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o2fish2day
10-05-2008, 09:15 PM
Hey all,

Well I got a nice two point recently, my second year hunting deer. After handling the animal I could barely breath, nose stuffed up but running like a leaky faucet and eyes felt like I had rubbed sand in them. I do have mild alergies but hasn't been a problem since living in BC. I figured it was from dragging the animal through a field that had a lot of blooms in it.

This weekend my buddy got a spiker, we dragged it up the hill and he gutted it. I minimized the handling and we stuck it in the back of the Jeep. Again, same problem. In fact so bad I was out of commission today all day.

Now I have a trip planned for end of October but am quite worried about this. Has anyone else had this problem and what measures do you take to prevent transfer to yourself. (ie: transfer of deer hair)

Seems even the smell of the buck started an alergic reaction.

Help Please! This could be the end of my hunting days.

Browningmirage
10-05-2008, 09:53 PM
thats pretty bad, i had the worst reaction when i first came to PG, shot a deer and when i started working on it, my arms got all itchy, my nose started running, could barely see, whole 9 yards. It hasnt been as bad since i first got here, you can try latex gloves or something like that, maybe a set of clothes for handling deer that you can take off as soon as you are done, and throw in the laundry, dont touch your face or eyes, and do as much as you can with it outside...

maybe some anti-allergy medicine before you start handling it, theres medicine for everything these days.

One Shot
10-05-2008, 09:59 PM
Not uncommon. Happens to more people than you think. Allergies to wildlife is no different than having allergies to different pets be it cats, dogs, long hair or short hair. It is that people just do not usually have contact with wildlife unless it is dead so they may not know that they have a allergy to wildlife. Wear gloves and do not rub your face. Take antihistamines as recommended by your MD pharmacist.

huntwriter
10-05-2008, 10:08 PM
Friend of mine suffers from that allergy too. He wears a mask when tending to a downed game animal and that seems to work well for him.

bsa30-06
10-05-2008, 10:11 PM
Friend of mine suffers from that allergy too. He wears a mask when tending to a downed game animal and that seems to work well for him.

This is what i was going to suggest.

Steeleco
10-05-2008, 10:15 PM
Go to Acklands of other such outfit. Get yourself some long surgical gloves and the gray, charcoal impregnated particulate masks.

I've not of heard of it before your post, but it would suck to quit hunting because of it. Like all allergies, it's a matter of management, you'll just need to see what works for you. Good luck.

newhunterette
10-05-2008, 10:19 PM
you can also purchase disposable painters cover ups to slip on so you don't get the dander from the fur on your clothing

keep benadryl on hand as well

elkdom
10-05-2008, 11:27 PM
you can also purchase disposable painters cover ups to slip on so you don't get the dander from the fur on your clothing

keep benadryl on hand as well

OR you could just call "ghost busters" lol , but on the serious side I know a couple people same probs with deer handling allergies,rubber gloves,face mask, the painters coveralls and the antihistamines, makes for extra gear but they are hunting deer every season! and we DO tease them about the "ghost busters" costume!, kinda scares heck out of the newbies tho !! lol

patbrennan
10-06-2008, 06:22 AM
My wife has a similar, though not as sever, reaction to deer hair. Chlortripolin (sp?) works for her.

eaglesnester
10-06-2008, 07:10 AM
You must stay away from deer, completely away. Your next contact may prove fatal with a major anaphylactic shock reaction. This means that you die or could die. Allergies sometimes get worse with each repeated exposure as your body becomes more and more sensitive to the allergen. Antihistamines taken 1 hour before the hunt may help or may not depending on your sensitivity, they will make you sleepy and reduce your awareness of what is going on around you. (Do not operate machinery or drive is the warning that appears on all over the counter antihistamines) You should make an appointment with a qualified physician to find out how sensitive you are. There are tests that can be used to find out how sensitive you are to deer hair and dander. Probably will not be covered under the B.C. health plan and could be expensive. I hope things work out for you as this is a major bummer for a hunter. But look at it on the bright side. Find a couple of hunting partners who do not mind skinning, fielddressing, and packing out your critter.
You got the perfect excuse to pass up on some very hard work.
Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester
I am not a physician I was however a Navy line Hospital Corpsman with the FMF (USMC) and qualified at remote stations without the direct supervision of a doctor.

