The recent and shocking USDA study that found that 33% of tested wild whitetails were exposed to the COVID-19 virus brings up 2 huge questions as we prepare to hit the woods and shoot deer this season. One, could you get the virus from a deer you kill and handle? The USDA’s Animal and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) says there is no evidence that any animal, including deer, plays a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to people. Based on the available information, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low. But they do say further research is needed. Is a deer you kill this fall safe to eat? APHIS says there is no evidence that people [...]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently completed a study that analyzed serum samples from free-ranging whitetail deer for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Results indicate that certain deer populations in Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania were exposed to the virus that causes COVID 19. APHIS collected 481 samples between January 2020 and March 2021 from Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania. Scientists detected SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 33 percent of those samples. The results varied by state: Illinois = 7 percent of 101 samples contained antibodies; Michigan = 67 percent of 113 samples; New York = 19 percent of 68 samples; and Pennsylvania = 31 percent of 199 samples. It should be pointed out that there [...]