?
On April 23, 2020, a federal judge granted an injunction against enforcement of the ammunition purchasing laws of Proposition 63, which require eligibility checks and face to face transfers. With this ruling, California residents could once again look forward to ordering factory-loaded ammunition online, and having the ammunition shipped directly to their address. However, a day later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted the state attorney general a stay, thereby halting the injunction and reinstating the restrictions. Ventana Wildlife Society, as a licensed ammunition vendor, will continue to conduct the eligibility checks and transfer ammunition face to face as the law requires. We will review our policies as needed if and when there is further resolution on this matter.
WHY ARE YOU OFFERING FREE NON-LEAD AMMUNITION?
We support hunters and ranchers, and appreciate your longstanding tradition of wildlife conservation. We also support the use of non-lead ammunition. From our experience, we know that lead poisoning from spent ammunition is a major threat to the full recovery of California Condors in the wild. Given the threat and legislation restricting the use of lead ammunition in California, we want to help hunters and ranchers make the switch.
Are there non-lead options available for .22 LR or .17 HMR?
Yes!
The CCI Copper-22 is the only widely available choice for .22 LR. Look for "Copper-22" on the blue box and make sure the grain is 21. Soon, you might start seeing the word "Meateater" in addition to the "Copper-22" on the box. Same product, same 1850 fps, just a new name for CCI's series of products. If you really want to be sure it's non-lead, you can check the box for the product number 925CC.
The CCI Copper-22 is the only widely available choice for .22 LR. Look for "Copper-22" on the blue box and make sure the grain is 21. Soon, you might start seeing the word "Meateater" in addition to the "Copper-22" on the box. Same product, same 1850 fps, just a new name for CCI's series of products. If you really want to be sure it's non-lead, you can check the box for the product number 925CC.
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There are two .17 HMR products that we recommend most: the Hornady NTX 15.5 grain (#83171) and the CCI TNT Green 16 grain (#951).
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Are you looking for .17 WSM or .22 WMR? Check out the .17 WSM Winchester Varmint X Lead Free 15 grain (#X17W15PLF) and the.22 WMR CCI TNT Green 30 grain (#060).
WHERE IN THE WORLD DO YOU FIND COPPER-22?
Yes, it can be difficult to find non-lead .22 LR that is certified for use in the condor range. Currently, there is only one .22 LR brand that is widely available – the CCI Copper-22. And, with the Safety For All Act restricting shipments of ammunition to California, many of us will be looking for Copper-22 in our local stores instead of online. Recently, we toured a few local shops and found Copper-22 available in about half. Here in Monterey County, we usually find it in Big 5 and Turner's Outdoorsman. Call your local shop and ask if they have CCI Copper-22 before you make the trip. Remember, you can help improve availability of Copper-22 on the market by asking for it at your local shop.
WHO IS FUNDING THIS PROGRAM?
Ventana Wildlife Society raises funds for this program through multiple sources, and these change from year to year. Monterey County Fish and Game Advisory Commission has provided funding in most years, along with various federal and private funding sources.
ARE TURKEY VULTURES ALSO AFFECTED BY LEAD?
We believe that Turkey Vultures are also affected by lead, but that Turkey Vulture populations are better able to absorb losses associated with lead poisoning. Condor life history has a lot to do with that. The condor lifespan is 40 years or more, but they only reach breeding age at 6-8 years old. Furthermore, condor clutch size is only one egg, and being such a large bird, the process of hatching, fledging, and the development of young to independence can prolong the nesting season into the following year, delaying the next breeding attempt. Therefore, the most successful condor pairs are not able to breed every year. Turkey Vultures, by contrast, reach breeding age much sooner, have larger clutch sizes (up to 3 eggs), and are able to breed every season. So when Turkey Vultures sustain losses, they are able to more quickly recover with productivity of young. Being so rare to begin with, each adult condor death removes a greater proportion of the breeding population than a vulture death would, and accelerates a population decline, because productivity of young is unable to compensate for excessive adult mortality.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE LEAD AMMUNITION IF EXCHANGED?
Our goal is to reduce lead poisoning in wildlife and specifically for the benefit of California Condors in California while supporting hunters and ranchers make the switch to high performing copper ammunition. Lead ammunition exchanged for nonlead is given to youth groups, such as the Boy Scouts, for the sole purpose of target shooting.
