Hey all. Not a typical post, but wondered everyone's opinion on this. I sent this to my big game biologist and a processor as well. I was processing a doe tonight that I took in SE KS and noticed several unsual things that kind of looked like tumors. I am attaching some pics. The first two pics are one that I cut through when field dressing. They are located on the back haunches. The third is another that was up on the front of the deer in the fatty tissue between a front leg and the neck. Any idea what these are, and more importantly, is this deer safe? I noticed a few other black type spots in other areas of the deer, and a few in the lymphy material around the tenderloin. The deer seemed quite healthy. She has plenty of fat on her, and was quite alert when I shot her. I did not see any signs of anything unsual. I sure appreciate the info. I’d hate to feed something unsafe to people.
Send those pictures to http://blogs.roanoke.com/wildlife/ MarkTaylor@Roanoke times.com he has the DGIF ear he could get you an answer withing a day or two. and he will post the photos on the Roanoke Times Newspaper.
I see those all the time.(probably in over a dozen deer at least) Have never caused me an issue eating the meat.
I see em all the time too. First cpl times I was skeptical, but the old guys around here that been doing this for years said it was fine. I went ahead and it didn't cause any problems, so now I don't worry about them. Just cut it out with the rest of the fatty stuff and don't sweat it.
One of the things I enjoy about hunting is learning something new every year. Based on all the feedback I got, this is indeed a lymph node. For years, I have been thinking something else were lymph nodes that might in fact be called hemal nodes. I also always thought lymph nodes were much more internally and near bone or between muscle layers. But, nearly all the experts, including 3 different state bios, all say lymph nodes same as the post from Christine. So, thats what I am going with. Thanks for the input.
There are a host of reasons that Lymph Nodes become inflamed/enlarged, in simplistic terms it shows that the deer body is having an appropriate immune response to any number of different things. All is well, eat your deer.
