Shotgunned Rabbit

[Bunny Boiler 177]

I shoot a fair few rabbits with the shotty on one of my permissions and was wondering what you guys do with them? Are stinkers likely to eat the shot or will it be a case of because they're smaller animals that the shot is avoided unlike a dog who is taking bigger bites? Do you use them for another purpose entirely? I get alot of pigeons that I take the breasts off and will give them the carcass, but I'm always aware of the fact that theres lead in there...

 

Opinions?

[Born Hunter 17,813]

Ferrets have been fed on shot up game for decades I'd imagine. Certainly none of mine have died yet.....

[Bunny Boiler 177]

Ferrets have been fed on shot up game for decades I'd imagine. Certainly none of mine have died yet.....

Aye, but lead poisoning isn't cyanide poisoning. It takes a few years in humans, and waterfowl to die of it. Was wondering if it was similar for stinkers or if they would just be fine because of the way they eat.

[fitchet 788]

Never had a problem with feeding shot game to ferrets and they are fed it more or less daily. When i was younger that was part of the day shooting something for the ferrets im sure they just ingest it and it passes through harmlessly.

[Born Hunter 17,813]

 

Ferrets have been fed on shot up game for decades I'd imagine. Certainly none of mine have died yet.....

Aye, but lead poisoning isn't cyanide poisoning. It takes a few years in humans, and waterfowl to die of it. Was wondering if it was similar for stinkers or if they would just be fine because of the way they eat.

 

 

Who mentioned cyanide? LOL

[The one 8,511]

Never had a problem feeding shot game to the ferrets either when you clean them out you can sometimes see the shot in the bottom of the hutch and on the rabbits pelts when you take them out

[ChrisJones 7,975]

The risk of lead poisoning is always there, it is toxic, but mammals are more likely to detect it and spit it out.

 

The danger, as we've seen with bird species, is when they can't chew but it's left to dissolve in their gizzards. They're far more susceptible.

 

Personally, I use steel for game and feather. Tungsten for fin. I leave the lead for clays.

[gnipper 6,543]

They can pick out number 6s easy enough and it's never done any of my ferrets any harm eating shot stuff over the years. Quite often i can feel the shot with the shovel as I'm cleaning their nest area out.

[Bunny Boiler 177]

 

 

 

Ferrets have been fed on shot up game for decades I'd imagine. Certainly none of mine have died yet.....

Aye, but lead poisoning isn't cyanide poisoning. It takes a few years in humans, and waterfowl to die of it. Was wondering if it was similar for stinkers or if they would just be fine because of the way they eat.

Who mentioned cyanide? LOL

Was making a point that lead takes years to kill, but cyanide can do it in days or minutes.

[max abell 196]

As said have fed ours on shot fur and feather for longer than I care to remember never had any problems