Is it safe to drink deer blood?

Question

my grandpa is part native american and has been hunting since he was big enough to carry a gun. he says it is tradition to drink the blood of the first deer you kill. i dont want to insult him or our heritage but i have a hard time believing this is safe.

Answer 1

Believe me it's safe!*

Answer 2

It is an old tradition for many hunters in general. What my father did however, was simply put some blood on my face. (Thirty four years ago.)

Drinking or eating any uncooked portion of deer has many dangers. Deer can carry many diseases, Lyme disease being just one example. We had a huge die-off from a crossover of anthrax that our sheep had and passed to our deer herd. We could not harvest any deer for over five years. We rarely saw any, for that matter, and eventually imported some that had been captured for relocation from the city.

I know you don't want to offend your grandfather, but it is a dicey situation that could land you in the hospital. Maybe you can convince him to do what my dad did, but even that is unsanitary.  

Answer 3

Bacteria and parasites would be a concern.

You will most likely get sick from the idea of it before you got sick from doing it ....

In my culture..old germans drink blood right out of butchered livestock... still a common thing in Wisconson and other places in the Upper Midwest.

Does  Grandpa  eat the heart and liver raw too?

Answer 4

I guess it all depends on the health of the animal.  I eat Blood Sausage and have stopped because of the latest threats to safety issues

Answer 5

Safer than drinking blood from the meat in the supermarket.

It won't hurt you, go ahead and do it. It's something you will remember your whole life. Don't miss out on it because you are scared.  

Answer 6

i would do it, but then again not every1 has the best of immune systems. i eat 3 raw eggs every morning right before my work out and i've neve gotten sick, even when i kill an animal the next day i start burtchering it and some times i dont stop untill late at night( like i'll get up, workout, call out of work, start butchering and that usally happens at round 5;30 in the morning) kinda like last year i started butchering at 6in the moring and ended at 10 at night. yeah i'll stop for lunch and dinner but when i get a little hungery i'll cut myself off a piece  of meat and eat it. lol and i've never gotten sick

Answer 7

Watch a few episodes of Anthony Bourdain or Arron Zimmerman on their respective "strange foods" shows Tuesday nights on the Travel Channel, and you'll see people drinking blood before very long. While this is a strange concept in our culture, in other cultures it is a common practice and nothing to be afraid of.

It may not technically be the safest practice, but in most cases stomach acid will deal with any impurities. Blood ingested as food never mixes directly with the diner's blood.

Thus bloodborne parasites get digested.

After several seasons of doing their shows, and after drinking the blood of and eating the still-beating hearts of numerous species, Mr. Bourdain and Mr. Zimmerman are still alive and well.

Answer 8

Trichinosis found in wild animals is much harder to kill than what might be found in commercially raised stock.  If you decide to drink the blood, be ready for the chance that you will be infected and go through a long, expensive treatment.

Answer 9

I hope so, I had to do it when I shot my first deer.  

Answer 10

Drinking blood is a tradition for lots of hunters, and a sort of rite of passage. I agree with most of the other posters. If the deer appears to be healthy, and you are, too, there shouldn't be any ill effects.

Answer 11

I agree with you, there may be a chance of it being sick, it's a gamble. I would perhaps try talking to him and addressing your concerns. It probably wouldn't kill you, but it sucks being sick too. Maybe try pretending your drinking it to avoid any conflict.

Answer 12

Any raw animal product may carry bacteria or viruses.  So, the answer to your question - no, it is not safe.

Having said that...  It is also not recommended to drink raw eggs for fear of salmonella (sp?), but I know a few people that have been doing that for a while and are just fine.  Same story with undercooked burger meat, or rare steaks.  

My advice to you - if you feel that your immune system is in good order, the deer looks healthy, and you don't plan to drink the entire deer dry - go for it, take a sip.  Then, for the next few weeks just keep an eye out for symptoms of worms (just in case).  

Answer 13

There are lots more parasites and diseases in the deer herd now than there once was.  I don't think I'd do it.

However, rather than offend my grandfather, I'd do my best to give the impression that I had done so.  A bit of deer blood smeared on your face won't hurt.

Doc

Answer 14

Guess I'd err on the side of caution. I've drank blood but it was many years ago. I would see if there is any CWD in the herd in the area you will be taking the deer. If the deer is staggering, slobbering and aimlessly wandering, I would shoot it , report it the DNR but not drink the blood.

I understand tradition and many of my ancestoral European traditions have been used in my family. However, Chronic Wasting Disease in deer leads to Cruetzfeld-Jacobs disease in humans. May take several years to know you have it. It is a spongiform encephalitis which actually makes your brain sponge -like with holes in it. It would be a fairly slow death. Not very many cases of it that I am aware of but it has been around for some time.

The one possible alternative is to see if you can heat the blood first.May kill additional diseases.Possibly just a small sip but prior to doing anything of this, let grandpa know you respect the deer but also let him know of your fears. You are honoring and respecting the deer by taking its blood. I am sure this started so far back in history it is lost to us now. I wish you luck in your hunt.

Answer 15

Yes it's safe

There was an episode of Fear Factor where the contestants had to bob for something in a tub of blood

It was explained that if the blood was kept at body temperature it was safe

Answer 16

I am not sure what parasites or diseases a deer can carry that are transmittable to man but I would be hesitant to drink blood from any wild animal.  Consuming the blood of a domestic animal is a different thing because they are vaccinated against transmittable diseases.  In many ethnic groups, blood of domestic animals is used to make such things as blood sausage, blood pudding, red boudan, etc.  I have eaten some of these things and have never suffered any ill effects.  I would not do the same with the blood of any wild animal.  I suppose if it were cooked into something and well done, not rare, it might be okay but still I wouldn't do it.  

I understand the importance of following the practices of your Native American heritage.  Perhaps if you speak to your grandfather and express your concerns, he may know of another traditional practice that would be more acceptable.

Answer 17

The bible says do not drink blood, pour it out on the ground. Which is the same reason Jehovah's Witnesses don't get blood transfusions.