BadMeat:Abullsteadilywalkedsixhundredyardstomystand.Thatwasplentyoftimestostudyhim.Ashotdirectlythroughthebull’seyepupil shatteredhishead.IknewsomethingwaswrongasIwalkeduptohim–it wasbloated.Icouldnotrolloverhisliquid-filledcarcass,soIskinneditasit layandremovedthemeatwithoutseeingitsotherside.Iordinarilydonot nicktheabdomenquicksilver,takinggreatcaretopreservethisbacteriaand dirtbarrier.Threefourthupandjustforwardofthethighwasasmallneat hole,throughwhichentrailsbulgedwhenrestrainingskinwaspeeledback.Thebullhadbeenpreviouslyshot,probablythroughthebladder,soitsgutfilledwithurine.Therewas no way I was going to do an autopsy on that explosive creature to prove my interpretation.IsalvagedthemeatIcouldanddraggeditthreemilestobasecamp.Thatwasawastedeffort.Themeat wasverytoughandtasteless,fromboththerutfightingthathadbrokenallantlertinesandfromthe onsetofinternalgutsepsis.Ishouldhavestakedanotetootherhuntersnearthebullandinformedthe gamewardenwhenIcouldgottophonereception.Idraggedthebullthreemilesthoughastickymud trail. It took me a year to get my invalid, over-strained knees back in shape. No, you do not always win!LeadShrapnelMeat:OneoftheboysIpreviouslymentionedgavemeanelktoprocess.He unfortunatelyshotthebulldead-squareinthethighbone.Theleadbulletshatteredtheboneandlead shardsspreadthroughthatlegandalsointotheotherthigh.Themeatwasasbloodshotasifatractor trailerhadstruckthebull.NaturallyIdidnothaveanx-raymachine,butIbelievealead-detectingimage wouldhavelookedmuchworsethanthisx-rayimage.Ihadtodumpverymuchofthemeatintothe garbage.PLEASECONSIDERusingnon-leadammunitionforthehealthofyourfamilyandfriends.Lead shardsgetsingested,particularlyingroundhamburgerandsausagewhichisamainmeatpreparationof allhunters.Andchildrenlovehamburgers.Itisillogicaltobanleadinpaints,avoideatinglead-laden fish,buttheneatitinyourredmeatfood.Pleasevisitthislinkedsitetolearnmoreabouttheadvantages of all copper bullets.Addendum:ThebullhangedintheupperreachesoftheranchbarnforamonthasLindaandIcavorted inthewarmWestIndies.Themeatthatwassalvagedwasassweetandtenderasyoucouldnothardly guess!LeadBulletFragmentsDesolveDuringCooking:Cookinggamewithacidicthingsliketomatoes,wineor vinegardissolvessomeleadandmakesiteasierforthebodytoabsorbthelead.Donotusemeatnear shatteredbonestomakesoupsstock,becauseleadfragmentsmayhaveinfiltratedthesurrounding flesh.TheUKFoodsStandardsAgencywarnsthatlargeamountoflead-shot(shotgun)gameshouldnot beeaten.Itshouldneverbegiventopregnantwomen(includingwomenplanningtohaveababy), toddlers and adolescents who are developing their brains during the growth period.Visit these sites for more warnings/images of lead ammo. Http://nps/pinn/naturescience/leadinfo.htmHttp://www.huntingwithoutlead.orghttp://www.nps.gov/public_health/info/factsheets/fs_PINN_Lead_Ammo.htmlMeatLeadMayIncreaseHeartDisease:TheHarvardHealthgroupdisclosesthatpeoplewithelevated leadintheirbodyhaveincreasedriskofhighbloodpressureandheartdisease.Abouthalftheingested leadleavesthebodyinamonthortwo,buttheotherhalfremainsfordecades.Boneistherepositoryof lead,butconstantlyremodelsitselfandthisreleasesleadbackintothesystemintheprocess.Hunters whocontinuallyingestleadmaybejeopardizingtheirhealth–especiallyiftheyalsoareunawareof othercompoundingsourcesoflead.Thinkaboutcut-rateleadcontaminatedlipstick,hairdyes,medicinal coaltarshampoos,herbalremedies(especiallyAyurvedicandtraditionalChineseherbs,andtraditionally decorated cooking pottery).Harvard health newsletter February 2018