Study: Bullet fragments spread lead in venison

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A study on bullet fragmentation begun over concern about lead in hunter-harvested deer has found that fragments spread farther than most hunters might expect, Minnesota wildlife officials said.

The Department of Natural Resources found lead fragments as far as 18 inches away from the wound in its tests of different bullets fired into sheep carcasses.

“These fragments really go a long way,” said Lou Cornicelli, the DNR’s big game program coordinator and a study co-author. “The take-home is if you shoot lead bullets, there’s going to be lead in the venison and there’s not much you can do about it.”

Lead in venison became an issue in March when samples of ground venison in North Dakota food pantries tested positive for traces of lead. Lead also was soon discovered in venison donated to Minnesota food banks.

The study found that bullets fired from rifles fragmented more than those fired from shotguns or muzzleloaders. And it found that cheaper, fast-mushrooming lead-core bullets spread fragments farther than copper-jacketed or all-copper bullets engineered to mushroom more slowly and penetrate farther.