OSCODA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – For the sixth year in a row, state hunting regulators are reminding hunters to avoid eating deer killed within three miles of Clark’s Marsh in Iosco County’s Oscoda Township.
Both the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said the deer in that area are more likely to contain PFAS in their liver and muscle tissue, making them dangerous for human consumption.
The deer “Do Not Eat” advisory has remained in effect since 2018, although the radius of concern shrunk from five miles to three miles in 2021.
Additionally, officials are continuing to warn hunters not to eat the fish or other aquatic wildlife in Clark’s Marsh as well. The “Do Not Eat” fish advisory has been in effect since 2012. As of June, Michigan is under 782 fish advisories over multiple bodies of water.
PFAS are a category of human-made chemicals which last a long time in the environment. According to a growing body of research, the effects of PFAS in humans include developmental delays, increased cancer risk, and reproductive damage.
The Oscoda waters became contaminated with PFAS from fire training activities taking place on Wurtsmith Air Force Base, which closed in 1993. Officials did not detect the PFAS until 2010, but cleanup efforts are working to improve the drinking and environmental water.