Hoof Rot

[ASienkiewich]

Lately I have been hearing some people making negative comments about elk with this disease. Was just wondering why people shy away from hunting elk in units known to have hoof rot? From my knowledge and experience it has no affect on the meat of the animals. I feel more like I’m helping  the cause if I harvest one of these animals. Just my opinion, what’s yours?


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[kerrdog]

I had a new big bottle of bourbon that I left with the cork out accidentally.  When I came back there was a big hairy fly floating on top.  I knew the whiskey was probably fine; sterile and all...and I also knew I'd think about that fly every time I drank it.  So I dumped it down the toilet. 

Same thing with eating a limper....I wouldn't want to eat one even though it's probably fine.  I'd think about those rotten feet.  So I wouldn't knowingly shoot a limper.  If I happened to find out it had hoof rot after I shot it I guess I'd just deal with it...  We hunt Ryderwood and there's hoof rot in there, but none of the last six elk our party has gotten there has had it.

[grundy53]

While the hoof rot itself may not have an adverse effect on the meat healthwise per se. I would imagine when they are really bad they are probably fevered. Which can't be good for the meat.  Plus they smell god awful which I would probably subconsciously smell everytime I cooked it...

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[High Climber]

A few with more advanced stages of hoof rot that I’ve seen, the meat is definitely affected. Whether or not it’s unhealthy I have no clue. The meat loses its color and the muscles shrink. I won’t knowingly shoot a limper either it grosses me out (and my wife).  It’s sad what it’s done to the elk herd in the SW

[Mudman]

Do slaughter houses process sick rotten legged beef for human consumption???  Nuff said.

[PolarBear]

As a guy who raises beef cattle I wouldn't even consider slaughtering a beef that was stressed, sick or in poor shape.  The same goes for wild game.  It does effect the meat.  A couple years ago while hunting Pe Ell South I had my daughter on 5 different branched bulls, all less than 70 yard with a muzzleloader and she passed on every one of them because they were barely able to move and emaciated.  We would rather put them down and let the other critters eat them than waste a tag on an inedible (In my opinion) animal.

[PolarBear]

Do slaughter houses process sick rotten legged beef for human consumption???  Nuff said.

A&L (formerly H&H) out of Chehalis use to slaughter downer animals.

[Greg Mullins]

In 2014 I found a 6x6 bull with no rear hoofs and maggots all over the stubs and crawling under the skin.The whole thing is he was still alive skin and bones and he had ate everything in a 10 foot circle even sticks. So I’d say no. And yes I did........

[ASienkiewich]

Interesting. Thanks for the responses everyone. My group has killed close to 10 with hoof rot and never once have the animals seemed stressed or sickly. To me it seems the disease really just affects movement slightly. Maybe I just haven’t seen a case severe enough? I just can’t jump ship out of areas I’m having success I guess lol


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[scoutdog346]

Ur right. I dont get it but just let them think that. Let them stay away from them elk cuz it seems to me that there is a correlation with the fraud and high density of elk

Lately I have been hearing some people making negative comments about elk with this disease. Was just wondering why people shy away from hunting elk in units known to have hoof rot? From my knowledge and experience it has no affect on the meat of the animals. I feel more like I’m helping  the cause if I harvest one of these animals. Just my opinion, what’s yours?


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