State reminds hunters of ‘Do Not Eat’ health advisories for Clark’s Marsh

LANSING, Mich. - With archery hunting season beginning Tuesday, Oct. 1, firearms hunting season starting Friday, Nov. 15 and early season hunts occurring this month, the Michigan departments of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Natural Resources (MDNR) are reminding hunters not to eat venison from deer taken within three miles of Clark's Marsh in Oscoda Township in Iosco County.

A Do Not Eat deer advisory remains in effect due to evidence that deer within three miles of the marsh were more likely to have various per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), in their livers and muscle tissue. The finding is included in the 2021 report PFAS levels in Michigan deer from the Oscoda area, Iosco County.

In addition, a Do Not Eat advisory for all fish and aquatic or semi-aquatic wildlife taken from Clark's Marsh remains in place. This includes fish, aquatic and semi-aquatic mammals (including muskrats), amphibians (including frogs), mollusks (including snails), reptiles (including turtles) and arthropods (including crayfish).

PFOS are associated with several negative health effects, such as liver damage, high cholesterol and reduced fertility. The advisories set in Clark's Marsh are meant to protect the health of Michigan families.

There are three separate health advisories currently in effect for Clark's Marsh:

• A Do Not Eat fish advisory in effect since 2012.
• A Do Not Eat deer advisory issued in 2018, updated in 2019 and again in 2021.The 2021 update shrank the five-mile advisory area to a three-mile advisory area.
• A Do Not Eat resident aquatic and semi-aquatic wildlife advisory in effect since 2019.

A map of the Do Not Eat deer advisory area shows the boundaries of the Do Not Eat deer advisory.

MDHHS continues to recommend that people do not eat organs from any fish, deer or other wild game in the state as many chemicals, including PFAS, can accumulate in the organs of wildlife.

For more information about PFAS, visit the PFAS webpage at Michigan.gov/PFASResponse.

For more information about wild game consumption, visit Michigan.gov/EatSafeGame.

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