Michigan Warns Hunters on Oscoda Deer Advisory

State health officials remind hunters not to eat deer from parts of Oscoda Township ahead of Sunday's firearm season opener.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Hunting

Michigan Warns Hunters on Oscoda Deer Advisory

Live Poll

Do you trust state health warnings about eating local wild game?

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reminded hunters not to eat deer from parts of Oscoda Township as the state's firearm deer season opens Sunday. A do not eat advisory remains in effect within three miles of Clark's Marsh.

Why it matters

Deer in the area are likely to be contaminated with PFAS, and the advisory is a direct warning for hunters heading into the season across Michigan. PFAS exposure can cause liver damage, high cholesterol and reduced fertility.

The state health department's advisory covers a three-mile radius around Clark's Marsh in Oscoda Township, including all fish and aquatic wildlife in the marsh. The extraction does not specify contamination levels in the deer population or whether the advisory boundary will be revised.

The players

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

The state agency responsible for public health guidance, including consumption advisories for contaminated wildlife and fish across Michigan.

The details

Officials issued a reminder about the existing do not eat advisory ahead of opening day, noting that deer in the area are likely to be contaminated with PFAS. The advisory sits in Oscoda Township just south of Wurtsmith Airport in Iosco County.

November 9, 2026: Health department publishes the advisory reminder ahead of the season.
Sunday, November 15, 2026: Michigan firearm deer season opens.

Roadmap

Michigan's PFAS consumption advisories, issued by the state health department, have been used to warn anglers and hunters near contaminated sites for years. This reminder extends that advisory program into the state's deer hunting season, a period when many residents eat wild game they harvest.

Hunters who harvest deer within the three-mile advisory radius around Clark's Marsh should not eat the meat under the current advisory. Residents in Oscoda Township who hunt during the season should plan to dispose of or avoid consuming any deer taken from the zone.

The takeaway

Hunters heading into Michigan's firearm season should check current consumption advisories for their hunting area before harvesting deer. Following the advisory protects against PFAS exposure in game meat.

What happens next

Michigan's firearm deer season opens Sunday, November 15, 2026, which is the next date when hunters in the advisory area will face the warning in practice.