LJW17

I have reservations at "Rules" for my upcoming trip to London, and while perusing the menu online, I noticed the aforementioned footnote that said, "Game dishes may contain lead shot." What does that mean? Does it mean the bullet used to kill the animal may still be lodged in the meat when it is served as a meal? Yikes!

payant

this is to inform you that you may not have a farm raised bird and shotgun pellets are possibly lodged in your pheasant under glass. didn't you really want the chicken?

RachelG

It means if you break a tooth, they aren't legally liable as you were warned!

drsawyers

Not a "bullet", but a shotgun pellet. Shotgun shells contain dozens of small pellets and it's difficult to find them all, so they're just warning you not to break a tooth.

rex

It would most often refer to quail or partridge or other game birds. Yes, hunters kill them. And they don't use "bullets" - - they use "bird shot" which are smaller than "BB's" and difficult for the poutry shopkeeper to be certain that every last fragment of it has been removed.

It would not be true of any "large game" (i.e., mammals bigger than a rabbit or squirrel).

Best wishes,

Rex
[email protected]

KenCT

I think that you drew the correct conclusion. If I remember correctly, a shotgun shoots many tiny lead pellets, so it would make sense that some of them might remain lodged in the flesh of the animal. I don't understand the "Yikes" part. Do you think the hunters captured the animals with a net?

DiAblo

When I grew up in the Midwest in the 50’s a very considerable portion of our diet was harvested game. This might include (depending on the season) duck, rabbit, squirrel, pheasant, quail, mourning dove, prairie chicken (think “grouse,”) goose, and not excluding possum or raccoon. I learned to shoot at a very early age, not as sport but as a potential gatherer for the family’s table. My dad gave me my first shotgun when I was 10 and I was allowed to hunt alone or in a group. (By the by, nary a one of us was ever guilty of any crimes committed via firearms, which might say something for education vs. criminalizing, but that’s another forum.)

Yes, a shotgun shell is loaded with a number of small, lead pellets (nowadays steel shot is required when hunting waterfowl). Some shells, such as a #4 used for larger game, has only a few b.b.’s but they’re relatively large and easier to find. A “field” shot such as #8 has many more pellets but they’re much smaller.

The bird would be “dressed” and, depending on the species, skinned or not. With a skinned bird, intended for frying, it is relatively easy to spot the small entry wounds and to pluck out the offending pellet with the tip of a knife. On larger birds such as grouse or pheasant the skin is usually left on as the bird is likely intended for baking or roasting. This of course creates the inevitable and somewhat obvious problem. It is only a matter of time before someone is going to bite into a pellet and, yes, COULD damage a tooth. If you swallow a b.b. without noticing it, it will simply pass through your system like any tiny, indigestible object would.

On the other hand I must say that with all the game food I've eaten I've never hurt myself on a pellet though I've found a plenty in my food. My hunting years long behind me I find I still occasionally have a yen for game birds in restaurants wherever. It’s just a good idea not to eat like your starving, to cut or pull away a small bite of the meat and give it a cursory going over with your fork.

This is not something that you have to live in fear of. As for how the game is harvested what matter if it is by shotgun in an open field or by stun gun in slaughterhouse?

Patrick

You bring back memories, DiAblo. I too grew up in the country in the midwest, and buckshot filled rabbit was almost a staple in our house. I'm surprised I even have any teeth left! My older brother was an avid hunter and I couldn't wait until I was old enough to go hunting. I think my first rabbit hunting expedition into our woods was when I was about 10 or 11 -- yes kids that age were given shotguns or rifles for Christmas. I think I did about three of these expeditions with my brother always missing the rabbit. At last I finally hit one. I was so excited that I had "succeeded" until we skinned the rabbit after I carried it lifeless back to the house. That was the last time I've ever held a loaded gun. But I still love to eat rabbit (surprisingly).

peterrabbitt

you do not hunt small game animals with buckshot(that is reserved for deer) if you hit a rabbitt(probably my cousin) with that load it would become hash on site. its customary to use #4 or#6 shot fore bunnies

hleesa

It's not just the toothbreaking that's a concern -- eating lead is not a great thing (think: lead paint). One lead shot is probably not a big deal, but I wouldn't make a habit of it.

I don't think you have anything to worry about.

LJW17

Uhhh...to KenCT, the idea of chewing on a lead during my meal is what warranted the YIKES! So sorry, that is difficult for you to understand. Since I am not versed in game hunting techniques and have had my fair share of game and never been warned of this before, it struck me as a bit odd. Hope that helps you understand my query.

LJW17

Diablo thanks so much for the detailed explanation, I actually enjoyed it very much. Although, I think I will stick to the beef or fish...they don't use lead shot to shoot cows or fish do they?

FlyFish

LJW17 - DiAblo's post was an excellent description of the realities of eating food that has been killed with lead shot, and you really would be missing something if you pass up a chance to taste real wild game because ot it. The chance of encountering a lead shot is small, and the consequences minimal.

There seems to be a misunderstanding among non-hunters that the bird or small game ends up with dozens or hundreds of pellets than need to be removed. In fact, most animals are killed by fewer than ten or so pellets, most of them pass through the edible portions and are removed with the entrails, and the rest are are easily located and removed, as DiAblo described. I've eaten hundreds of meals of animals that I've shot and dressed myself and can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've come across a pellet. I inadvertently bit down on one only once, and that was my own fault for not paying attention. Lead shot is soft and unlikely to break a healthy tooth - the steel shot, mostly used for waterfowl is something else again, but there the larger sizes make them even easier to avoid.

vcl

On the first day after Christmas/My true love and I had a fight./And with a single cartridge/I shot the gd partridge/my true love gave to me.

Haven't been able to get that song out of my head since the pheasant I had in Wales last fall; my truelove also found shot in his partridge.

It made a really neat souvenir.

aj

I grew up in a family where my father and brother loved to hunt wild game. My mother was a wonderful cook but every time I think of Quail or pheasant I can her her say "watch out for the shot". I think it would be great to eat such a treat in London. But don't break a tooth. Actually I love the old British movies that portray "the hunt". I guess I just love all the tweed and leather.

Wendy

This is so funny! We just had this happen last month while dining at a very nice restaurant here in Seattle. The main course was Scottish Woodpigeon and the waiter warned us about shot pellets. Well my beau got one, the waiter said it was a special prize so the chef came out to our table. Very funny!

SantaChiara

I grew up in West Texas, and you didn't eat game without the occasional buckshot, nor did you eat tamales without the stray hog's tooth.