When you think of being the prey, your mind instantly thinks of the obvious: cougars, wild borers, bears, snakes, etc. Yet there is a much more common creature out there that is just as dangerous, if not more so. The parasite.
Yes, we all know to wash our hands and cook food thoroughly, but even that isn’t always enough. Usually an infection will come from ingesting contaminated food or water, but some types of worm larvae can make their way inside you through just skin contact or inhaling a breath near a source of the microscopic eggs. Others cannot always be destroyed with soap, and for some there are no treatments as they eat your eyes and brain tissue.
Scared yet? You should be, because until you learn how to take precautions you can easily fall victim to one of these types of creatures.
Earlier this year I unfortunately was one of these victims, and I’m here to share my experience. I know first hand the dangers of raccoon worms. My experience started back in November before I learned about any of these potentially dangerous parasites.
Like most hunters, I had always caught and killed animals without a worry in the world, but one weekend something went wrong. Not wrong with the hunting, as I had killed a 4-pointer, a doe, three rabbits and a raccoon while bow hunting on Three Rivers WMA. Also, I had brought some wild turkey and hog meat to cook while at the camp. It was one of the best weekends of the season, but by the next week I was in severe stomach pain.
Click here to read the rest of this blog, part of Chauvin’s regular Apex Predator column.
