Results Unveiled from WI Lead Testing Program

[Corey Graff]

Submitted by [size=2]Sean Strom
Wildlife Toxicologist

This spring we asked Department staff to provide some hunter killed venison so it could be tested for lead bullet fragments. This request was a result of lead fragments being found in pantry venison in North Dakota and Minnesota.

We also tested WI pantry venison that had not yet been distributed. Finding bullet fragments in meat was not a big surprise to many of us familiar with handling deer at check stations when one is accustomed to seeing the condition of some of the carcasses.

What has been a surprise is seeing how far the lead fragments can migrate from the wound channel as well as their size; many fragments were pinpoint in size and barely visible to the naked eye.

Lead is a developmental neurotoxin whose adverse impacts depend on level and frequency of exposure. Children under 6 and pregnant women are most at risk.

Lead poisoning can cause symptoms that may not be immediately noticed, which is why it is commonly called the "silent disease." Although consumption of hunter-harvested venison has not been linked to any lead-related illnesses, the lead levels found in pantry venison and DNR hunter harvested venison are not low enough to ignore.

For samples collected from food pantries, approximately 17% of the packages had detectable levels of lead. Lead was detected in 8% of the venison packages donated by DNR staff. Lead was detected more often in ground venison than in steaks/roasts.

In the next few days I will be sending out e-mails with the individual results of the chemical analysis to DNR staff who submitted meat for testing. The submissions were mostly coordinated by the Regional WM supervisors, and there were a good number of non-WM staff that contributed.

I ask that the Regional WM supervisors spread the word to those other sub-programs that helped us out by having their staff submit meat samples.

There is much more data to work through, such as bullet type that was used, home processed versus commercially processed, firearm type, etc., which will be included in a final summary. This summary will be shared with you as quickly as possible. But for now, you¹ll know if your meat was positive for lead or not.

In the next few weeks The Wildlife Health Team will be communicating with you on what steps are being taken this year by DNR (hunters), DHFS (pantries) and DATCP (meat processors) to reduce the exposure of lead in venison.[/size]

[EatDeer]

I really like the part that stated that thier is no known link to lead related illnesses from harvested deer meat, to hunters. Maybe shoulder shot meat is the where the lead is fragmented more, grinding meat is usualy from meat that is from there.                  I could see shot bone spreading lead fragments,but not to the point of poisening anyone, personaly.  Shot placement , and bullet mushroomng, shoud be be considered here, before jumping to conclusions about lead bullets in general.   I have seen no conclusive results on paper about lead poisen in deer meat in the past.                                                    All speculation of this is from some activist/ hunter, serving his anti-lead groups agenda out to the comon people, in my opinion. They tested  17% of what amount of meat for lead, 8% of what amount had lead? I want to see some real information in poundages tested, not improvised scare tactics.  I'm waiting for some real research to shed some light on this venison lead poisening ordeal. I await real research, but already I am guessing all tests will be inconclusive..     

[hunter480]

Finding bullet fragments in meat was not a big surprise to many of us familiar with handling deer at check stations when one is accustomed to seeing the condition of some of the carcasses.

 
I think it`s interesting, reading the statement, "Finding bullet fragments in meat was not a big surprise to many of us familiar with handling deer at check stations when one is accustomed to seeing the condition of some of the carcasses."
 
It leads me to believe that they`re talking about how shot up many of the deer are. Extremely interesting, in that, we`ve been discussing one-shot kills, versus, attempting to hit the animal as many times as possible.

[EatDeer]

 Pertaining to this thread, I'd like to know how they know the difference between bow and gun harvested meat donations?  I'm sure not all hunters,and meat processers label every bag of meat that is donated as to harvest method.  I guess it's safe to assume alot of hunters throw massive amounts of lead at wild deer they plan to harvest! Well atleast they are feeding the needy with over one million meals donated in IA last year alone.[;)]

[danesdad]

I wonder how much of the problem can be blamed on processors?

[EatDeer]

ORIGINAL: danesdad

I wonder how much of the problem can be blamed on processors?

That's a great point, the processers try to get every scrap out off the bones. They don't take the time to butcher like regular hunters.   Processers are butchering in a factory setting, they just don't have the time to care for the meat.  I think alot of processers just mix the tainted meat in with the pure, then grind it up and package it. Same with when they make sausage,and balonga, you hardly ever really get 100% of your own meat back.  Say the grinder gets a slug in it by mistake from a contaiminated hunk of meat, they just tainted all the meat grinded that day. Maybe they should have a metal detector above the grinder, with a shut off alarm for when they load thier grinders if lead is detected. Personaly I'm not in the know, but I'd like to see some opinions of people that work in a meat processing plant, as to how easily this lead could have entered the processed deer meat.