Health officials and the Division of Wildlife advise hunters not to consume meat from animals known to be infected with the disease. In addition, they suggest hunters take simple precautions (as listed BELOW) when field dressing deer or elk taken in areas where the disease is found.

Public health officials advise hunters to take the following precautions when pursuing or handling deer and elk in infected units:

• Do not shoot, handle or consume any animal that appears sick; contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Rap Line (1-800-292-7800) if you see or harvest an animal that appears sick.

• Wear rubber gloves when field dressing carcasses.

• Bone out the meat from your animal.

• Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues.

• Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field dressing is completed.

• Avoid consuming brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes of harvested animals. (Normal field dressing coupled with boning out a carcass will remove most, if not all, of these body parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will remove remaining lymph nodes.)

• Avoid consuming the meat from any animal that tests positive for the disease.

• Request that your animal is processed individually, without meat from other animals being added to meat from your animal.

Information provided by Colorado Division of Wildlife, Department of Public Health and Environment, and Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture.