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:

https://i.postimg.cc/zXZ887CK/54AF8837-7A80-44F4-BA47-BA5C7652E3C2.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

https://i.postimg.cc/hPQwPQ8m/F6-E20-F03-3808-4160-9-ADD-5-AB1-AEC6-B46-E.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

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:

https://i.postimg.cc/9M6JSJ4Q/9-AFA9-B33-B15-D-4274-A11-C-5-DF2-D6-BEBD70.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

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.

[dk17hmr]

The buck antelope I killed this year was shot in the face a day or two prior to me killing him. I didn't know it at the time I killed him, he was grazing right before my bullet hit him. I only found out after I cleaned his skull and found a good sized hole through his bone. That is honestly the best tasting antelope I have ever killed. We dont eat alot of antelope but when I grill his backstraps there isn't any leftovers.

That said I would have left that pig. No reason to risk getting sick when you have plenty of opportunities. I do the same with rabbits. If they look sick or have livers that don't look right I leave them.... general they aren't there the next day either so I know they aren't going to waste.

[math]

You did the right thing !
Under this years mosse hunt we were unfortunate to shoot (it was very good for the animals as it shortened their suffering) one 10 point bull and one calf that had previous gun shoot wounds that were leaking pus. The bull was shoot just were the ribcage ends and the calf was shoot from the front along the neck.
We had a vet look on the animals and she judged them as unfit for human consumption, not that any off us were interested in eating any off them but we needed her to sign off on them so they would not be deducted from our licens
Math

[dh2]

It was the right thing to put him down, But there is plenty of pigs out there. it is not worth the risk of the health of you and your faimly

[ChristopherO]

Definetly not worth eating it. Don't blame you a bit for letting it lie.
The only head shots I take are on the occassional squirrel in a tree or a trapped coon or hog to butcher. It isn't worth it to blow the jaw off a deer or hog.

[skeettx]

Yes, do not eat infected meat and do not load ammo for others
Mike

[superior]

I don’t know about the pig, but that rifle is a thing of beauty !

[lonewelder]

his blood probably had infection through out the entire body (sepsis). soon organs would start to shut down.he was dead pig walking.

[waksupi]

Sounds like gangrene set in. I'd pass.

[Tripplebeards]

I shot a small doe yesterday with my muzzleloader. Two days prior I shot at one about the same size and it was probably bedded 10 yards away from where this one was. I should’ve waited for a better shot. I took a poke at it while it was standing in some brush ...and I flinched as well. I was aim for the shoulder and figured I missed since I found no blood or hair. The gun is sighted 2” high as well. When I skinned this one last night when I got it home I found a hole in the hide at the top of the shoulders with a fresh scab. I cut the scab off and it was a nice fresh meat underneath so think I got lucky. I remove the back straps and they look beautiful so it was a thin layer of meat above it. It basically got a haircut. I’m sure it’s the same deer I “missed”.


https://i.imgur.com/m0Xjtt1.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DFuSewz.jpg

[Petander]

You did the right thing.

I got a roadkill bull moose once, being killed by a truck at 5 am sunday morning, nobody else in our club wanted any of it because we got him out if the woods around noon and it was a warm summer day. "No good for eating anymore!" I thought folks were overly sensitive, I bought and butchered the whole fella by myself,wife helping,then called some friends to come over and get some meat,bones,whatever.

I had to pay €50 for the moose,I'd do the same again any day.

[Idz]

Actually it doesn't take much heat to kill bacteria:
"At 122°F there are no bacteria that are pathogenic (cause illness) to humans that survive." from
https://www.yourdoctorsorders.com/2013/06/dont-overcook-healthy-cooking/

the FDA guidelines have much higher temperatures because people don't have calibrated thermometers and don't know how to use them so the gov't figures better safe than sorry.

Meat going rancid is another issue mainly of taste.

I always wondered why animals die at 120F but bacteria survived until 165F until I read that article and found out that bacteria are no more rugged than people. Its not necessary to cook meat until it turns to leather.

[Tripplebeards]

I read an article from the depression era. It said In hard times people used to soak old rancid meat in vinegar to remove smells and kill the bacteria and make it Edible... But I still would not eat that pig!

I soaked the “stink” out of some catfish fillets last year for an experiment. They actually tasted really good,almost lemony, reminded me of hush puppies. After a day or so all the “rotting dead shad” smell was gone and the fillets were starting to break down in pieces. I even gave a few pieces to some “guinea pigs” and they both gave me a thumbs up.

