Deer Hair Allergies

[stick]

OK...here is a weird one. I have always had an allergy to deer hair. I get itchy, a rash, and my eyes will swell up if bad enough. I must admit, it's been a pretty handy allergy as others normally offer to gut and drag, but I occasionally get involved in the drag.

Here is where it gets weird. My brother, who has never had the allergy and has gutted many deer, dragged one out this past weekend, and only about 200 yards. He said that his hands were itching. Then we went back to my enclosed snowmobile trailer that we use as a warming shack, and he said his eyes were burning and watering. It was dingy inside, but when we opened the door and saw him in ths sunlight, his eyes were all swollen. Did he just acquire this allergy and am I screwed and will have to deal with my own downed deer (just kidding)?

How many others have this allergy? I only have known 2 others that have this allergy.

[buck 037]

Stick one of my boys is very allergic to deer,he took a couple benadryl to gut the buck he got on sat. Must admit it`s nice to have two boys to clean our deer now, not to mention the dragging and loading the deer.

[Surface Tension]

I get an allergic reaction from deer and cats. Once I get the hide off I'm fine though. My back will even itch and I'll be wearing a jacket.

[hartner62]

Me too! I thought I was the only one. Everytime I gut a deer I break out on my arms with a rash and my eyes get bloodshot and start to itch. It is annoying but I can put up with it if it means I got a deer.

[jhol]

I think this may be more common than you think, I have all the same reactions, not fun, I can usually get through field dressing and dragging, but when it comes to skinning I will be in the house.

[mnhunter79]

Ill join the rest of you that have this allergy. Deer and cats. My eyes get watery and itchy but thats about it.

[muc33]

I wanna join. I just love it too much to quit. My buddies all know by now, and I bring my nebulizer with when we butcher. They hide them for me and I teach them how to make the roast cuts and such. The are the prep line and I take care of the finish line. I feel like dying every year, but it tastes so good it is worth it.

[GottaGo]

I'm glad I dont have this problem The thing about allergies is you never get them on your 1st exposure to whatever your allergic too. You won't get allergies until you've been in contact with it multiple times, it may be your 2nd, 3rd, or 100th time before you have allergies. So yes, your brother probably did just develop his allergy to deer hair out of nowhere and probably just to get out of doing your work

[Iron Cowboy]

another allergic one here,along with my sons. cats too. deer hair is by far the worst though. we just pop a few benadryl and shower right after handling. Your eyes wont swell up very much if at all if you resist the constant urge to rub/itch them.

[stick]

This feels like a cleansing process for some.

"Hello my name is ------- and I'm allergic to deer hair."

Wow, I never knew there were this many out there with the same deal.

[89Bronco]

Hey, me too! Me too! I never met anyone allergic to deer before. My eyes swell shut and I get itchy in my throat and nose if I don't take my Clariton or Allegra. Never used it as an excuse, though. I have always gutted my own deer. Get strange looks from non-hunters when I tell them I'm allergic - "and you still hunt?" I also can't go into the barn areas at the state or county fairs. I get the same itchy feeling.

[Tippman]

Ok, I'm not with the Allergic to Deer Hair crowd here but just wanted to say that it's quite common to develop an allergy to something even after repeated exposures all of a sudden like your brother did. Especially since you have the allergy.