Would you eat a previously wounded pheasant?

[jpohlic]

I was hunting out at Daysland today and the dog pointed a bird hidden in the grass. I had to give it a nudge to flush it and then it ran. The dog caught it and when she brought it back I noticed it had been previously shot. I finished it off and took it home. It had a broken wing and maybe half a dozen pellets in the back and legs, and one large gash in the breast. The meat looks good and doesn't smell off, the organs looked good also.

It's rare for me to have a bird with so few holes in it, so, would you keep it whole and roast it, or cut it up for stew, or not eat it at all? I have no idea when it was shot although I did hear a shot in that area maybe an hour earlier.

Piper, my britt, did awesome today!!! 2 birds pointed and retrieved but I only fired one shot!!!

[trigger7mm]

If it isn't bruised up too bad, or doesn't smell, I would think it would Be good to eat. Especially if it was alive when you found it.

[catnthehat]

Zipppo45/70 kicked one up one time at the Aquaduuckt iin Brooks- the dogs were quite a ways away and he saw it in the grass. " Ready ?" he yelled. "YUP!" says I he gives it a good boot and " "what the....!!:confused:" Bird was dead!:sHa_sarcasticlol:
I cheked it out, ripped thee feathers and a bit and noticed that the body was still very warm.
Threw it in the game bag topping up my 1/2 limit to full and kept on going, I'm not one to waste a bird !:)
Cat

[Bigwoodsman]

If it was warm or still alive I'd take it and add it to my daily possession. It wouldn't go to waste. If it was cold or had rigormortis I'd leave it for the yotes!

Shot a small whitetail many years ago last day of seasons with a broad head and about 1.5 inches of arrow stuck in its shoulder. Cut out the festered area and used the rest of it to make pepperoni. It was good.

BW

[fortsask]

I flushed a Pheasant a few weeks back that didn't really fly off, but then got out of my sight. When the dog circled back he eventually caught the bird himself. At first I just thought it was a 'dumb bird', but when it came time to clean it, I noticed one large section and a smaller section of what appeared as dead meat. The larger one fell out of the bird just like a plug. On closer inspection one entire side was turning colour, so I discarded the bird. I think the dead sections were from being previously shot, and the bird didn't fly off as he was getting ill from infection etc.

[Redfrog]

If I come across a wounded bird. I'll dress it and package it for the inlaws at Christmas. They like to share in my harvest bounty and I don't like to take a chance on salmonella, e. Coli, botulism, deng fever, bird flu etc.rickets, the galloping grunge or blisters every where.

Now I've come across literally hundreds of dead birds that were frozen stiff and I have taken them home and cooked them up. Delicious!!!

In fact they have a whole section of them at Costco or Safeway.:)