Answer:
There is no risk to hunters of getting this disease from harvested ducks. The disease is a fungal infection and is not contagious to humans or between birds. It is a localized outbreak. What probably happened was the birds found a pile of very moldy grain, fed and then returned to a nearby roost site where they died. As with all game, hunters should wear latex gloves when cleaning game, and it should be thoroughly cooked before eating.
Answered on:
Sunday, December 17, 2006 - 5:00 PM MST