PORTLAND, Maine — As the traditional autumn hunting season continues in Maine, hunters are being strongly advised against consuming game meat in certain areas of the state due to potential contamination from harmful chemicals.
Each year, hunters flock to Maine from across the Northeast, with deer and wild turkeys being among the most sought-after game. However, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has recently issued a “do not eat wildlife consumption advisory” for several communities centrally located in the state.

The department announced that their wildlife testing revealed concerning levels of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, present in the muscle tissue of animals in these regions. PFAS are notorious for their durability in the environment and have been linked to various health complications in humans, such as cancer and low birth weight.

In their statement, the department explained that the areas impacted have suffered contamination due to significant PFAS levels, particularly resulting from the application of municipal and industrial sludge that contained these chemicals. Consequently, deer and turkeys feeding in these affected areas have ingested PFAS, which has now been detected in their flesh and organ tissues.

The advisory specifically impacts designated parts of Unity, Unity Township, Albion, and Freedom, along with existing advisory zones in Fairfield and areas of Skowhegan. This alert comes ahead of the state’s popular “resident only day” for deer hunters, scheduled for November 2.

At this time, it remains unclear how long these advisory restrictions will be in effect. The department also noted that other states, including New Hampshire, Michigan, and Wisconsin, have implemented similar PFAS-related consumption advisories concerning deer.

Maine was among the pioneers in identifying PFAS contamination in deer, and the visibility of these “forever chemicals” in wildlife and fish has increased scrutiny from public health regulators in recent years.

These substances have been widely utilized in everyday items, ranging from non-stick cookware to food packaging. Additionally, PFAS are found in firefighting foam and can be present in certain fertilizers. Federal authorities are actively engaged in efforts to curb PFAS pollution due to growing worries over their presence in food sources, drinking water systems, and private wells.