I'M GETTING WILD DEER MEAT FOR MY TODDLER

[raw]

 
i know someone (hunter) who can provide me wild vension all year round. what do you think to feed wild meat to my son who's 2 and half yrs old? is it safe for him? can he eat the organs too? this is the first time i'll get a wild deer. i need your opinion. thanks.

[Roselene]

    Does he provide it from various hunting grounds?  I don't think it is legal to hunt deer in the same area all year round.  Does your toddler like wild meat?

[djr_81]

    Does he provide it from various hunting grounds?  I don't think it is legal to hunt deer in the same area all year round.  Does your toddler like wild meat?

It's not legal year round but we're at the tail end of Deer Season in the Northeast so it'll definitely be in season.

Raw; It should be fine. I had concerns about Lyme's disease at first myself but the hunter I got my meat from (my wife's uncle) has been eating raw deer meat for decades. Apparently he and his dogs love to snack on it as he dresses the animal. He exhibits no problems as a result so I have no concerns.
I do have to note though that deer, at least this year, tastes quite mild. Some might prefer it but I have grown to like the stronger & gamier flavor of my grassfed beef chuck as well as various organ meats so the deer leaves me flat.
I have yet to get any organs as he starts dressing the animal in the woods when he gets it dumping the organs, especially stomach and intestines, onto the ground before dragging out the carcass. He's taking ziploc bags a couple times to get me the hearts, livers, and adrenals but it's seemed to kill his luck at shooting a deer so I told him to not worry about it for now. I'll probably get to try these when I start hunting (hoping to begin bow training this year) and take down my own animal.

[raw]

My hunter lives in woody land where he hunts the deer all year round from his house (if you hunt from your home it's fine ---the NJ law). i hear about lyme disease too. is there any pesific season out there for this disease? the hunter i know, he doesn't even use the gun to hunt. he uses special technique (arrows) to hunt. he also tergets the good one (healthy deer) (at least that what he says). 

[djr_81]

Lyme's disease is carried to deer through deer ticks. They'll go dormant, as far as I know, when it gets really cold out but once an animal is infected they're not going to get rid of the disease. Also, deer don't exhibit many symptoms so it's hard to tell if an animal is infected. Like I said earlier though I wouldn't be overly concerned about it.

[goodsamaritan]

i know someone (hunter) who can provide me wild vension all year round. what do you think to feed wild meat to my son who's 2 and half yrs old? is it safe for him? can he eat the organs too? this is the first time i'll get a wild deer. i need your opinion. thanks.

As a parent, you will probably test the venison on yourself for a few months first before you are convinced it is safe for your toddler.

[van]

  I live where lyme disease is everywhere.   you can be sure that deer are heavily exposed to it.  My guess is the weak or those unable to defend against it die off and the strongest go on to breed.   My dogs have been bitten thousands of times, with no apparent symptoms.  they have always been raw, so I suppose somewhat protected.  But back to deer meat.  I would think it would have to have the spirokeets in the blood as they are probably attached onto up to 50 maybe even 100 times a day.  I have pulled up to 60 ticks off each of my dogs in heavy tick season.  They protect my goats on a wild hillside.  I like the advice GS gave, but even then adults can have much more active immunities than children.  I would try to learn more, and not just anectdotal stories.  Lymes is a nasty thing to have to deal with, and if your child is already in a weakened state, not sure where he is at right now, he might not have the resistance. 

[William]

    Lymes is a nasty thing to have to deal with, and if your child is already in a weakened state, not sure where he is at right now, he might not have the resistance. 

On ZIOH, delfuego's wife was cured of Lyme disease by eating a strict pemmican diet.
This was after trying everything else.

[matthew ryan]

is there any concern that the deer have been eating out of feeders for extended periods? i don't know much about their dietary habits but i do know a lot of deer feed is made from corn/soy

[djr_81]

is there any concern that the deer have been eating out of feeders for extended periods? i don't know much about their dietary habits but i do know a lot of deer feed is made from corn/soy

I think that's more of a last resort for them.
I have very strong reactions (sore throat and runny nose) from any grainfed meats and local deer I've had did not elicit any noticeable reaction.

I wouldn't touch farm-raised though as it's invariably raised on diet similar to other commercial feed livestock.

[matthew ryan]

I think that's more of a last resort for them.
I have very strong reactions (sore throat and runny nose) from any grainfed meats and local deer I've had did not elicit any noticeable reaction.

I wouldn't touch farm-raised though as it's invariably raised on diet similar to other commercial feed livestock.

thats good to know. my uncle hunts a lot so i will see if i can get some deer meat from him or perhaps go hunting with him