Safety of Consuming Deer that Browsed Herbicide Treated Forage
Filed under: Ask Grant, Herbicide
Grant, I really look forward to GrowingDeer.tv each week. Without exception the topics you cover are issues I am either currently dealing with or have unsuccessfully dealt with in the past. Your most recent episode (GDTV 38) mentions using Pursuit or Raptor to manage weeds in clover which brings up an issue I have always been concerned with. Both of these products have “NO Graze” restrictions as do many other herbicides that I often use on my food plots. Should I be concerned eating the venison from harvested deer that have used fields with no graze herbicide applied? Also, would the same be true for herbicides that have restrictions regarding lactating animals. Kevin
Kevin,
Your question is very valid and I don’t know of any research on the subject. I will share that almost every deer harvested near a commercial ag field has most likely consumed forage and/or grain that was treated with one or multiple herbicides. Even though free-ranging deer may have consumed forage that has been treated with herbicide, I suspect it is still healthier than some of the meat from domestic stock that has been given many chemicals to promote growth and maintain their health. Tracy, our two girls, and I consume about 10 deer annually. If you find research results related to your question, please share the findings with me.
Growing (and consuming) Deer together,
Grant
