White-tailed Deer Warts
BuckManager.com | February 10 | Disease & Virus
A deer hunter never expects to see giant warts or tumor-like growths on a white-tailed deer, but they do occur. Over the years I’ve seen many of photos of both live and harvested deer with “tumors,” although I’ve never seen one while in the field. The technical term for these growths is cutaneous fibroma and it’s caused by a virus. From a deer management perspective, there is not much you can do to keep wild deer from getting fibroma.
Cutaneous fibromas (warts) are caused by a naturally occurring virus of the deer’s skin. The virus that causes these unsightly warts in deer is believed to be transmitted through biting insects and/or direct contact with damaged skin. Once the virus enters the skin, warts begin to form. As the warts increase in size, the skin surrounding them is typically hairless and grayish in color. The number of warts on an infected animal can vary from one to several hundred, they can sometimes clump, and can in some cases end up covering much of the deer’s body.
For the most part, these warts will not cause a white-tailed deer any major problems. However, sometimes the growth of the wart can indirectly cause problems by restricting the consumption of food or the deer’s breathing. Although death from fibromas in deer can occur, death from warts is not always imminent it seems. There have been many hunter testimonials of white-tailed deer with warts “shaking them off,” so to speak. I can’t say for sure.
From a deer hunter’s perspective, warts are quite unsightly. Since fibromasts are a virus of the skin, they willl be removed if the deer is skinned. Notice I said IF the deer is skinned. Although the meat of a deer is typically not affected, most hunters that harvest a deer with a large number of warts are hesitant to put the meat in the freezer. This is understandable and probably the safest thing to do. I’ve read some research that found a buck with warts also had internal and cancerous fibromasts.
The take home message today is that warts occur naturally in white-tailed deer populations. Fibromasts can occur on any deer, healthy or otherwise. With that said, they occur rather rarely and there is nothing that can be done from a deer management standpoint. Deer are the only host for the virus, so fear not for yourself should you find yourself standing over an infected animal.
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I went hunting Saturday and killed a buck. While I was skinning him I noticed he had a tumor on his neck and beside it there was a black thing that looked like cancer. When I was cutting the meat, I found some more. Should I keep the meat or trash it? Is it safe to eat?
Timmy Bowman | Nov 28, 2011 | Reply
Timmy, it’s up to you on the deer. If you keep the meat and prepare it properly, then there should be no problem. If you keep it, then (obviously) cut out the areas that look problematic. However, if all of the meat looks sketchy, toss it out.
Buck Manager | Nov 28, 2011 | Reply
Are any of these pictures from deer in the state of Pennsylvania?
Don Gordner | Jan 25, 2012 | Reply
The middle photo is now being bandied about on Facebook as supposed proof that fracking in Dimock, PA supposedly caused the warts:
Correlation vs. causation aside, any info on where the photo came from?
Xrlq | Jan 25, 2012 | Reply
Just thought you should know that people are taking one of the photos on this web site and sharing it around facebook and saying that it is a deer with cancer, and that the cancer was caused by Fracking (hydraulic fracturing). I tried to debunk this as misinformation on my blog but I don’t know if people will read it. Here is the link:
Megan Squire | Jan 26, 2012 | Reply
Fibromas, commonly referred to as warts and/or tumors, are naturally occurring in white-tailed deer. Fibromas are commonly caused by the papillomavirus. Fracking does not cause a virus.
Buck Manager | Jan 28, 2012 | Reply
I just witnessed a deer on my horse farm with this skin disease. I am concerned if it is transferable to my livestock and other animals on my farm. Does anyone know the answer to this?
Darren | Jun 16, 2012 | Reply
Does anyone know if baby fawns can be born with these warts?
Curits | Jun 20, 2012 | Reply
I too saw on Facebook and trying to debunk. Not cool for people to use these photos for unrelated agendas.
Dennis | Nov 26, 2012 | Reply
Made it all the way up to Canada. Now claims are that these are Albertan deer affected by the oilsands.
Jennifer | Mar 26, 2013 | Reply
Those Frack’n Canadian deer, Do’h!! The problem with liberals is, Bahahaha they ju- Baaaa -st believe whatev- Baahaa -er they’re Baaa, Baaaa, told!!!
Shawn | Apr 5, 2013 | Reply
While watching Wild Justice on Nat Geo Wild,I saw a deer with growths covering it’s eyes. It was bumping into trees,fences and everything else it came in contact with.Sadly, it had to be put down. How prevalent are these tumor/warts in the deer population?
Doug Denslowe | Apr 6, 2013 | Reply