Saving the lives of Loons

[DownEast_Detecting]

Went to a local freshwater beach/boat launch/hangout on this dreary day up here in Maine. Never detected it before, it just kind of popped into my head this afternoon. I figured there wouldn't be as many people there when the sun wasn't shining. I was right, just a couple fisherman. This place is packed when its nice out. When i was like 10 I went swimming here. That day i remember playing around with my friends in the water, when a rather old looking human turd with moss went floating by my head. That was the last day i went into this water until today. Back then, supposedly there were still camps that had their sewage water discharge right into the pond. There is a swimming hole in my hometown 15 minutes away that this pond feeds. People would get sick with "beaver fever" from time to time swimming there. But hey, i figured those camps must have a septic buy now, and i wasn't going above my waist. I went over to the board and read about lead fishing lures. Lead poisoning is the leading cause of death for adult Common Loons in Maine. One third of adult Loons collected over the last 25 years died from lead poisoning, as a direct result of the ingestion of lost or discarded lead sinkers and lead-headed jigs. WOW! Now when i hunt the salt water beach, i rarely dig lead signals. But from now on I'm going to dig them near or in freshwater. Just a way i can do my part. I think its pretty cool to think that i have potentially saved the life of a loon every time i dig a fishing weight. Also the next time i get a nosy, negative lady come up to me and ask me what I'm up to on "her" beach I'm gonna say "Lady, I'm literally saving the lives of wildlife." 😁 I can't wait to pull that one out on the next uneducated "civilian" that approaches me negatively.

Ayuh, then i dug all modern junk LOL. Well i did get one keeper, a silver 1947 Roosevelt Dime, hurray! Also some type of badge or pin with wings. And I potentially saved the lives of 7 loons, so it turned out to be an ok day. Oh yeah and a spoon made by the master craftsman "ONEIDA" 😉

Hey all you ring and jewelry hunters. What is your ratio on Freshwater vs Saltwater finds? As i was wadding into the water i couldnt help but notice how warm it was compared to the ocean. I know a big reason people loose so many rings at the beach, is because of water temp. It's cold and the skin on their fingers shrink, letting their rings slip off. Hunters who dig both, do you noticed a big difference between the two water types?

 

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[jewelerguy]

thanks for helping the wildlife. Lead poisoning should be reserved for people who engage in criminal activities.

 

[Jeff H]

Good for you man! Nothing ike the cry of a loon just as the sun is going down.

 

[Almy]

That's a great perspective on our hobby and one I will use when appropriate! Thanks for the idea!

 

[oldmxrat]

Good hunt, congrats!
I think the ocean salt adds to the slippery effect on the fingers.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Well done !

 

[xr7ator]

fan DIME tastic and good on ya for gettin' the lead out!

 

[scruggs]

NICE ASSORTMENT OF RECOVERIES YOU MADE! Thanks for the heads up on the lead! I will pick up everyone I see!

 

[DownEast_Detecting]

thanks for helping the wildlife. Lead poisoning should be reserved for people who engage in criminal activities.

Did you know that the 2 kinda go hand and hand. Have you ever researched or seen any of the papers on crime stats linked with lead use in the general public. Its pretty fascinating but the jist of it is this. Someone compiled stats on violent criminal activity and tracked the spike of it, i think it peaked in the 80's. Then they compared that to the amount of everyday objects with lead in them(Gas, paint, etc.) or the levels of lead in peoples bodies.(i cant quite remember which) And the phasing out of them. They had more than a correlation, the 2 graphs when transposed onto each other looked like the same graph. I think there was a leed time of 10-15 years before enough lead built up in a persons body. But you can see the uptick and drop off of violent crime correlates to lead use. Pretty crazy stuff.

Good for you man! Nothing ike the cry of a loon just as the sun is going down.

thanks jeff, Seriously is there anything more beautiful sounding than that?

That's a great perspective on our hobby and one I will use when appropriate! Thanks for the idea!

No problem Almy, i think its pretty cool. Im assuming it must be other birds and wildlife in different areas of the country as well. Think how many small lead objects this community has picked up over the years. We must have saved potentially millions of creatures lives.

Good hunt, congrats!
I think the ocean salt adds to the slippery effect on the fingers.

thank you oldmxrat. So you have better luck with rings and jewelry on the ocean beaches i take it?

Well done !

thanks bud!

fan DIME tastic and good on ya for gettin' the lead out!

yessah bub. thanks!

NICE ASSORTMENT OF RECOVERIES YOU MADE! Thanks for the heads up on the lead! I will pick up everyone I see!

thanks scruggs. and i hope you do. I will be from now on in and around freshwater. Hmmm wait a minute. it must happen to seagulls and other ocean wildlife to. Guess ill be picking up all fishing weights and lures now.

 

[Digger RJ]

Went to a local freshwater beach/boat launch/hangout on this dreary day up here in Maine. Never detected it before, it just kind of popped into my head this afternoon. I figured there wouldn't be as many people there when the sun wasn't shining. I was right, just a couple fisherman. This place is packed when its nice out. When i was like 10 I went swimming here. That day i remember playing around with my friends in the water, when a rather old looking human turd with moss went floating by my head. That was the last day i went into this water until today. Back then, supposedly there were still camps that had their sewage water discharge right into the pond. There is a swimming hole in my hometown 15 minutes away that this pond feeds. People would get sick with "beaver fever" from time to time swimming there. But hey, i figured those camps must have a septic buy now, and i wasn't going above my waist. I went over to the board and read about lead fishing lures. Lead poisoning is the leading cause of death for adult Common Loons in Maine. One third of adult Loons collected over the last 25 years died from lead poisoning, as a direct result of the ingestion of lost or discarded lead sinkers and lead-headed jigs. WOW! Now when i hunt the salt water beach, i rarely dig lead signals. But from now on I'm going to dig them near or in freshwater. Just a way i can do my part. I think its pretty cool to think that i have potentially saved the life of a loon every time i dig a fishing weight. Also the next time i get a nosy, negative lady come up to me and ask me what I'm up to on "her" beach I'm gonna say "Lady, I'm literally saving the lives of wildlife." 😁 I can't wait to pull that one out on the next uneducated "civilian" that approaches me negatively.

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Ayuh, then i dug all modern junk LOL. Well i did get one keeper, a silver 1947 Roosevelt Dime, hurray! Also some type of badge or pin with wings. And I potentially saved the lives of 7 loons, so it turned out to be an ok day. Oh yeah and a spoon made by the master craftsman "ONEIDA" 😉
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Hey all you ring and jewelry hunters. What is your ratio on Freshwater vs Saltwater finds? As i was wadding into the water i couldnt help but notice how warm it was compared to the ocean. I know a big reason people loose so many rings at the beach, is because of water temp. It's cold and the skin on their fingers shrink, letting their rings slip off. Hunters who dig both, do you noticed a big difference between the two water types?

Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!