Waterfowl hunting kills millions of ducks and geese annually, with wounding rates and non-target species capture raising significant welfare concerns.
Waterfowl hunting welfare centers primarily on wounding rates and lead poisoning. A bird struck but not cleanly killed may fly for miles before dying slowly from injury. Improving retrieval rates through better-trained dogs and hunting practices reduces but does not eliminate this welfare harm. The transition from lead to non-toxic shot was a major welfare and conservation improvement — lead poisoning of scavenging and grazing birds from spent shot and fishing weights causes prolonged neurological deterioration and death. Continuing to phase out lead in all hunting and fishing contexts would prevent millions of deaths from poisoning annually.