IOSCO COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - The state health department issued a "Do Not Eat" advisory to hunters for an area of Northern Michigan.
Hunters should not eat deer killed within three miles of Clark’s Marsh in Oscoda Township because they are more likely to have per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), in their livers and muscle tissue.
These Michigan counties had the most deer crashes last year
Crashes with deer in Michigan in 2022 increased nearly 13% from the year before.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says PFAS is associated with negative health impacts, including liver damage, high cholesterol, and reduced fertility.
In addition to the advisory for deer, several longstanding advisories remain in effect for fish from Clark's Marsh:
- A Do Not Eat fish advisory that has remained in effect since 2012.
- A Do Not Eat deer advisory issued in 2018, updated in 2019 and again in 2021. The 2021 update shrank the five-mile advisory area to a three-mile advisory area.
- A Do Not Eat resident aquatic and semi-aquatic wildlife advisory that has been in effect since 2019.