Campfire

Rabies and Hunting

Recently posted some questions in the "answers" section on hunting and rabies. I think people got bored or annoyed with it, so no more [drat, had a good another coming on woodchucks] But I feel like I have to back up what the answers were, so here it is with summary.

Squirrels and Rabies:

"Squirrels are almost never found to have rabies. And squirrels have not been known to cause rabies in humans within the United States. Bites from a squirrel are not normally considered a risk for rabies. Most small rodents and lagomorphs rarely develop rabies..."

from
http://rabies.emedtv.com/rabies/rabies-and-squirrels.html
_

It is rare to find warnings for hunters about rabies, here is an exception:

"Rabid deer and bear are uncommon. Most hunters will never see one. However, you are more likely to see a
rabid raccoon, fox or skunk and you should be alert to this risk.

YOU CAN MINIMIZE YOUR CHANCES OF EXPOSURE TO RABIES
Don’t hunt animals that act abnormally. Avoid animals that are aggressive or tame; show no fear of humans; wander aimlessly; are disoriented; or appear to be sick, paralyzed or partially paralyzed.

Don’t touch any dead animal unless YOU killed it when it was acting normally.

Don’t tag an animal you find dead, even if it looks as if another hunter killed it. (Also be wary of
taking road-killed deer. Rabid deer may be more likely to be struck.)

If you choose to trap or hunt raccoon, fox or skunk, consider pre-exposure rabies vaccination.
Talk to your personal physician."

some other good stuff too, from
http://www.co.st-lawrence.ny.us/Public_Health/Hunt-rabies.PDF