Would you eat it

[OBXarcher]

Got the first of the year. I was very disappointed when I walked up and found this.

It had tumors / warts all over.

PS got him with my Bear Takedown

 

 

here's what I got from the a state biologist.

Those are cutaneous fibromas, benign skin tumors caused by a virus.  They actually may be temporary (you can get some deer that are absolutely covered with them that wind up losing them with no effect on deer).  Deer like this are no problem for hunters- they can skin them and the growths come off with skin and don't affect meat.  On ones that are REALLY covered with large tumors, secondary infection and other issues that can affect the health of the deer (e.g. blindness when eyes get covered up) and make them unfit for consumption.  Thanks for sending along.....

[D.Sheppard]

Absolutely NOT !

I know wasting an animal sets a few fellows off but it's only a deer. Never take a chance with questional meat.

[Forester]

Congratulations and good shooting.

As the biologist said, those fibromas should come off with the skin.  After you have skinned him you can check for any active secondary infections and then make your decision.  If there are no major infections with active puss build-up then I would proceed with the butchering,wrapping and freezing.  They are not an illness or disease and does not hurt the meat or your use of it.

[30coupe]

Originally posted by Forester:
Congratulations and good shooting.

As the biologist said, those fibromas should come off with the skin.  After you have skinned him you can check for any active secondary infections and then make your decision.  If there are no major infections with active puss build-up then I would proceed with the butchering,wrapping and freezing.  They are not an illness or disease and does not hurt the meat or your use of it.

I agree.


Then again "Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms," Josie Wales  

[Jack Denbow]

I agree with Forester. I got some trail camera pictures of a doe with them on her shoulder and contacted the state biologist and he said the sme thing Forester said. When you skin the deer there will be no sign of them on the inside of the hide.
Jack

[homerdave]

eat it.
you're not a deer.

[David Yukon]

I would eat! When hunting Caribou, somethime you get tones of big "cists" caused from the bugs bites and I never had a problem with the meet!! If in doubt, you can bring some meet sample to a biologist and they should be able to tell you if it is good or not!
Good luck

[Wile E. Coyote]

Nothing wrong with the meat. D Sheppards response seems to come from an emotional standpoint not one backed up by science. I am a veterinarian and i would eat it if I killed it.

[southpawshooter]

I took a buck 8 or 9 years ago with the same growth, although not as many of the black balls.  I asked the biologist about it at the check in station and he said not to worry about eating the deer.  I had no problems consuming the deer.

[Bill Turner]

State game biologist said the same thing about a deer taken by a friend a few years back. Peel her and eat her. Course it does make you wonder. Don't it?  

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Those are just flavor pockets...MMMMMMMM!!

[John Scifres]

I would.  No problem at all.

[SteveB]

No - I would leave it lay.

[Bjorn]

Not for my family.

[nd chickenman]

How the meat looks and smells would be the deciding factor for me. Any off smell and I would dump it!

[mambashooter]

Cook it well done..  

[jrstegner]

If I did eat it, the whole time I would be thinking about the tumors. I just don't think I could handle that. The hell with science. I would not serve that deer to other people. I have killed squirrels with bot fly larva in them. I am sure science would say I could eat the unaffected portion but it would gross me out. Those squirrels were donated to the cause. I didnt feel a bit guilty about it either.

[meathead]

I would and have.  The fibromas are only skin deep.  Don't be afraid to eat those squirrels with warbels either just remove the affected area.

[Shawn Leonard]

I already have, over the years I have killed at least 3 with the same condition. I also have eaten a few with brisk cysts which are a fluid filled area on the brisket which forms to protect and injured area, like a bruise or puncture. Skin it and you will see 9 times out of ten it is only skin deep!! I know you can eat rotten meat and it not hurt you as long as it is cooked at high temperatures, but your deer will be fine! Shawn

[Legois]

No way!