What are these things in my elk meat

[Daniel hammerstrom]

These were found as I was peeling the skin back, any clues ?

[Mudman]

Worms?  Tapeworm?  Cook well!?

[pendoreilleadventures]

Look up the post on rice breast on the waterfowl forum.

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[Bullkllr]

  That's what it looks like. Definitely some kind of parasite.

How much of the meat is affected?
Hate to lose any meat. Research, and plan on cooking well would be my plan as well. It may be fine if it's similar to "rice breast".

[Daniel hammerstrom]

I only found it on one of the rear quarters

[Hunting7mm]

Cut it out and cook well.  If it's questionable call the game dept. and ask.

[Coasthunterjay]

It's a tape worm larvae cyst. Ok for human consumption but very bad for dogs. Should be easily removed if your overly weirded out by it. As long as you cook it, they won't harm you.

Pretty rare in cervids(deer or elk) but more common in canine.

Hope that helps. 

[Daniel hammerstrom]

Sounds gnarly, do they tend to bury or mostly on the surface?

[h2ofowlr]

Let us know how much of it you eat and any ill effects?  Someone should test out this theory of it being safe.  I wouldn't even feed it to my dog.

[Vulcan]

Looks like tape worm (work at a vet and have seen a few). Maybe call  fish and game?

[Coasthunterjay]

I remember seeing a post from fish and wildlife earlier this year but I can't remember what state it was from. I thought it was Alaska. They had mentioned it was a worm cyst of some kind but it sure does look like sarcocystis, but from what I can find is pretty rare in deer or elk, I've actually seen similar in bears also. Elk though...Weird. Regardless IDE hate to throw away all of it but IDE clean out what I had patience for and then burger the rest. Just make sure its cooked and you'll be fine.

[Daniel hammerstrom]

Let us know how much of it you eat and any ill effects?  Someone should test out this theory of it being safe.  I wouldn't even feed it to my dog.

I'd cook some up but I don't want to be just a "statistic" if I die from it 

[bobcat]

Interesting- someone just posted pictures on ifish of what may be the same thing, but this is in deer meat:

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?p=5715705#post5715705

[Okanagan]

Interesting- someone just posted pictures on ifish of what may be the same thing, but this is in deer meat:

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?p=5715705#post5715705

Don't know what the spiro gyro cysts are in the elk meat of the OP, but re this link, I killed a blacktail in WA several years ago that had some of the small white spheres in the meat shown in the link.  I phoned a WA State biologist who told me that they are nematodes, a cyst stage of hair loss parasite I think he said.  The white spheres are not harmful to humans whether cooked or not, but we cooked it well done and cut out the few we found. 

The spiral white worms shown in the elk meat look more ominous to me.

[Kc_Kracker]

Just serve it with rice