Pokeweed?

B

BrownDogsCan2

Well-known member
Shot these two birds today. Never seen anything like it. Stained clear into the meat. What do you think...safe to eat?

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cut around the damage, eat with no fear! I have seen it many times with young birds, an eager dog, or people using super mags and heavy shot.
 
oldandnew said:
cut around the damage, eat with no fear! I have seen it many times with young birds, an eager dog, or people using super mags and heavy shot.
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Yeah he was a little(lot:)) hardmouthed. I hated to even show it. I usually laugh at those pictures.:D He got hit by a skunk this morning,, angry dog ,, thats our excuse.

What i was getting at is the crop is full of what I think is pokeweed, juicyberry whatever you want call. Its toxic, I think it has even killed a few people. I don't think it would hurt beyond what pepto bismal would fix. I thought maybe else had seen it.
 
Probably elderberry or chokecherry. As you know they eat anything. Kidding about the bruising, When I was a kid I had to out run the misserable pointer to reach the bird before he did, to have a chance!
 
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We shoot quail all the time that almost the entire breast is that color because all they eat is Elderberry, never had any problem. Never heard of poke weed before.
 
Like some other early spring greens, poke weed leaves can be eaten after boiling, but it's seeds and roots are poisonous. I worked with people in Florida that ate it, boiling it, throw out the water, boil again, drain, then add salt, pepper and butter. Outside my office was a big poke weed bush. Later in the summer there was a mockingbird that would eat the berries, which I took to be fermented and then intoxicated, he'd sing like crazy. I wonder if his crop was purple, too?
 
I posted some similar photos of a bird earlier in the year that had a similar looking (stained) crop/meat. The client told me the bird was in a blue berry patch before he shot him. He had some other contents/berries in his crop too.

Anyway, I would think eating such a bird should be fine. As O&N suggested, cut the stained portions out and keep the rest.




 
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