Archery season begins Oct. 1 for deer hunters across the state, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters of a “Do Not Eat” deer advisory in Oscoda.
The advisory was issued last year due to high levels of PFAS found in a deer near the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. PFAS are toxic chemicals linked to reproductive health issues and cancer, among other things.
Chad Stewart is deer specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. He says the advisory extends to a five-mile radius from Clark’s Marsh where the deer was harvested.
“There’s concern that people consuming deer out of that general area might be potentially consuming deer that have high levels of PFAS which can, sort of, travel through the food chain,” he says.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also recommends no one eat organs — such as livers and kidneys — from any fish or deer in the state because many chemicals, including PFAS, can accumulate in them.
