Wilted Wings: A Hunter’s Fight for Eagles

"(Wilted Wings is) built of personal experiences in both hunting game animals and rehabilitating poisoned eagles ... it thrills like an adventure story, engages like a novel, and paints images like our finest nature writing." —Big Sky Journal “In McTee’s brilliant, heart-breaking first book, he illustrates through personal accounts of his experience with birds of prey, that lead poisoning is an ongoing problem and taking a terrible toll. I highly recommend Wilted Wings to all naturalists and hunters.” —Stephen Bodio, author of An Eternity of Eagles “I had never considered how lead makes its way from successful big game hunts and into the bloodstreams of these majestic raptors, eventually debilitating or killing them in an excruciating manner. In a mere 146 pages, McTee lays out this hiding-in-plain-sight issue, explains how we got here, and offers some reasonable, doable solutions that could solve the problem. I predict that years from now, we’ll look back on McTee's book as the catalyst for bolstering the populations of these iconic birds.” —Ed Roberson, founder of Mountain & Prairie “I wish I could put McTee’s book in the hands of every hunter and bird conservationist.” —Matt Miller, Cool Green Science "Wilted Wings brings us into the mountains pursuing big game. As a scientist and one of the nation's leaders in the fight for switching to non-lead ammo, McTee studies pathways by which raptors and other scavengers are exposed to lead. In this page-turning memoir, Wilted Wings provides the undeniable solution to lead poisoning in raptors." — Vince Slabe, Ph.D., Wildlife Biologist and Science.org contributing author "Wilted Wings is the most comprehensive and readable explanation I’ve found on the science of lead poisoning in raptors and other scavengers, and on why hunters should consider switching to nontoxic bullets, as I did several years ago. Highly recommended for anyone interested in how modern hunters are leading our nation’s conservation efforts." —Tom Dickson, Editor, Montana Outdoors, the Magazine of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks “Now, more than ever, it is imperative that hunters understand the technical, ecological, and social consequences associated with their choice of hunting ammunition. McTee explains why, in simple but technically understandable terms, switching to nonlead bullets is good for conservation, good for hunting, and good for people. Thoughtful hunters are well-served by McTee's research.” —Gordon R. Batcheller, Certified Wildlife Biologist and President of The Wildlife Society "A heartfelt call to action, Wilted Wings makes the compelling case that our choices matter—for humans, our winged fellow hunters, and many other wild species. Hunting lead-free is a win for us all." —Tovar Cerulli, author of The Mindful Carnivore: A Vegetarian's Hunt for Sustenance “Follow Mctee across the Montana landscape as he chases his winged companions to learn the negative effects that humans and hunters are having on these animals. It’s a story of accountability and the pursuit of what is right instead of what is easy. I hope this book inspires you to stand up for something you believe in the way it did for me. After all, what could be more patriotic in this country than saving countless eagles along the way.” —Adam Brown, Outside Bozeman “(McTee) weaves together eagle encounters, research, hunting stories, and history, juxtaposing human stories with those of wild animals, we get to see not only his love for the animals he studies, but the intricate layers of interdependency … Wilted Wings is a cautionary tale, a call to action, and, ultimately, a story of hope.” —Montana Naturalist  "Wilted Wings was painstakingly written to appeal to a wide audience. The story will grip hunters, non-hunters, scientists, non-scientists, raptorphiles, or even the casual raptor fan alike. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the ongoing struggle to account for and manage lead in our environment." —Journal of Raptor Research