Elk liver

[ManitobaSlim]

If this should be in hunting section feel free to move it.

I was cutting up an elk liver that my neighbor got yesterday and was nice enough to gift me the heart and liver and i noticed this dark brown kind of black mass in it. It had the same consistency as dirt and i have never seen this before (I have never had elk liver) in any livers I have cut up.

Anyone have an idea of what it is?

Was this elk smoking to much wildfire smoke?

[Bushrat]

Eat that you might catch whatever it is.

[1886]

Personally I wouldn’t eat that liver.

[Savage Bacon]

I don't think he was going to eat it.


Sent from my SM-S901W using Tapatalk

[buckman]

Could be liver fluke

[ManitobaSlim]

Originally Posted by buckman

Could be liver fluke

Thats what my wife was thinking to.

Edit: I just found this and it has some good information in it.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...rQuHy5v1LE9SJX

[JD848]

Not worth eating ,to many chemicals and crap in there food system .I loved liver till one year it looked like it was badly infected . wolves pass it on regularly .Not much into wolf meat either or bears .

[Nova316]

Definitely wouldn't eat that as it doesn't look healthy but my guess would be liver flukes as well.

https://link.springer.com/article/10...44-022-01616-4

[El Carnicero]

15 years as a meat inspector here. Yes, I concur that this looks like a Liver Fluke.
Are you seeing other indicators of Liver Fluke in the organ, such as black trails throughout? If so these are Fluke tracts. Trails of it's excrement.

DO NOT EAT that liver, as Flukes can transfer to humans.

The rest of the meat is usually unaffected as they like the organs- hence the name. But the liver should be condemned.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by El Carnicero

15 years as a meat inspector here. Yes, I concur that this looks like a Liver Fluke.
Are you seeing other indicators of Liver Fluke in the organ, such as black trails throughout? If so these are Fluke tracts. Trails of it's excrement.

DO NOT EAT that liver, as Flukes can transfer to humans.

The rest of the meat is usually unaffected as they like the organs- hence the name. But the liver should be condemned.

That's incorrect.
Humans, cats, dogs, CANNOT contract Liver Flukes from eating infected liver. Infections of such parasites start by consuming the infected intermediate host, such as snails or plants.
Heck, people have been known to eat the flukes purposefully, fried "liver butterflies".....

This does not look like liver flukes to me.
There is no obvious capsule wall nor any flukes, which are more than obvious when present.
I don't have a suggestion as to what the condition is.

[Probar]

I wouldn’t eat it.

That elk is obviously a drunk that has been drinking fermented water from the silage pile.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Swamp hunter]

All the old timers I knew never ate elk liver because of the gritty texture of the liver. We ate all other livers, moose and deer but never elk. Anyone else hear of this?

[ManitobaSlim]

If it is flukes and they prefer organ meat would i find them in the heart as well?

I also read that they have never been reported in humans, cats and dogs (see my link posted above).

Would anyone consider feeding it to a dog?

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by ManitobaSlim

Would anyone consider feeding it to a dog?

As much as I like to use all I can from a harvested animal, I would just dump it without a second thought about that decision.

[El Carnicero]

Originally Posted by ManitobaSlim

If it is flukes and they prefer organ meat would i find them in the heart as well?

I also read that they have never been reported in humans, cats and dogs (see my link posted above).

Would anyone consider feeding it to a dog?

Humans can be infected by liver flukes if ingesting raw or partially uncooked liver.

I have never seem liver flukes in any hearts I have ever seen. I have seen many an infected Liver, but never a heart with liver flukes.
One indication of flukes is dark brown or black track paths through the organ. The track paths are the travel and excrement path of the fluke.

If you are lucky enough you can even find them and cut them out and they will wriggle around on the ground for a while till they die. (or in my case, on the inspection tray.)

If you see an infected liver and see the same style track paths through a heart, Again, which I have never seen, but doesn't mean it isn't out there, then they have migrated to the heart.

As for feeding infected portions to your dog? I would suggest not.

[CanuckShooter]

Never saw black like that before, but it doesn't look like flukes to me. I wouldn't eat it just to be on the safe side.

[Dom4]

Originally Posted by Swamp hunter

All the old timers I knew never ate elk liver because of the gritty texture of the liver. We ate all other livers, moose and deer but never elk. Anyone else hear of this?

I personally haven't heard of this and the last two elk that I have harvested we ate the liver and I really enjoyed it. We did it like any other liver with onions and I would say that it was fairly similar to beef liver and I would give it a try if I was you. I think you'll enjoy it if you like to eat liver from other animals.

[landowner]

Those are liver flukes, a lot of elk in SW have them .