A controversial plan by Minnesota wildlife officials to restrict lead ammunition on certain state lands is poised to be shot down, at least for now.

A bill that passed both the Senate and House Sunday, and is now awaiting Gov. Mark Dayton’s signature, prohibits the Department of Natural Resources from enacting restrictions on lead shot — ammo from shotguns — before July 1, 2019.

The provision is included in a much larger bill that Dayton has generally agreed to but had yet to sign into law Monday evening.

Last year, the DNR had proposed banning lead shot on state wildlife management areas across a large swath of southern and western Minnesota — farm country. The agency and some hunters believe banning lead would protect wildlife from lead poisoning.

Many hunters already use non-toxic steel shot. It is now about the same price as lead shot, but has inferior ballistics because it’s lighter. Many hunters and gun-rights advocates are wary of ammunition restrictions because they see it as a slipery slope toward further restrictions, including an outright ban on certain types of hunting. The proposed ban would not have affected deer hunters, but some worried that would be the next step.

For decades, state and federal regulations have banned lead shot from waterfowl hunting because scientific studies showed the toxic pellets were being eaten by ducks and geese, killing them in potentially large numbers. Unlike duck hunters, hunters for other game — pheasants and wild turkeys, for example — are allowed to shoot lead. Related Articles Early voting begins in Minnesota: Things to know.

Gov. Walz, Minnesota’s pointman on COVID-19, looks back with some regret

Senate Republicans oust second Walz cabinet member as governor extends pandemic emergency

The pandemic changes how candidates run for the Legislature

MN Gov. Tim Walz calls Friday special session; plans to extend powers

There’s no doubt that when birds eat even a few pellets, they die. But the prevalence of lead poisoning and the extent to which it might affect wildlife populations is often debated.

The final budget measure lawmakers approved does not allow the DNR to ban lead in the near term but does include $30,000 for the DNR to study “lead shot deposition on state lands.”

Federally owned waterfowl production areas already ban lead shot by any hunters, and DNR officials had argued that their proposed restriction would have simplified rules for hunters. The agency tried to enact the via its rule-making process, which does not require legislative approval. The bill now awaiting Dayton’s signature puts an end to that.