308BAR
10-06-2008, 08:19 AM
Just becarefule when you take benadryl it will cause drowsiness, I wouldn't drive if I took it the other option is to try a not drowsy allergy medicine like reactine.

one-shot-wonder
10-06-2008, 12:56 PM
I have the same allergy. Ever since I shot my first buck 10 years ago, I have suffered from major allergic reactions to deer dander. My hands become extremely itchy,sneezing fits, nose runs uncontrolably and my eyes swell and become itchy & blood shot.:x

But it doesn't stop me from my favourite pasttime of hunting. I have to where rubber gloves and preferably take a benadryl or something, but I usually just put up with it for a few hours until the drugs kick in and I have a few pops afterwards and get away from the animal.

My clothing goes into the laundry ASAP, and the animal is skinned ASAP, then I am in the clear.

Sucks to be us.........Oh well many other species to chase out there.

bruin
10-06-2008, 04:13 PM
I have the same problem, I notice it on deer, moose, elk, and sheep. Not nearly as serious as yours but I do similar to OSW, just suffer through it. Try the mask, I bet that makes a huge difference.

Jagermeister
10-06-2008, 05:45 PM
I think you better stick to fishing. Want to sell your guns?:biggrin:

o2fish2day
10-07-2008, 10:48 PM
Thanks all.

I am going to try a few things, full resperotor, painter's outfit with goggles etc. with the full length rubber gloves.

Seems extreme but if that doesn't work I am hooped! (and yes I will likely have to sell my guns <snifle>)

rutting bull
10-08-2008, 08:15 AM
Reactine works wonders for my brother. He gets the same symptons as you, not as servere, but swears by it!

Ddog
10-08-2008, 08:29 AM
i have the worst allergies to all ungulates, i have the same reactions as you but then i get hives and it gets so bad that even the smell of a rutting buck will give me a reaction even if a rutty buck has been in an area and you get a little whiff every once in a while i get all stuffed up, my hunting partners think its hilarious, the next day it feels like a truck ran me over.
i take REACTINE or CLARITON. always have it with me. This year i have the dissolvable Clariton because it starts to work immediately, had to use once this year and only got a small itch in my hands.
you do not have to give up hunting.

srupp
10-08-2008, 10:11 AM
LISTEN TO EAGLENESTER..I AM a Paramedic and he speaks good life saving advice..my wife also suffers from deer hair allergies..moose hair seems fine... however each encounter will cause the next one to be more severe..you should also get a ANNA kit for the worst case situation...
Get others to do the handling of the hide..bud keep benadryl(THANKS ALI) AND anna kit on hand..

You dont know which exposure will be THE one to send you into true ANAPHALAXYS...respitory distress..and potentially fatal blood pressure drop...not anything to treat lightly after all you probably will be far from medical help and hospitals...and TIME my friend is your worst enemy in this type of MEDICAL EMERGENCY...PLEASE PLEASE take this seriously.

cheers

Steven

huntergirl270
10-08-2008, 01:24 PM
There are allergy pills you can purchase at superstore and many other pharmacies. It is inexpensive and works better than some name brand/prescription remedies.... Made by novo... I'm not sure of the spelling but something like Novopheneram (wish I could remember the spelling) They do not cause drowsiness!!!! You may have to check several locations or call around I know our pharmacist is out quite often as it is popular and very inexpensive.
Maybe these, along with the gloves etc. as a precaution will allow you to continue to hunt :)
Good luck
Sherry

Offroad
10-08-2008, 03:27 PM
This is easy to deal with just make your buddies gut and skin your deer for you, while you observe from a safe distance in the correct position. This is sitting reclined against a nice stump with your feet up, doing 1 arm pop curls to get ready to help secure it to a quad. Really listen to the guys about apropreate measures to take. The allergy testing isn't that costly and for alot of allergies they can de-sensitize you to it. That is series of shots that basically remove the allergy. A friend of mine had to get this because of severe allergy to horse dander. Talk to your doc and go talk to a naturopathic doctor as well.