Well, it’s been three days since the CA lead ban went into effect.  I looked outside this morning, and no condors were circling over my house.  Oh well. 

Meanwhile, the CA ban is pretty much a done deal, but what about all the other noise in the country about lead bullet fragments/residue in our game meat?  While the hysteria seems to have died down, I can guarantee that the issue hasn’t gone away.  Legislators and advocates are working behind the scenes to put the wheels of a lead ban in motion, and this is a dangerous time for sportsmen to turn their attention to other things.  Stay focused, and stay involved.

Anyway, while that’s all going on, I just read a really well-done column in the Green Bay Press-Gazette that kind of puts the whole issue into perspective.  Patrick Durkin is a freelance outdoors columnist there in Wisconsin, and feels, as I do, that the risks are way overblown.  Here’s a little of what he has to say in the column:

Count my family among those unworried about getting lead poisoning from deer we’ve shot and processed.

After all, history suggests lead poisoning from venison isn’t a problem, at least not for people. Whether it’s Myles Standish, Daniel Boone, Teddy Roosevelt or Brett Favre, millions of people have shot deer with lead projectiles. Whether we used musket-balls, shotgun slugs or rifle bullets, we ate the venison and lived to tell the tale.

The column goes on to suggest that with all the risks and warnings we’re hearing about our supermarket food sources, the lead scare really doesn’t rank real high on the alarm meter.  I couldn’t agree more, and wish I’d thought to make that same argument a while back.  I think it’s a good one.

The bottom line, of course, is that the question of lead fragments and residue in our game meat does bear consideration.  More objective research should be done.  If there’s a realistic health risk, then let’s hear it. 

In the meantime, as Mr. Durkin suggests, Wisconsin seems to be taking fairly reasonable measures.  They’re instructing food pantries to have venison checked, preferably x-rayed, and also recommending that hunters take additional precautions to minimize the amout of lead in the meat, such as avoiding shots that might hit large bones and taking care to cut away bloodshot meat. 

In other words, it’s up to us to protect ourselves from any risks.  Durkin’s closing paragraphs sum it up really nicely:

Whether it’s fish or venison, it’s also up to us to keep risks in perspective. Some folks will shun both, then hop on a motorcycle or snowmobile, then smoke cigarettes and eat pork rinds at each rest stop.

So be it.

The state is obligated only to point out risks we can’t easily detect. It’s purposely powerless to prevent risks we’re determined to ignore.

So, here’s my question to you.  Are you worried about lead bullet fragments in your game meat?  If so, what precautions are you taking? 

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