Gulls, especially in winter, often frequent landfills. Landfill managers
can obtain a federal permit to shoot a specified number of gulls. Gulls
deficate on landfill property and are accused of spreading landfill
materials to areas outside the landfill. I believe the wind causes more
materials to be moved about than gulls do.
These federal permits state which species of gulls can be shot and how
many. A report is required to be submitted to the feds. listing numbers and
species shot. With large gulls taking 4 years to obtain adult plumage, I
believe the majority of individuals doing the shooting can not identify
species.
Not surprisingly, the species listed on the report are the ones allowed by
the permit.
With lesser black-backed gulls increasing their occurrence at landfills, I
would not be surprised immatures and others have been shot. Last winter a
lot of great black-backed gulls and lesser numbers of glaucous gulls showed
up at landfills. Undoubedly, some of some gulls, especially the immatures,
get shot.
I doubt the dept. of interior is concerned if gull species are shot that
are not permitted to be such, on the permit.
There is no enforcement of the limitations the  permit requires.
Our "wonderful" government at work.
John Herman

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