Wounded animal suitability for table fare

[ATCDoktor]

I killed this hog this past weekend and chose not to take the meat as the animal had a pre existing gunshot wound to the lower jaw:





The previous gunshot wound to the lower jaw severed the tongue and smashed the jaw and left a gaping hole that exposed the interior of the mouth.

The wound appeared somewhat healed and was probably a week or ten days old.

When I first saw him in the pond I was about 50 yards away standing on an embankment about 20 feet above him and he appeared to be gaunt and sickly and he was either soaking his wound in the cold water to relieve the pain or trying to drink water through the open hole in his lower jaw.

Being above him I couldn’t see the wound in his jaw but I could tell something was wrong with him.

After eyeballing him through the scope on my rifle (4 power weaver scout scope) I decided to drop the hammer and sent a hand loaded 300 grain Remington JHP at a skosh short of 2000 fps through the bridge of his snout (between his eyes) flinging him in to the sweet by and by.

Needless to say that 45/70 round nailed the coffin shut permanent and he slowly sank into the water/mud.

When I reached him in the pond I was greeted by a horrendous stench, not your normal boar pig stink but a rotten flesh smell that was somewhat overpowering and then I noticed his lower jaw had an old wound.

I drug him out of the pond and snapped a quick pic but left him for the coyotes (he stank something awful) and I figured he wouldn’t be fit to eat.

Was I correct in assuming that the meat was ruined or did I waste a perfectly good pig?

[earlmck]

I'm with you -- I'd have to be dang hungry to eat any of that pig.

Nice job of putting him out of his misery.

[ATCDoktor]

Here’s his brother:



I shot this one later that afternoon about 1/2 mile from the stock pond where I killed the pig with the blown apart jaw.

Drilled him right behind the ear with the same load, weighed a respectable (and super healthy) 180 pounds prior to skinning

His back straps are in the slow cooker as I type this so I’m not short meat but it kinda bothered me to leave that one for the coyotes but figured the meat was rurnt reference infection/stress/emaciation et al.

[BrutalAB]

No real knowledge of this but if i could have tolerated the smell long enough i might have cut a leg off or something and smelled that meat seperately. If it smelled fine, i would take the meat home but still probably be questioning and asking around. After all, the animal was still alive and the wound was trying to heal, not like it was dead and starting to rot. I would guess that its possible that something bad would be traveling through the blood and wrecking havok on the meat but i really dont know.

The way i look at it though, nothing is wasted as long as it doesnt go into the landfill. I dont take any of the organs when field dressing, but i got to watch a fox getting a free meal the next day hunting. I dont do the best job cleaning my deer, but i get to see turkey vultures for a few days, i dont do the best job trimming the meat, but my dogs get to eat pretty dang good for a bit.

At any rate you put the animal out of its misery saving it from a death by starvation.

[Stephen Cohen]

I am glad you showed a pic of this horrid wound, it is a stark reminder that as hunters we owe a better death to our prey than this poor animal received prior to your outstanding marksmanship. I also would not have eaten that meat as well. I am proud of the fact I have never lost a bird or any animal wounded to die a lingering death, it is not that I am an outstanding shot, but I will not take a shot that is outside my capabilities or the capabilities of the firearm I am using. Regards Stephen

[Mike H]

You did the right thing,unless you were dying from starvation,eating a rotten animal like that is not on.Do you think that an animal with a rotting wound like that pig had would get into an meat works and pass the meat inspectors?

[mebudman63]

Well i have killed hogs here in Texas with previous wounds before but the wounds are healed. Parts of jaws gone, ears half torn off. You have to think with a infected wound what blood infections a hog could have. I mean you already have to worry about the parasites and everything else from pork so why take chances from something else? Hopefully you hunt somewhere like i do where there are more hogs than you have time to hunt them.

[DougGuy]

An animal gets an infection that severe, it's not localized to the wound. He was fit for the yotes and that's ALL he was fit for.

A bear would scarf up on him in a heartbeat but it would not surprise me one bit to see that the yotes won't eat him. They are smart.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

You did the right thing. The fact that it bothers you says good things about your character. Too many people waste perfectly good meat because it comes from animals considered pests.

[Three44s]

You are a true sportsman for worrying about wasting the pig but under the circumstances you made the only correct decision. After all you did not create the mess, you only interceded after the fact.

In any case, your and your families (or anyone else invited to eat the meat) safety is paramount EVEN if this was “your pig” in the first place ...... but it wasn’t.

Good on you and best regards

Three44s

[bosterr]

One time I came upon a bedded buck and as soon as he stood I took a shot. I saw right away it had a deep grazing wound across the rear of it's hind quarter. I went ahead and gutted it and found the stomach was totally empty. No doubt it had been laying there a while. I was still a bit leary about dragging it out. Just out of impulse I ran my knife across the wound and all kind of puss and odor came out. Needless to say, I left it there. That buck would have had all kind of infection running through it.

[trapper9260]

You did the right thing to shooting it and leave it. When not sure, leave it.You did the animal a great service for how it was.

[NSB]

I've shot wounded animals before and kept them. But, it was on opening day of gun season and they'd just been shot within an hour or so by someone else. I've also shot animals with old wounds and they looked pretty sick and most had a very foul odor. I've asked butchers if any of those animals were OK to eat (not that I ever wanted to, but just out of curiosity). I was told that they were not, and for two reasons. Number one, they were full of infections that could be transmitted to humans by handling or consumption. Number two, they were full of stress homones that would make the meat taste bad. Actually, there's a number three to this: The USDA wouldn't allow it on a farm animal for consumer safety. Bear Grylls might eat it, but I suspect for TV entertainment purposes he'd eat a crap sandwich if he could find two pieces of bread. If you're going to do this, don't feed it to anyone else unless they know about it and agree to it.

[Tripplebeards]

Just another reason why I don’t condone head shots, some “so-called marksman” thought he probably missed it. That pig won’t go to waste. The birds, coyotes, and every other predator will be thanking you as soon as the sun goes down.

[Hdskip]

His own kind may help the other critters to recycle the carcass.

[T-Bird]

NSB is correct concerning USDA regulations. I also agree with Tripplebeards with respect to head shots

[Prodigal Son]

I'm you you guys, wounded animals have infections, cooking it might not kill all the infected meat! Plus like someone said "Stressed" out animals taste bad, noe his brother I'd of eat!

[Texas by God]

You did it right on both counts. Killed it and drug it away from the water hole. No worries.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Smoke4320]

I am piling on and saying you are correct in letting this one lay. Infections like that can get in the blood and meat. Besides there are plenty more pigs to take and no season limits or dates.
no need to risk you or the family

[Omega]

I once shot a three legged deer, the stump was well healed though and no other signs of infection or even stress. But yea, if the game animal has any signs there may something going on, I'd pass. Deer, or other non varmint animal may have to be tagged though, and I am not sure where the game wardens stand on wanton waste issue, but I doubt it would apply to a sick deer. I would check it in if need be but as for eating it, nope.