Eat Safe Wild Game

Hunting in Michigan can be a lifelong hobby and a great source of food for you and your family. Eating meat from wild game can provide you with a lean source of protein. However, wild game meat and organs can contain chemicals like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), lead, mercury, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These chemicals can cause health effects if you eat too much too often. That’s why it’s important that you make the best choices for you and your family’s health when you choose how and where you hunt.

Statewide Guidance

Do not eat wild game organs

Wild game organs can have much higher amounts of chemicals and metals than meat. For this reason, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recommends that people not eat the organs from any deer, fish or other wild game statewide. Learn more about the risk of eating wild game organs with our Do Not Eat Wild Game Organs fact sheet.

Lead in Wild Game

If you harvest deer with high-velocity lead bullets, it is probable that there will be lead bullet fragments in your venison. These pieces of lead are too small to be seen or felt while chewing. During processing, lead bullet fragments can be mixed further into the venison, which causes ground venison to usually have more lead fragments than steaks and chops. Learn more about lead in venison, including ammunition alternatives that will not leave lead fragments in the meat, with our Lead in Venison factsheet.

Statewide Deer Sampling

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) collected white-tailed deer from areas of the state for PFAS testing in 2018 as part of the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team's (MPART) work on the emerging contaminant. There were 20 white-tailed deer tested from Alpena, Rockford and Grayling, which have known PFAS contamination in lakes and rivers. The deer muscle tested from these areas were found to have no PFAS or very low levels of the chemicals.

Area-Specific Guidance

Clark’s Marsh, Iosco County:

Due to a high amount of PFAS, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), found in the muscle of white-tailed deer at Clark’s Marsh in the Oscoda Township area, a Do Not Eat advisory is in effect for any deer taken within three miles of Clark’s Marsh. Additionally, a Do Not Eat resident aquatic and semi-aquatic wildlife advisory is in effect for Clark’s Marsh. For more information on these advisories, visit the MPART PFAS in Deer and PFAS in Wildlife webpages.

Bay, Midland and Saginaw County:

MDHHS has issued guidelines for eating wild game taken from the floodplain areas around the Saginaw River and Tittabawassee River. This is due to dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in and around the Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers, south of the Midland area. These guidelines can be found in the Eat Safe Wild Game from Bay, Midland and Saginaw Counties factsheet.

St. Clair River delta:

A small number of muskrats from the St. Clair River delta were tested for chemicals and they were found to have elevated levels of PCBs. The sample size was too small for MDHHS to issue official guidelines for eating muskrat. However, based on the highest PCB amounts measured in the meat of the muskrats, MDHHS has determined that people can safely eat 24 servings each year of muskrat from this area. More information can be found in the Eat Safe Wild Game from the St. Clair River Area factsheet

Huron River Deer Sampling:

White-tailed deer in Oakland County’s Proud Lake Area were tested in April of 2019 due to elevated levels of PFOS found in fish collected from Kent Lake, which is connected to the Huron River. There were 20 white-tailed deer from this area tested for various PFAS in their muscles, livers, kidneys and hearts. No PFAS were found in any muscle or heart samples. Based on the data, MDHHS concluded that guidelines are not needed for eating white-tailed deer from this area. More information can be found in the Huron Deer Sampling Report.