New study on lead fragments from shot in game birds
 

Our friends in the UK put this together. I don't think there is much to worry about unless you eat one or more wild bird meal/day. I had no idea lead pellets fragmented so much. The X-ray photo of the wood pigeon is very eye opening.


http://www.plosone.org/article/info:...l.pone.0010315

...talk about lead fragments! What a heavy meal.
 

This is very timely if somewhat off topic. Tonight we were eating an elk roast from one I killed during the 2008 season. Trying to rotate our freezer contents you know. Low and behold I bit down on something that clearly wasn't bone and pulled the following out of my mouth.
Yes, it's a 140 grain Nosler accubond. Notice the great weight retention! I was trying to remember the exit wound and couldn't. No wonder. :eek:
Second picture is the beast.

I didn't even bother to read the ridiculous implication that we, who don't grind our food in gizzards, are harmed by lead from game. Peter, thanks for giving this left wing attempt to end hunting as we know it a good example of "ridiculous". Whenever I bite down on a 140 grain Nosler, I, like you, generally spit it out.

Yeah, I ingested a lead sinker last year while eating a loon but was lucky enough to pass it the next day....

Sooo,Thats why you were so cranky last year....That would explain it....Can we call ya "Ol Lead Butt" now :biglaugh:

Now that hurt...

I have eaten a lot of game meat, big, small and lots of birds. But, loon........ What is your recipe for that??

As for lead, I remove all I can see in the initial dressing, excise the wound channel and spit out an occasional missed pellet when enjoying the meal. I suppose I may have swallowed some lead in life. Not yet exhibiting any symptoms of lead poisoning nor am I about to start worrying over it. Have outlived contemporaries who wouldn't have ever dreamed about eating shot game, enjoying a single malt or crossing the street, other than at a corner.

I do what I can to mitigate risk but I'm a fatalist. When my time comes, it will be because it is my time. If my demise is linked to decades of hunting, well the quarry got its revenge but I had a good time along the way.

Cheers,
Jack

With a grain of salt Jack.

I was merely attempting to raise the issue once again, tongue in cheek this time, that alarmists can get what they want if we're not vigilant. Lead sinkers and other fishing apparatus made of lead has been banned because "scientists" found (or planted) lead sinkers in a loon or two and said it was an epidemic. Why is this a recent 'plague' when it hasn't been an issue for over two-hundred years but just the last ten years or so?

Your position is well stated Jack.

You know, life causes death. Being a western kansas carp fisherman i'll say I don't care for the new hard weights. Yeah I have a can of worms can of corn and sometimes use a bober.(-: ch

Well said Jack thanks....:)