Test Bear Meat for Trichinosis at Ministry of Agriculture

[Surrey Boy]

You said it!

It's all hype with the wild game testing and I heard rumors that the Gov. is working on mandatory wild game testing policies. The Gov. just about ruined the beef and poultry industry in this province by over regulating and licensing it. Now so it seems they want to move on to wild game and hunters. It’s called Nanny Sate at work!

+1!

How did man survive until modern times?

[walker1985]

I tried the link for testing trich but it's not working. Does anybody know if there are any places around Langley that I can do some testing at?

[Fella]

Honestly, just assume it has trich and cook it to 165 and you should be good.

[Ron.C]

Honestly, just assume it has trich and cook it to 165 and you should be good.

This^^^^^^^

[GuloGal]

If i get a small cut from my own knife while gutting (1cm) drew a little blood.
Am i doomed? Should my wife trade me in?
I am 3 weeks away from having the opportunity to seek a Doctor's advice... but that bear is delicious.

You can get "bear finger" (similar to seal finger) from bacteria entering an open wound while gutting. It can be pretty nasty, people have lost fingers. I know a wildlife vet who got seal finger during her PhD years ago dissecting seal carcasses with no gloves, and she still has problems with that finger. I just baby the shit out of my contaminated cuts right away and nothing has gotten bad so far. Something to bear in mind though, don't ignore a little cut if it gets angry a few days later.

[Breiber]

I think the whole trichinosis gets a little blown out of proportion with respect to bear meat. I think this has all been covered several times but cooking to 165F internal temp will instantly kill trich. However, it will actually start dying off long before you get to that temp. The freezing process will kill some but not all, the increased acidity of cured meats will kill some but not all, trich will start dying at 137F and during the extended time that it takes to raise your cured meats from 137 to 165 all the trich will likely be dead before you reach 165. Again though, hit 165 and your good to go. Myself, anything that doesn't get cured ends up as ground meat or sausages and in both cases cooking to 165 is easy. Hams get cured with preservatives and smoked so also hitting 165 the final insurance but likely unnecessary. I have zero concern about the bear meat that we consume as a family. The only situation that I would be nervous about is cutting fresh back straps off in the field and cooking them up on a small camp stove.....This is what Rinella did. That being said I would still do it but I'd be cautious and extra careful.