Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Lead in Deer Meat?

L

loneranger

Well-Known Member
Has anyone else noticed on the DesMoines local NewsCasts, they had a story about the possibility of bullet lead contaminating deer meat, the last two evening newscasts. They never say who started the rumor. Somewhere, I think another state, they are testing the meat for lead contamination. I bet some "Animal Rights", group has started the rumor.
 
The story started in North Dakota, No rumors its the real deal. They have pulled thousands of pounds out of food shelves. Just google " lead in venison" you will find the story.
 
I may be pretty dense but I just don't understand how microscopic particles of lead "dust" could first of all hurt any one, and secondly how does it "spray" all through the meat. I just have hard time believing that if I shoot a deer in the chest with a copper jacketed 100 grain bullet from a .243 at about 2800 fps that passes through the deer, that it will spray enough lead dust within the body cavity to contaminate the rear haunches of that deer. Especially when modern bullets are designed to retain 80% to +90% of their weight after impacting soft body tissue. That doesn't leave much weight to spray any where out side of maybe the actual wound channel. I would sooner think it might be more a part of the processing. Could it be that the lockers are not bothering to remove the meat and tissue around the wound and getting some lead contamination when they grind that meat with other good meat? It appears that all the meat tested was ground meat. I didn't see anything about lead in the tender loins, which I doubt in the case of donated deer ever reach a food pantry.
 
That's my thought. Doesn't the locker throw away the tissue around the wound channel? All the meat donated to HUSH is ground and put into one pound packages. You would think there is as much lead in drinking water as there would be in a deer that had a slug pass through.
 
All the deer is ground. I am guessing the butchers arent putting in quite the time trimming as they would for a "regular" customer that may complain about it. In MN they are paid $70 per deer by the state.Bad publicity for a good cause either way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom