Is Cull Venison Safe To Eat

[Terry Lee Grams]

The following information illustrates that chemical ground water contamination can and does result in venison that is unsafe to eat.

Since no surface water, soil or vegetation in northwest Ludington have been tested and that this area has significant ground water contamination of trichloroethylene (TCE), hexavalent chromium, and cyanide I urge that all venison resulting from the deer cull in Ludington be tested for contamination until such time as the other surface test can be completed.

“The Michigan departments of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Natural Resources (DNR) Thursday issued a ‘Do Not Eat’ advisory for deer taken within approximately five miles of Clark’s Marsh in Oscoda Township.”

The advisory is due to high levels of PFOS (perfluoro octane sulfonic acid) found in a single deer taken about two miles from Clark’s Marsh, which borders the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base.
Scientists first discovered toxic PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force base in Oscoda, Michigan, over two decades ago. From the 1970s until at least the base’s closure in 1993, the Air Force sprayed PFAS-laden AFFF at Wurtsmith during training exercises to extinguish fires, and regularly disposed of spent AFFF in grassy areas of the base. It should come as no surprise that these activities caused massive groundwater contamination — contamination that is running largely unchecked through the Oscoda area due to the Air Force’s failure to control and clean up the PFAS plumes from the base.

[XLFD]

Thanks for that information, Terry, I added a picture and a link to the state's advice to not eat the deer in that neighborhood.  That information was freshly dispensed to the Oscoda area media before last year's hunting season as it has in previous years.  

[XLFD]

A special shout out to Terry Grams whose efforts to make sure that the venison would be safe to eat has delayed the city's deer cull while they perform environmental tests in the north part of town (effectively areas where they have been monitoring contamination for decades in the groundwater) at the recommendation of the USDA.  City Manager Foster reported that the time frame for the deer cull has been pushed back by about a month, and will likely happen in late February and/or early March.  Terry has put in a lot of time contacting multiple agencies in order to achieve these results, his dedication towards protecting both our wildlife and our citizens is quite admirable, his sacrifices in time and money to get the word out should not go unnoticed.

The Ludington Torch will continue its efforts to see that this half-hatched butchery will not happen at all and that all the elected people who pushed for this expensive and poorly executed (no pun intended) cull are politically punished, unless and until they formally vote to fully rescind the 2022 contract with the USDA.  

[Willy]

Thanks Terry and X. Sounds like the City has opened a can of worms by trying to initiate this deer cull in Ludington. Who knows what will be discovered in a test of contaminants in the soil and water. I have an idea this entire situation is going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money when the dust has settled.