States Begin Testing Deer for Covid, Urge Caution to Hunters

Written by HLRBO| 12/6/2021

After Covid-19 was detected in white-tailed deer earlier this year, several states are beginning to test their deer population for the virus. A study by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that tested 481 deer in Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania found Covid-19 antibodies in 33% of the samples — during the winter months, that spiked to an 80% positivity rate. With deer hunting season underway, wildlife officials in New Hampshire, Kentucky, Missouri, Massachusetts, Arkansas, and Vermont are among a growing number of states that have begun testing their white-tailed deer for Covid-19. New Hampshire and Vermont were the first states to begin deer testing after the USDA approached them about testing as part of its national research on the spread of Covid-19 among white-tailed deer. Illinois plans to test 500 to 1,000 of its white-tailed deer this winter after the USDA study found 7% of the white-tailed deer in the Land of Lincoln tested positive for Covid-19.

In California, deer at Martha’s Vineyard are also being tested for Covid-19 by an ecologist. It’s important to note that the study concluded the risk of deer and other animals spreading Covid-19 to humans is low, meaning hunters should not worry about contracting the virus from deer they hunt. The infected deer also do not show any clinical symptoms of Covid-19, and it remains unclear how humans may be passing the virus to deer. But, that’s not stopping some states from urging caution to hunters who come into close contact with white-tailed deer. “There is a lot we still don’t know about SARS-CoV-2 infections in deer, but we do know deer can be infected, and that is a good reason for hunters to continue using safe handling practices with their harvested deer,” said Moriah Boggess, deer biologist with the Wildlife Commission.

Wisconsin was the first state to issue recommendations for hunters to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves and face coverings when they field dress and process deer. Other precautions hunters should take — no matter what state they’re hunting in — include: • Don’t eat any deer that appear sick. • Don’t eat the eyes, brain, spleen, tonsils, spinal cord, or lymph nodes of deer. Minimize contact with these parts when harvesting the deer. • You should also minimize contact with the deer’s respiratory tract, including the lungs, trachea, mouth, and nasal cavities. • Wear rubber or latex gloves and eye protection when handling your harvest. Wash your hands afterward. • Clean knives and equipment of all residue. Disinfect them with a solution of household bleach and water. • If you are immunocompromised or at high risk of infection, consider asking for help when handling a deer carcass. Officials also noted there is no evidence showing Covid-19 can be contracted through food consumption, including venison, and again, the risk for deer-to-human transmission remains low. So, hunters can confidently carry on with their deer hunting plans, just be extra cautious when handling and harvesting white-tailed deer. Cooking all deer meat to the recommended temperature of 165 degrees or higher also greatly reduces any potential risk of consuming pathogens.