Crucial Reminder Before Eating Wild Game Meat During Minnesota’s Hunting Seasons

Fall in Minnesota means many hunting seasons are either underway or are soon to get underway.

Whether it's smaller game like rabbits, upland birds like grouse or pheasants, or waterfowl like ducks and geese or larger animals like bears or deer, fall is an active time of year for hunters across Minnesota.

With hunters out harvesting wild animals and many looking forward to creating delicious meals from their wild game, here's a crucial reminder for hunters not only in Minnesota, but beyond as well.

An important reminder to hunters and wild game meat lovers

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioned the public about the importance of food safety concerns after six people got sick from a parasite linked to undercooked bear meat that was served at a family reunion in South Dakota.

In that particular case, two of the six people who got sick hadn't even eaten the meat, but only consumed vegetables that were grilled with the meat. This reinforces the value of following normal food safety protocols you would follow with things like beef, pork, or poultry.

I've seen memes shared online in hunting and fishing groups that proudly declare things like "wild game meat doesn't get recalled", encouraging people to eat wild game over store-bought meat.

While it's true wild game doesn't get recalled, that's not because there aren't any risks. It's because there is minimal inspection between the time the animal is alive and when it is on your plate. That means it is crucial hunters take extra care of how they dress, store, and prepare their wild game before eating it because there isn't a warning system to alert you if you have bad meat.

Cutting down your risks

While the risks of potential illness can vary from animal to animal, some general rules of thumb are important.

Temperature is a major consideration. Regardless of what animal you're hunting, you don't want a bird, duck, deer, etc. to go a lengthy period of time between shooting and field dressing and getting the meat cold - especially during warm temperatures.

In addition, following proper field dressing procedures to avoid contaminating the meat during the process is crucial.

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Deer and other large game present some additional challenges, partially due to their size. The Minnesota DNR has some tips about proper field dressing, transportation, and processing here.

Speaking of deer, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is another thing hunters need to be aware of. In the same field dressing document from the Minnesota DNR, they provide important tips to avoid exposure to the disease.

Tips include things like avoiding shooting, handling, or consuming any animal that is acting abnormally or appears to be sick. In addition, waring gloves and following specific field dressing procedures can minimize your risk. You can see those specific tips here.

Once you have your game dressed, proper storage is crucial. Proper refrigeration or freezing of the meat is important to keep it from going bad. Even then, freezing the meat will not necessarily kill everything. That bear story I mentioned included the meat being frozen for more than a month.

Finally, cooking your meat thoroughly is vital to avoid being sick. Here's a guide from the USDA that lays out guidelines for how long you can store meat and cooking tips to avoid foodborne illness.