That his father had told him that Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out for Hajj and so did his companions. He sent a batch of his companions by another route and Abu Qatada was one of them. The Prophet ﷺ said to them, "Proceed along the seashore till we meet all together." So, they took the route of the seashore, and when they started all of them assumed Ihram except Abu Qatada. While they were proceeding on, his companions saw a group of onagers. Abu Qatada chased the onagers and attacked and wounded a sheonager. They got down and ate some of its meat and said to each other: "How do we eat the meat of the game while we are in a state of Ihram?" So, we (they) carried the rest of the she-onager's meat, and when they met Messenger of Allah ﷺ they asked, saying, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! We assumed Ihram with the exception of Abu Qatada and we saw (a group) of onagers. Abu Qatada attacked them and wounded a she-onager from them. Then we got down and ate from its meat. Later, we said, (to each other), 'How do we eat the meat of the game and we are in a state of Ihram?' So, we carried the rest of its meat. The Prophet asked, "Did anyone of you order Abu Qatada to attack it or point at it?" They replied in the negative. He said, "Then eat what is left of its meat."  

أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ حَاجًّا فَخَرَجُوا مَعَهُ فَصَرَفَ طَائِفَةً مِنْهُمْ فِيهِمْ أَبُو قَتَادَةَ فَقَالَ خُذُوا سَاحِلَ الْبَحْرِ حَتَّى نَلْتَقِيَ فَأَخَذُوا سَاحِلَ الْبَحْرِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفُوا أَحْرَمُوا كُلُّهُمْ إِلاَّ أَبُو قَتَادَةَ لَمْ يُحْرِمْ فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ يَسِيرُونَ إِذْ رَأَوْا حُمُرَ وَحْشٍ فَحَمَلَ أَبُو قَتَادَةَ عَلَى الْحُمُرِ فَعَقَرَ مِنْهَا أَتَانًا فَنَزَلُوا فَأَكَلُوا مِنْ لَحْمِهَا وَقَالُوا أَنَأْكُلُ لَحْمَ صَيْدٍ وَنَحْنُ مُحْرِمُونَ فَحَمَلْنَا مَا بَقِيَ مِنْ لَحْمِ الأَتَانِ فَلَمَّا أَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا كُنَّا أَحْرَمْنَا وَقَدْ كَانَ أَبُو قَتَادَةَ لَمْ يُحْرِمْ فَرَأَيْنَا حُمُرَ وَحْشٍ فَحَمَلَ عَلَيْهَا أَبُو قَتَادَةَ فَعَقَرَ مِنْهَا أَتَانًا فَنَزَلْنَا فَأَكَلْنَا مِنْ لَحْمِهَا ثُمَّ قُلْنَا أَنَأْكُلُ لَحْمَ صَيْدٍ وَنَحْنُ مُحْرِمُونَ فَحَمَلْنَا مَا بَقِيَ مِنْ لَحْمِهَا قَالَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَحْمِلَ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ أَشَارَ إِلَيْهَا قَالُوا لاَ قَالَ فَكُلُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنْ لَحْمِهَا