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Elevated Mercury Levels

383 views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  dubob  
#1 ·
#5 ·
While the threat of mercury and PFOS are real concerns, there MAY be factors in your harvest that lesson the overall impact of consumption by you and/or your family members. The study conducted and reported on in the link above involves LOCAL waterfowl. It may, or may not, be indicative of mercury or PFOS levels in waterfowl migrating into Utah from other environments such as regions north of here. Also, some of your waterfowl may come from other regions of the world from guided or free lance hunts in other regions.

For example, last year I hunted waterfowl in Utah, Texas, Arkansas, & Canada. This year I will pursue waterfowl in Utah, Texas, and Alaska. As to consumption, 99% of my waterfowl meat is ground and either made into breakfast sausage or canned (pressure cooked in glass jars). Therefore, the actual level of mercury or PFOS in my processed meat is unknown. However, I generally don't consume more than a couple of meals a month that contain my processed waterfowl meat.

YMMV!
 
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#6 ·
What I got out of that article for my family was don’t eat duck more than a couple times per month…which is what our normal schedule is anyway. And if we have a lactating mother with kids under 6 come over for a meal, make a chicken dinner instead! Not a hard lift.

I’m glad they put out these advisories and the public attention they receive. Hopefully the increased awareness leads to a decrease in our usage of many of these chemicals that don’t degrade well environmentally over time. Many times, there are lesser chemicals that can do the same job and not leave such a large impact on the landscape.
 
#7 ·
The consumption limits are in "meals" Does the heart, gizzard n liver count as a "meal"? Legs n thighs?

Uh, seriously, probably not good to eat duck liver anymore. I'll quit after this year.
 
#8 ·
I have been thinking about this health advisory a bunch. You know, waterfowl migrate and are Utah officials going to warn other states about their findings? Do other states officials warn us about their findings? No!

I mean I ate catfish out of the Jordan River once, I’m probably immune from everything now.