Moose Droppings

Food Banks In a Number of States are Discarding Donated Venison

Mar 30, 2008 @ 12:17 am by Moose

A dermatologist in North Dakota has set off a multi state scare about how safe big game meat that has been harvested with high power rifles. He claims that after taking a number of samples of donated ground venison and testing them he found them contaminated with lead from the rifle bullets.

BISMARCK, N.D. - Thousands of pounds of venison donated to food pantries this year has become a contentious gift in three states. Officials in North Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa warn that the meat could be contaminated by lead from bullets. Hunting groups are calling it an overreaction.
“It’s alarmist and not supported by any science,” said Lawrence Keane, a vice president and lawyer for the Newton, Conn.-based National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry. “High quality protein is now taken out of the mouths of needy, hungry people.”North Dakota health officials on Wednesday told food pantries in the state to throw out donated venison, saying it may have lead fragments. Officials in Minnesota and Iowa followed with similar alerts, asking that venison in those states not be distributed.

AP
I got my serious doubts that a high power rifle round can send off enough lead dust to fully contaminate a big game animal. Dr. William Cornatzer , the doctor who has kicked off this scare, is a board member for “The Peregrine Fund” a group that has been active in banning the use of lead ammunition in California & Arizona.

Lead poisoning is a very serious issue and I’d be shocked if this is an issue and has never been discovered before now given that in many places wild game is often on the table. I’ve harvested a number of big game animals where I’ve recovered the bullet and been surprised at how much intact the bullet was making a deadly mushroom. Other times I’ve had complete pass through where the bullet wasn’t recovered but given the exit hole I’m certain that there wasn’t much left behind. I don’t see how lead dust can go from the chest cavity in the heart / lung area and get under the skin and contaminate a back strap or a hind quarter?