Diving into the wicked discourse of lead ammunition for big game hunting

As evidence regarding the toxicity of lead (Pb) amassed, the heavy metal became banned from several products, such as automotive gasoline and paint. However, Pb bullets are still used for hunting big game animals in most of the world. Although regulatory bans of Pb bullets may appear optimal solutions, stakeholders have reasons to oppose them, favor them, or lie somewhere in between. As the problem has transformed from biophysical to socioecological, we employed a wicked problem lens to dissect the discourse and help inspire targeted solutions. Herein, we identified and critically analyzed 4 relevant traits of a wicked problem: multiple stakeholders are involved, disagreement on a definition, unique nature, and being a symptom of a larger problem. To minimize the impact of these traits, our analysis suggests that voluntary Pb free ammunition programs are more likely to soothe conflict among stakeholders, enable collaborative action upon agreeing on common values, and promote programs tailored to the local landscape of sociopolitical power and values. In our critical analysis, we dissect the lead bullet discourse for big game hunting through a wicked problem lens. We describe how four relevant traits can characterize the discourse and how they can inspire targeted solutions.