Eating Game - lead shot

[RingDove]

At this time of year, with so much game on offer it occurred to me that I'm eating game shot with lead, be it venison, pheasant, partridge, pigeon etc, about 5 times a week, sometime more. I'm pretty creative with preparing it, so never get bored. 

I'm aware that the FSA advise you should reduce your intake of game due to health risks associated with lead, and there have been various other reports suggesting the same.  It's made me wonder does anyone else eat this much? Does anyone worry about the possible risks?

 

[old'un]

You will end up with worms.

Don’t you chew your food?

Edited December 6, 2017 by old'un

[Sussexboy]

From what I remember of the more scientific parts of the discussion in previous years, you would do better to cut out potatoes from your meals as they contained more lead than the game.

[Blackpowder]

I reckon to eat lead shot game and vermin(pigeons) at least once a week, more like twice a week in winter months.   In fact been eating lead shot game on an irregular basis since the 1950s and occasionally before that.   Well past the three score and ten years and still beating 3 days a week and shooting at least 1 day.   All my shot meat is self prepared and it only takes a bit of common sense to avoid badly shot damaged meat.   The FSA advice can go take a lead as  far as I am concerned and overall I would regard wild meat as the healthy option every time.

 

Blackpowder

[greylag]

Avoid the damaged meat,cut around it so ineffect you are eating pure free range meat.You probably ingest more lead walking down the road than you do eating game.Carry on regardless and enjoy.

[Harnser]

I have proberbly injested a couple of stone of lead over the years ,doesn't seem to have done me any harm .  Mind you a do glow in the dark and I can no longer go swimming as I sink to the bottom .

 

harnser

[hawkfanz]

best bet is dont believe all you read an just carry on eating what you enjoy.i do.

[bostonmick]

my grandparents and great greatparents largely lived off game shot on the farm,all lead shot and all lived well into their eighties,listen to all the so called experts and you would die of starvation,

[ShootingEgg]

7 hours ago, Sussexboy said:

From what I remember of the more scientific parts of the discussion in previous years, you would do better to cut out potatoes from your meals as they contained more lead than the game.

This, and chocolate.. If game meat was that bad they would be shouting about deaths in media. Its all anti slurr to out yet another negative spin on shooting 

[kennett]

Same here, my grandparents lived on whatever could be shot in the 1930s, 40s and 50s and regularly are game until they died in their mid 80s a few years ago. I imagine it would take the body a VERY long time to break down a piece of 5 or 6 shot. 

[figgy]

Simples feel the meat and remove the shot, you can get most if not every piece of shot. Only time it’s hard to get to is if you cook the whole carcass and not taking the meat off. 

[ShootingEgg]

28 minutes ago, figgy said:

Simples feel the meat and remove the shot, you can get most if not every piece of shot. Only time it’s hard to get to is if you cook the whole carcass and not taking the meat off. 

But then you cut it up and chew it, right?? So you're likely to bite down on it. 

[Walker570]

Same as Blackpowder, go back into the late 40s, when probably 50% of our meat intake was gleaned with a shotgun.

I have been eating game ever since and it has made no difference, no difference, no difference, no difference although I do repeat myself, repeat myself, repeat myself, repeat myself occasionally, occasionally, occasionally ...so my wife says.   Just check the chemicals in almost all food you buy these days to see greater danger to your health.

Salt, sugar, alcohol intake can be a greater hazard 

 

on editI admit I enjoy all three.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Walker570

[RingDove]

Thanks all, will carry on munching away! To be honest I find most of the shot seems to pass through the meat, so you rarely find pellets in what you're chewing. 

12 hours ago, Harnser said:

I have proberbly injested a couple of stone of lead over the years ,doesn't seem to have done me any harm .  Mind you a do glow in the dark and I can no longer go swimming as I sink to the bottom .

 

harnser

???

[old'un]

 

47 minutes ago, RingDove said:

Thanks all, will carry on munching away! To be honest I find most of the shot seems to pass through the meat, so you rarely find pellets in what you're chewing. 

???

I would think that should you eat a pellet or two they also would go through you and out the other end

[scotslad]

Some studies have travelled to some subsistence type cultures  (scandinvia , alska etc ) where they pretty much all their protein comes from shot game and even there they could not really find elevated lead levels in the blood.

 

Rally don't worry about it, compared to the rubbish and chemials/additives they fill up ready meals with game is still a very healthy option