Blogging the Outdoors: Venison Concerns
Deer meat? YUCK! That's what many of my non-hunting friends say when I mention cooking some fine meals with the tasty portions of venison. When it's properly prepared, it's hard to find a better tasting food. Apparently some others, including hunters, are having concerns this year when it comes to deer meat. According the SC Department of Natural Resources (SC DNR) website, they have received some calls already this hunting season with concerns about the safety of eating deer meat. They claim the concerns come from "the recent news that a significant hemorrhagic disease (HD) outbreak in deer being reported in many southeastern states." The SC DNR says HD can cause sickness in deer, but does NOT affect people. "Hunters should not be concerned about the safety of eating venison", says DNR. The SC DNR also says HD appears about every 3 to 5 years. They say the last time there was a significant flare-up of HD in SC was in 2002.Whew! Even though I have not harvested a deer yet this year, this is still a big relief knowing deer in SC are still safe to eat. Bring on the tenderloin and mashed potatoes!
Below you will find helpful information from SCDNR when it comes to deer meat safety.
Sportsmen can minimize the risk of consuming venison by following these commonsense guidelines:
Do not handle fresh carcasses or meat with wounds on their hands
Freeze all meat before cooking because freezing kills the majority of the parasites
Cook venison thoroughly (150ºF)
Posted by
on 09/27 at 06:36 AM
Glad to hear that venison is safe. I’m planning on moving to SC next year and wanted to be able to eat what I hunt for. Thanks for the information.