MONTEZUMA, Ga. — Richard Yoder owns Kountry Hardware and Sporting Goods in Montezuma. "This is like the 'big buck capital' of Georgia, so people come here from Atlanta, from as far south as Miami, they come here to hunt," he says.
Yoder says most of the hunters do their dressing the traditional way, without gloves. "Most people will do it without gloves. The safest would be with gloves, we do have some locals that use gloves."
Yoder and other deer hunters may have to be more careful after a report from the Center for Disease Control says there's a strain of tuberculosis that can be passed from deer to humans.
There's been one reported case in Michigan so far.
Michael Hokanson with the North Central Health District says there are no reported cases of this strain of tuberculosis here in Georgia, but it is something they'll be keeping an eye on as deer-hunting season progresses.
Elmer Yoder, owner of Yoder's Butcher Block, says he's not worried yet. He says, "Now, if they come out with a directive or something from the DNR that there's a certain disease we gotta watch out for or that's transferable, then we have to take certain precautions."
Although he's normally the first stop for hunters after their big catch, he has some advice for those who clean it themselves.
"Just keep it clean and keep it cold. Get it iced down as soon as possible, probably the cleanest way to do it is to take it to your processor," he says.
The CDC suggests wearing extra protective gear when field dressing deer.
Some symptoms of tuberculosis include coughing, chest pain, and weight loss.
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