[Norske]

I passed on a doe with fawns that had a front leg that would swing over her back as she ran on 3 legs. A neighbor told me years later she had raised at least three sets of twins before she disappeared. Whitetail does can be survivors! Of course, eating in cattle feedlots that are guarded from coyotes by farm dogs helps.

[Thin Man]

The discussions about head shots reminded me about a buck I dropped a few years ago. He came down a hillside in front of me at a fast walk, disappeared into a heavily wooded area to my right, then turned and passed directly in front of me (still at a fast walk) from about 40 yards away. He had good balance and appeared to know where he was going. When I fired he took off running at a normal fast run. My shot hit the chest and the blood trail was very easy to follow. This one made it about 50 yards before he fell over. When I got close enough the examine the body I was surprised to find that the entire back of his skull had been blown out by another hunter. His brains were clearly visible and trying to exit what part of the skull remained. The wound was fresh with blood still seeping out of the head and none of it had dried on the fur. I share this story knowing some other hunter chose to take a (probably) neck shot and missed his mark. This buck would surely have become infected and died a slow and agonizing death if i had not helped him along the way.

[T-Bird]

Part of the risk of heavily contaminated meat is handling and processing it. Bacteria contaminates cuts, scrapes, surfaces etc. Infection causing organisms are not the same as "spoilage" organisms.

[nikonuser]

I read an article from the depression era. It said In hard times people used to soak old rancid meat in vinegar to remove smells and kill the bacteria and make it Edible... But I still would not eat that pig!

I soaked the “stink” out of some catfish fillets last year for an experiment. They actually tasted really good,almost lemony, reminded me of hush puppies. After a day or so all the “rotting dead shad” smell was gone and the fillets were starting to break down in pieces. I even gave a few pieces to some “guinea pigs” and they both gave me a thumbs up.

since the predawn of humanity, vinegar has been used to "destink" bad meat for a short time. VERY common in the middle ages. At the same time, in modern times BLEACH is the preferred method used in stores to make meat look "nicer" when its umm started to turn color and turn to liqioud in the display case. The smell also blends in well in a meat case because bleach smell makes people think it was cleaned rather well.

[M-Tecs]

That why I don't condone heat shots. Most animals when they have a fever head for water to stand or lay in. That mostly likely indicates an massive infection. I would only use it as Coyote bait or coyote food. I have put several deer out of their misery when the lower jaw was shot off.

[grizz41]

You made a good choice by doing what you did. I shot a beautiful 5 point muley in Montana in the 60`s that had been in a fight with another buck and when we butchered him we cut into a golf ball sized lymph node full of pus in the rear quarter. his wounds had healed over, but Montana F&G told us not to eat it and gave us another tag. They said that at the very least it wouldn`t taste good and could possibly make someone sick. a retired guide said he tries a steak or two before he butchers the whole critter, especially bear.

[OldBearHair]

I had a fishing buddy that was a Government Meat Inspector back in 1958. He told me that they only checked the liver and if the liver was healthy, the animal got the blue stamp applied all over. Before that when as a small kid I had the job of killing and cleaning the chicken for dinner(which was the noon meal for us) I was told to not finish the job of cleaning the chicken if the liver looked bad with yellow spots. Even now if meat has been around in the frig for a while, it gets a vinegar/ water mix wipe down.
Once I witnessed a friend bowhunter shoot a doe in the heart. It dropped at twenty yards. We got over to the deer to find that it was covered with a jillion ticks, ribs showing, and not looking good at all. A game manager(?) ---some kind of official anyway, came along as he was about to tag it and told him not to as it was unfit for human consumption,....some of the details are a little fuzzy for me as to what happened in 1965.

[nikonuser]

don't forget, people have changed a lot in the last 120 years. Things someone could eat on a daily basis in 1890 would most likely end up killing you, or at the very least leave you strapped to a toilet for a week or so

[elmacgyver0]

No doubt they would welcome it at a Chinese wet bar.

[RugerFan]

I once shot an 8 pt buck in TX in Jan that had an old would from early in the season. Someone had hit it with a light caliber bullet that shattered the front of the left shoulder blade, but apparently didn’t catch any vitals. The fractured bone had healed up kind of gnarly looking, but the surrounding meat was pale and yellowish in color. No pus, but just that weird unappetizing color. I trashed that shoulder meat, but kept the rest of the animal that looked fine. No issues eating it.

[Beaverhunter2]

A few years ago just before noon on opening day I shot an 8 point whitetail that had a bullet would- a still-bleeding hole in it's right ear! Somebody blew their shot on the buck that morning and I guess he used up all his luck, because I dropped him at 40 yards through the heart (DRT).

John