DNREC urges safe handling of harvested wild birds during waterfowl season

DELAWARE - DNREC is reminding hunters to handle wild birds safely with the reopening of Delaware’s waterfowl hunting season, after the recent detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) found earlier in November in eastern Kent County. 

A sick goose that was found on Dec. 8 was sent for further testing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory, returning a result of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza on Dec. 15. 

Hunters are not only asked to handle waterfowl safely after harvesting them, but to also fill out DNREC’s sick and injured wildlife reporting form for any affected birds they might come across while hunting.

Precautions for Waterfowl Hunters:

• Dress game birds in the field whenever possible. If you must dress game birds at home, do so in areas inaccessible to poultry and pet birds. Ideally, there should be a solid barrier between the areas where game is cleaned and where domestic birds are housed.
• Keep a separate pair of shoes to wear only in your game-cleaning area. If this is not possible, wear rubber boots or shoes and clean and disinfect them before entering or leaving the area.
• Use dedicated utensils for cleaning game, whether in the field or at home. Do not use these tools around poultry or domestic fowl.
• Always wear rubber gloves when cleaning game.
• Double bag the carcass remains and feathers. Tie the inner bag and be sure to take off your disposable rubber gloves and leave them in the outer bag before tying it closed.
• Place the bag in a trash can that poultry, domestic fowl, children, pets, and other wildlife cannot access.
• Wash hands with soap and water immediately after handling game.
• Scrub all tools and work surfaces with soap and water.

If anyone in contact with wild birds or poultry begins to experience flu-like symptoms, they should contact the Delaware Division of Public Health Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 888-295-5156 (after hours) or 302-744-4990 (business hours) for a referral to a DPH clinic to obtain a flu swab test.