Muley parasite or…

[Lopelobber]

I harvested this buck in North Central Colorado during third. Healthy animal, tons of fat, but when skinning I noticed these clear stringy “worms”. I asked some CPW employees while dropping of heads for CWD, but they had no idea and there wasn’t a biologist in the office at the time.

These were on leg tissue below the shank, not in the meat that I could see. They look like Vietnamese vermicelli noodles, any ideas?

 

[manitou1]

I have never seen them in deer but have harvested several turkey that were so infested with them that I threw them away.

 

[2rocky]

worms under deer hide around leg joints

Over the past few years of skinning deer, I have noticed transparent skinny long worms in the tarsal gland leg area of both male and female deer and both mule deer and whitetail as well..just curious what they are? And the area is 10a where I harvested the deer

idfg.idaho.gov

Answer:
The parasites are fairly common, and they are a particular species of nematode that lives in joint areas of deer. The parasite is likely either in the genus Onchocerca (several species) or the genus Wehrdikmansia (species cervipedis). These parasite are transmitted by various biting insects inlcuding horse flies and gnats. The presence of the parasites pose no health issues for humans.
Answered on:
Monday, December 1, 2014 - 10:00 AM MST

 

[manitou1]

Ha! Beat me to it 2rocky!

 

[2rocky]

Wait till he discovers Cattle Grubs!

 

[Lopelobber]

Thank you! Case closed.