Going out and hunting your own meat may seem like a safer, more honest way to eat.
After all, you’re in control of the entire process: finding the animal, tracking it, shooting it down, and, eventually, cooking and consuming it. What could go wrong?
As any avid hunter will tell you, there’s actually a lot that can go wrong. Wild animals can be infected with all sorts of diseases and parasites, and consuming them can put you at risk.
Some risks are more pronounced than others. Still, it’s smart just to be safe and follow the rules, as one hunter on TikTok recently explained.
This Man Cooked A Deer. What Happened Next?
In a video with over 3.3 million views, Travis Tuthill of TUT Outdoors speaks on a podcast (@fishhuntforever). In his story, he recounts a recent experience eating a deer that he killed.
“I was eating the tenderloins, and then the next day, I got a call from the [Department of Natural Resources],” Tuthill explains. “They had said, ‘Yeah, unfortunately, your deer has tested positive for [chronic wasting disease], and we highly recommend that you dispose of all of the meat.’”
While Tuthill says many would have considered keeping the meat, stating that there’s “no science” that shows the disease can be transmitted to humans via meat consumption, he says that he decided to dispose of it.
“I have a wife, and I’ve got three kids, and… there’s not that much research into the long-term effects of it,” he explains of CWD. “Something might not affect you right away. But nobody really knows the long term of it, because it sits in those deer for a long time, too. It doesn’t affect them.”
In a follow-up video, Tuthill says he informed the landowner of the issue.
What Is Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)?
CWD is a form of prion disease that has been found in deer and elk across North America. For context, the Cleveland Clinic says that prion diseases are a group of very rare neurodegenerative diseases. These diseases are terminal.
According to the CDC, the disease has been reported in deer across over half of American states. That said, there’s a chance it’s even more widespread than this.
The disease slowly destroys the brain of the animal. As there is no known vaccine or cure, experts advise that hunters be careful with animals infected with CWD. This includes not shooting, handling, or eating animals that look sick or act strangely.
Can You Eat Meat From Deer With CWD?
The short answer is that, while there’s no confirmed case of someone getting CWD from eating contaminated meat, experts say you still shouldn’t do it.
Some studies have suggested that non-human primates can get the diseases from eating infected tissues. Additionally, as CWD appears related to other diseases that are confirmed to affect humans, experts advise caution about handling or eating any meat confirmed to be infected with the disease.
Experts also state that a hunter should get their meat tested before consuming. Even if the meat comes back with a negative result, hunters are advised to avoid eating the brain, eyes, spinal cord, spleen, tonsils, or lymph nodes of the animal.
@fishhuntforever What would you do??? Would you still eat all of your venison even if the DNR tells you your deer had Chronic Wasting Disease? Or are you playing it safe and throwing it away?? Travis Tuthill joined the show and told us about his experience with a CWD-Positive deer. Find it on Episode 691 of The Fish Hunt Forever Podcast #whitetaildeer #chronicwastingdisease #deer #venison #wildgame
Commenters Agree It Shouldn’t Be Eaten
In the comments section, users came to a consensus that the meat should be discarded—and unified in the idea that people were not considering the potentially serious consequences of eating infected meat.
“People arent scared enough of prion disease,” wrote a user.
“I’m a nurse. nothing scares me more than prion disease. Nothing,” echoed another.
“I’m a microbiologist and prions terrify me. Long term effect of prion disease is death,” shared a third. “There’s no treatment. As of now CWD has not been seen in humans.”
BroBible reached out Tuthill and @fishhuntforever via email.