BWalker,
I find your comments on lead absorption educational, but almost all studies done concerning hunting, whether of humans eating game killed with lead bullets/shot, or of scavenging birds and wild mammals eating game killed with them, are based on blood-lead levels. Apparently that's what the scientific literature is based on. Would be interested to hear your thoughts on that.
On a slightly different tangent, one British study I came across found that cooking gamebirds taken with lead shot using "extra" ingredients containing vinegar increased the amount of lead absorbed by the cooked meat.
John, blood levels do give you some indication of acute exposure. For chronic exposure or body lead load it basicly doesn't tell you much. As for the literature it's much easier to talk someone into a blood sample vs. a bone biopsy. I would as also suggest there isnt a ton of studies on this particular subject.
Vinegar or other acids increasing the amount of lead in cooked meat makes sense.
FWIW I am much less concerned with eating game birds killed with lead.
