sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
September 15, 2007
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With avian bird flu already found in some Pacific Flyway waterfowl, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game offers advice for hunters to protect against the bird flu and other diseases.
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With avian bird flu already found in some Pacific Flyway waterfowl, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game offers advice for hunters to protect against the bird flu and other diseases.
- <LI class=inGraf>Don't handle birds that are obviously sick or birds found dead. <LI class=inGraf>Keep your game birds cool, clean and dry while in the field. <LI class=inGraf>Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning your birds. <LI class=inGraf>Use rubber gloves when cleaning game. Re-used gloves should be cleaned with a chlorine bleach solution. Disposable gloves should be discarded properly. <LI class=inGraf>Wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol wipes after dressing birds. <LI class=inGraf>Clean all tools and surfaces immediately after dressing birds. Use hot, soapy water and then disinfect with a 10-percent chlorine bleach solution.
- Cook game meat thoroughly to kill all disease organisms and parasites. Doctors suggest all game meat be cooked between 155-165 degrees; for waterfowl, the entire bird should be cooked to 165 degrees to ensure the avian flu strain is dead.