I'll never forget the day I found out... I was 7 years old and my dad and I were on our way back to Gillette from Laramie, WY. Having made that trip (what seems like) hundreds of times, I was fully aware that we had to drive through Sybille Canyon. We would take bets on who could guess closest to the number of deer that we would see. In the canyon was also a wildlife refuge that had either sick or injured animals that were being brought back to health and used for studies. That particular day we stopped at a viewing area to look at two MASSIVE mule deer bucks. I walked up to the fence and one of the bucks walked up to me and stuck his nose through the fence and allowed me to pet him. My dad forced me back into our 1989 2wd single cab Mazda pickup and we headed towards home. Within minutes my eyes were swollen shut my throat, eyes, and hands were itching terribly. I started wheezing a bit but was still able to breathe. My dad (in fear) wrapped up the V4 in the Mazda as fast as it would go and we reached Wheatland, WY in record time. He took me into the bathroom (because I couldn't see) and I washed my hands, arms, and face. Within minutes the swelling went down and everything went back pretty close to normal leaving only regular allergy affects behind. Fast forward to the 21st century. To this day, I'm still allergic to deer... I've always wanted to ask the Lord why he made me allergic to the thing that I love the most but for the time being, it's something I have to deal with. In Wyoming I had something similar happen but on a much more mild scale. I've made a deal with all my hunting buddies and they clean all my deer and I clean all the fish, birds, coyotes... whatever that we kill. It works out pretty well. I now carry soap, a bottle of water, some Benadryl and shoulder length gloves in my pack... especially when I hunt by myself. It seems like the affects of every deer are different, some don't affect me at all and some are bad... I don't have any idea what the difference is. Does anyone else have this problem? Do any doctors out there know of anything that can be done to eliminate this allergy? I guess I'm curious as to whether I'm the only one or if this is common. The only other thing that I'm allergic to is super hairy cats...
Never heard of such a thing but a quick google search brought up an article that discusses 12 hunters that had allergies to deer and they showed the same kind of allergic reaction. I'm guessing it's fairly rare. Maybe you can enter yourself into a lab experiment and make some easy money!
Fortunately, the only thing I'm allergic to is poison ivy and even that is subsiding considerably as I get older. But, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they make allergy medication that targets specific animal dander?? But, now that I think about that a sec........I'm betting there's not a huge demand for deer allergy medication.....Cats, dogs....yeah.....hm, now you've got me curious. Time to bust out the google app......
The only thing I have found myself allergic to is Pennicillin. Had a reaction to it similar to what Dubbya describes when I was about 6 yrs old. Man, I don't wish that kind of reaction on anyone. Bad Shtuff.
Good lord I love that google app...... But, I'm having some trouble finding specific information. But, I'm gonna keep looking, cause I love ya. :D Have you tried taking just regular ole Claritan, beginning a month before season opens?
Yeah, the Claritan thing didn't work. I was gonna try six on the night that I felt was "the night" but didn't think I would be able to tell a shooter from a black angus. :D
Man that sucks! I have an aunt that is the same as you. My uncle has to change out of his hunting clothes in his out garage. She sufferes something aweful if she gets near deer, dog, or cat hair.
I am allergic to deer also! Not as bad as you have it though. I can gut deer and only get the itchy eyes as long as I wash my hands right away! We tried skinning/butchering our own deer one year and had to quit real soon. I was sneezing really bad, eyes really itchy/watery. Another time my buddy and I doubled up night before opening day of gun season so I helped him gut/drag his deer too. On our way to butcher my eyes started to swell. By time we got back to my house, I couldn't see anything. Had to miss opening day too.
I made a thread last year on HNI about being allergic to deer blood... If I gut a deer without gloves, wherever there is blood on my hands especially wrist/arm I get these itchy welps, much like a cat scratch... IDK I've thought maybe it's not the blood maybe it is the dander..??
Man, that stinks and is awesome all at the same time. As long as you have great buds, you are in the money.
Never heard of that. Just put on a Bio-Hazard suit when you drag it out and take it to the check station, I'm sure no one will look at you funny:D I mean come on, it is Oklahoma........................they've seen stranger things