Deer Mange?
Whitetail Deer
Have you ever seen a deer with mange?
Have you killed a deer with mange?
I killed a buck last night that had patches of hair missing all over his body and very bumpy skin in a lot of areas. I quartered him right away and threw out the hide except for his head. The meat looked good are there any problems associated with it eating it?
My dog was running around while I was doing this could he catch it? Could I catch it?
Thanks for any help guys!
If it is the mange the answer to your question about you and your dog is yes....i have never heard of deer having it but would think they could get it no problem..sounds like it could be the mange from the way you describe it...not sure on themeat..call your state biologist
I just googled it..there is alot of info on it out there...google deer mange
This pic does not show it the best but his hair is thin and patchy around his neck shoulders have bare spots.
From what I`ve read it`s probably some type lice...but it could also be mange...this also happens alot with tick infestation but usually that affects the brisket area the most
Sorry about the dark pic, but you can see some more bare spots.
We have a crap load of ticks here in NC but I didn’t look like he had many. It was a heavy spring and very light fall on the ticks, but the chiggers were awful this year.
I have some picks of a nasty lookin' doe I shot several years ago....I will scan and post them when I get home.
Have you had any EHD aka Blue tongue in the area last few years? Typically deer with or recovering from EHD have large areas (palm sized or bigger) of bare skin.. But thats just a guess -if it was earlier in teh fall i woudl chalk it up to changing of the coat but if he has shiny blue skin without hair in patches that's another thing. Deer can get mange clinical signs of which might be hair loss with thickended skin in teh affected areas. Small pustular lesions would be packed with mites. crush a lesion and look under a mag glass or microscope and you would see mites. If mange the meat is fine...
paddl-in,
“EHD aka Blue tongue?” Not that I know of.
The areas that didn’t have hair were white and bumpy, nothing blue. Some larger spots looked like they were rubbed and were a healed scab but nothing open, bloody our oozing.
I was exposed to the deer for hair/ hide or 2 or 3 hours while dragging him out, and quartered my two deer. I took a shower right after. I hope I don’t get scabies!!!!
All this talk is making me itch for no reason.
OK this is a little gross but this is deer is starting to scare me. I would really appreciate some feedback on this.
I was skinning the head on the deer for western mount and I found a 3 weird growths. I don’t believe I have ever seen this before. Are these inflamed glands? Tumors? I found another one last night when I was quartering him at the base of his neck about half the size of a gulf ball.
This pic isn’t the best but this is a better look one of the bare spots. They had little white bumps on the bare / thin spots.
I would take to F&G if nearby to show to a biologist to ID. Keep meat cool like normal.
No reason to risk anything. Never seen anything like that. Have seen small sacks like that bu not missing hair...
keep it coming guys! I'll try to call f&g tomorrow.
I’ve been playing phone tag with the local biologist, so nothing yet.
I cook my venison to medium at the max so I don’t want to take any chances, the garbage truck comes tomorrow I’m seriously considering throwing away the quarters but I hate to do it. But on the bright side I already have 5 in the freezer from this year.
any more help guys?
when in doubt throw it out! seriously it isn't worth the worry. it's like saving 60 bucks on a safety harness but having to spend 5,000 on a shiny new wheel chair! The risk far outweighs the reward.
I think you need to see a deermatologist, immediately.
Joey,
not funny!
Woody,
I will, I killed it north of Durham a good hour or more from you.
Woody Deer season is about done, count me in! NC winters feel like spring and fall to me.
Well the NC Durham county biologist called and he said is sounded like mange or some type of lice and it was good I took a show right after I got done skinning my deer. He also said I could have eaten the meat but I already tossed last night. He also said it could have become a problem if the deer had scratched so much that sores became open and infected getting into the meat.
I hope you were and are wearing rubber gloves. Take to F&G with the photo's and see about getting another tag. Personally I wouldn't eat it. No way now how! Joey your funny!!
That could possibly be chronic wasting disease. I would get the head tested and throw the rest away.
Another guess is that this deer has a fungal skin infection. That wouldn't hurt the meat, but I still wouldn't recommend you keep it.
The potential bad news: If it's a fungal condition in the skin, you likely exposed YOUR skin to the fungus when you dressed the deer. Deer blood (liquid) would carry the fungus down into your skin pores and put you at risk for the same infection. It's too late to prevent it now. Watch your hands and arms for any signs of bumps, lesions, blisters, pimples, or redness. If you notice anything...go see a dermatologist. PM me if you want to know more...
Also, if your neck starts swelling and you have an urge to rub your forehead...it's way too late.
Thanks,
Kevin Dill
You guys are killing me! I got so paranoid I was showing too much and I had dry skin and that’s what’s making me itch!
I finally calmed down with the showering and the itching and I’m looking OK no more dry skin and paranoid itching.
Bernie...what's that on the back of your arm???
