eating deer this year

[flippinstick]

I didnt get to go this weekend but my uncle said he only heard about 5 shots saturday morning. Thats not that many compared to what we usualy hear.

[fish24/7]

I killed a doe Saturday and something was definately wrong with it. When I got up to it is stomach looked very fat, but it looked like its body was starving. I have never seen a deer look like that before. Its rib cage was showing. Its neck was bone only. I tried to feel where the tenderloins were and only could feel bone. It looked awful. I cut into its stomach to see why it was so fat. I had not gut shot it either, but hit it in the chest. I cut in its stomach and this brown stuff just come out everywhere from its stomach. I have been deer hunting for over 14 years and killed many deer and have never seen anything like this. The smell was also unbearable. Usually one can tell what a deer has been eating, but this was just a brown mush. I did not process this deer for I fear it was diseased. This just reiterated my point with eating deer this year. I want some meat for the freezer, but this has scared me away from eating any this year.

[MrChickyBaBa]

That is why they say make sure the deer looks healthy before you shoot it, if it does'nt they say let it walk. If they look healthy they are fine, I killed 2 does this past weekend and they both were as healthy as can be. If that deer looked that bad I don't blame you for not eating it.

[fish24/7]

I would not have shot it if I had known this. It was about 75 yards away and walking fine. It was acting like any normal deer. I didn't realize how skinny it was until I got up to it.

[artcarney_agr]

They say a deer with EHD will usually die within 72 hours. If we could get a good freeze/frost, the gnats and midges that transfer the disease will be gone and the outbreak will pretty much end. If you're that concerned about shooting an infected deer, start hunting 72 hours after the first good freeze and you'll be just fine. There are other diseases that deer might be infected with, and as someone said before, if it looks sick, don't eat it! As for cooking the meat, it needs to be cooked good and through just like any beef, pork, or chicken. I see no need to be concerned about eating a deer that looks healthy and look forward to taking a few this season...my freeze looks sad and empty, and hopefully it will be happy again one day soon!