Wild game

[l0rdcha0s]

Would consuming the area of bullet penetration be safe (after the bullets been taken out of course)? Should that area just be cut around? Not sure if there would be any ill effects to the meat due to the bullet.

[William]

Depends on the type of bullet. If it was ball/solid/full metal jacket/military it should be safe to eat the bloody meat, but the usual sporting bullets with exposed lead tips always leave some lead in the wound channel.

I would not eat that.

[ys]

Try making a clean shot using less powerful rounds.  Ex: .308 instead of 30-06.  Or 7.62x39 instead of .308.  That way you minimize damaged area.  I usually just cut it out.

[jessica]

what kind of game are you talking about?  definitely cut around that area if possible.  i know its harder for small fowl,  i definitely bit into a pellet eating goose before, lol, but for large game you should be able to get a clean shot in the neck region, generally everything above the shoulders (besides the brain if you have super healthy animals) goes to the dogs.   

[l0rdcha0s]

Guess in bigger game it's probably just easier to cut out the area. Thanks for the tips guys.

[William]

Seems to be some bad advice here.
I'm a target shooter, not a hunter, but there are lots of deer where I live and I have watched them many times.
Their head and neck are rarely still for long enough for a well aimed shot, so all the hunters I know aim for the heart.
This is true for all wild animals AFAIK, except bears, who can act as stunned as civilized man.

The reason for adequate power (308 Winchester and up WITH SPORTING BULLETS) is to get the "bang, flop" effect of killing shock.

7.62x39 is a military cartridge designed to wound men. All the ammunition I've seen for it is ball/full metal jacket, so little shock effect. Bad rifle for getting food.

The best I know of for getting food is a broad head arrow launched by a competent archer who knows how to stalk and lurk.

As for birds, the relatively low speed shot gun pellets do not shed lead particles like the soft lead tips of sporting rifle ammunition, so it's safe to eat birds and spit out the pellets.

[jessica]

the last two deer that were tagged for me was one single shot right to the neck.  they are pretty calm, tame deer as they are forage on wildnerness and out in the cleared meadows near an organic farm thats in the middle of nowhere.  we knew approximately where they would come out from cover in the evening when they thought we were done with work.  we sat behind some stocks and waited til they came out of the trees....they were happy and calm and munching away and within relatively close range, maybe a couple hundred yards.  it took like 10 minutes of waiting to get a good shot.  both dropped immediately, it took their friends a few seconds to realize what happened and bolt

[TylerDurden]

Would consuming the area of bullet penetration be safe (after the bullets been taken out of course)? Should that area just be cut around? Not sure if there would be any ill effects to the meat due to the bullet.

I have eaten raw wild hare for many years, and have regularly found shotgun pellets in the meat. However, I always sense them in my mouth as they are quite big so just spit them out.