blue liver in a deer

[flyflinger]

I am hoping the folks on here can help me out. Shot a large healthy appearing buck the other evening. While field dressing it I noticed the liver was a dark blue color. I asked 2 deer processors about this. One had never seen or heard of this and the other said he's seen it before and the meat is fine.
Everything else about this animal was normal. It was a very quick kill. Heard him go down in less than 10 seconds but still gave him an hour. Field dressed him less than 2 hours after the shot.
Any one with any ideas please share them!

I don't have a clue, but you did not happen to take a pic of the liver did you??? I would be interested to see that!

I hope you get an answer.

Bisch

If a deer is lung shot and expends alot of O2 just prior to death, such as taking off on a short run, the blood will have a blue tint. Cold temps maintain the cyanosis or blueness to the blood and the liver will have a blue cast to it. If the liver has white spots or large holes present you should have the liver examined.


I found the above on a hunting site. Makes sense to me.....

[VA Elite]

I have seen the blue/purple coloration a bunch. Never hurt me!

[flyflinger]

He was a double lung shot and maybe ran 60-70 yards before he was done. Massive blood trail and what blood that wasnt on the ground was in his chest. No spots or holes in the liver. He certainly was behaving normal and eating. Weighted 200+ on the hoof. Didnt thing to take a pic of the liver. Kinda wished I would saved it and sent to a biologist.
I appreciate the feedback guys.

[Doc Nock]

LIver is the poison filtering organ of the body...with the bunch of things they treat grains/seeds with, I quit eating liver on wild game...

Doubt anything wrong with it, good explanation above but it's not like it's something I NEED to eat with a whole healthy 200# deer to consume!

Used to love liver and eggs (po man steak and eggs) but gave that up...too much crap out there in the agricultural world to chance it where critters live and eat!

[riverrat 2]

Well....How bout a pic of the animal! Southern Illinois,I can only imagine. Lucky dog!       rat'

[fnshtr]

I've field dressed over a hundred deer and the livers all looked blue to me. Sounds like your situation is different though.

We have a diseased deer on our property... Deer warts caused by a virus. I wouldn't take any chances with it.

As far as a healthy deer liver, it is excellent if you like liver. More mild than beef, more like pork liver.

[highlow]

Any deer I've ever shot and field dressed had a bluish liver. At least on the outside. Always thought that was the normal color. And I've eaten quite a few of them with apparently no ill effects. Can't see where yours would be any different.

[Catskill Longbow]

Every deer I've shot had a blue tint to the liver, nothing wrong with that as far as I know. I don't like the liver so I never eat them, but the rest of the deer has been fine.

[59Alaskan]

I haven't field dressed many but the liver always had a blue hue/tint.  

I have never tried deer liver but may one day.

[Michael Arnette]

Ahem...we don't believe you shot it. Pics please  

[flyflinger]

Very interesting that several folks have routinely seen blue livers. I've dressed many deer over the years and the liver always has been a dark maroon color.
I'll gladly post a pic but I'll warn y'all there are "training wheels" on the bow I used Sunday. I continue to hunt with a compound some days. Kinda depends on the conditions and the stand/blind I'm in. Sure wish I would have been carrying my brand new black widow. This would have been a great deer to break that new bow in on.

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Don't post the pick or it will get pulled, you guys know the rules just send them picks in a PM or email.

Tracy

[fnshtr]

I just googled "deer liver" and looked at the images. There are different shades. The blue is a light shade/hue.

Like I posted before, the blue shade is what I've always noticed. ????????)

[redfish]

Eat liver or oysters is like eating a used oil filter.

[highlow]

Don't know what you're missing Larry. And why and when did you eat the oil filter? I wish I had been there. Was it a dare?

[fnshtr]

Deer liver and onions, mmmmmmmmm!

   

[DXH]

Deer are / can be reservoir hosts for a disease called blue tongue. The disease process causes vascular insults.. Most commonly at the tongue ... Hence the name..however the whole body is affected
I would be willing to bet some of those deer are in the active infection stage... I would also be interested if the deer with the "blue" livers have dis colored tongues as well ?

[Thumper Dunker]

Originally posted by redfish:
Eat liver or oysters is like eating a used oil filter.

Big +2
What color is the fat? if its blue its been eating poison grain for rodents.