Deer Meat Side Effects: Gas, Safety and What to Know

Venison has a reputation for upsetting stomachs, and people search for it often: does deer meat give you gas, why does it go straight through you. The short version is that the meat itself is not the problem. How the deer was killed, handled and cooked is.

Does venison give you gas?

There is no study showing venison causes gas more than any other meat. Cleveland Clinic explains that foods high in sulphur, which includes protein-rich foods such as meat, are usually behind smellier gas, because gut bacteria break them down into hydrogen sulphide. That applies to beef, lamb and chicken as much as to deer.

Why does venison give me gas or upset my stomach?

If venison seems to give you more gas than beef, a few things are worth checking:

• A big serve of lean protein. Cooked venison roast has about 30 g of protein per 100 g (see the comparison table below). Cleveland Clinic links sulphur-rich, protein-heavy foods with smellier gas, so a large first serve gives gut bacteria a lot to work through. This is our reading of those two facts, not something a study has tested on venison.
• What it is cooked and served with. Rich sauces, fatty sides, onions, beans or a big portion of bread alongside it are common gas triggers in their own right.
• Bacteria from poor handling. Hunted deer are field dressed outdoors, and contamination can bring on cramps, diarrhoea and wind (see the next section).
• Alpha-gal syndrome, in a small number of people (see below).

If the symptoms keep happening, or come with pain, fever or blood in your stool, see a doctor.

Why might venison upset your stomach?

Most often it is bacteria, and the risk is mainly with hunted deer rather than farmed venison from a shop. Field dressing happens outdoors, and gut contents, dirt and unclean tools can contaminate the carcass.

There is a documented case. In 1995 in Oregon, homemade jerky made from a hunted deer caused an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, with 6 confirmed and 5 probable cases. The same strain was found in the meat, on the saw and hide, and in deer droppings from the area. The researchers recommended heating meat to 74°C (165°F) before drying it into jerky.

Two parasites are worth knowing about. Toxoplasma has been linked to an outbreak from deliberately undercooked venison served at a gathering in 2017. Trichinella is rare in deer: in CDC surveillance from 2002 to 2007, bear meat caused 91 per cent of the non-pork cases and deer 4 per cent. Thorough cooking deals with both.

What temperature should venison be cooked to?

University of Minnesota Extension gives two figures, and the difference matters:

Cut	Minimum internal temperature	Why
Whole cuts (steaks, roasts, backstrap)	63°C (145°F), then rest 3 minutes	Bacteria sit mainly on the surface
Ground venison, sausages, burgers	71°C (160°F)	Grinding spreads surface bacteria through the meat
Stews, casseroles, leftovers	74°C (165°F)	Standard reheating temperature
Jerky	Heat to 74°C (165°F) before drying	Drying alone may not kill E. coli

FoodSafety.gov’s federal chart is stricter and lists venison at 71°C (160°F) with no separate figure for whole cuts. If you prefer venison pink, buy it from a farmed, inspected source and keep pink for whole cuts only. Our guide to eating venison pink goes into the trade-offs, and why a venison roast goes tough covers cooking it well past pink without drying it out.

Can lead from bullets end up in venison?

Yes, when the deer was shot with lead-core bullets. A 2009 study in PLOS ONE X-rayed 30 white-tailed deer killed with standard lead-core rifle bullets:

Finding	Result
Carcasses with metal fragments	All 30
Fragments per carcass	15 to 409 (average about 136)
Deer whose ground meat had fragments	24 of 30 (80%)
Ground meat packages with fragments	32% of 234
Fragments tested that were lead	93%

The Minnesota Department of Health advises that pregnant women and children under six should not eat venison taken with lead ammunition, and notes fragments were found well away from the wound. If you are buying or being given hunted venison, ask what ammunition was used. Non-lead bullets, such as solid copper, avoid lead fragments altogether.

What is chronic wasting disease, and does it affect people?

Chronic wasting disease is a prion disease of deer, elk and moose. The CDC says no human cases have ever been reported, but because other prion diseases have spread to people, the risk may not be zero. Its advice for hunters in areas where the disease occurs:

• Have the animal tested before eating it.
• Do not eat meat from an animal that tests positive or looks sick.
• Wear gloves when field dressing and handle the brain and spinal cord as little as possible.

The US Geological Survey reports the disease in wild or farmed deer in 37 US states as of June 2026, as well as in parts of Canada, South Korea and Scandinavia. Animal Health Australia says chronic wasting disease has never been recorded in Australia.

Can you be allergic to venison?

Yes, through alpha-gal syndrome. The CDC describes it as an allergy to alpha-gal, a sugar found in most mammal meat, including venison, beef, pork and lamb. In the US it is mainly linked to lone star tick bites. Symptoms usually start 2 to 6 hours after eating and can include hives, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and severe stomach pain, and in some people a severe allergic reaction. Because the delay is long, people often do not connect the symptoms to the meal. Anyone who suspects it should see their doctor.

How does venison compare with beef?

These USDA FoodData Central figures are per 100 g of cooked meat. Ground venison and ground beef are compared like for like, both pan-broiled.

Per 100 g, cooked	Venison roast	Ground venison	Ground beef, 90% lean
Energy	158 kcal	187 kcal	204 kcal
Protein	30.2 g	26.5 g	25.2 g
Fat	3.2 g	8.2 g	10.7 g
Saturated fat	1.3 g	4.0 g	4.2 g
Iron	4.5 mg	3.1 mg	about 2.7 mg
Cholesterol	112 mg	98 mg	84 mg

Whole venison cuts are very lean. Ground venison is only a little leaner than 90 per cent lean beef, because fat is often added when it is minced. For how it tastes next to other game, see what venison tastes like and elk vs venison.

How should you store venison?

Keep raw venison at or below 4°C (40°F) and use fresh cuts within a few days, or freeze them. For hunted deer, cool the carcass as quickly as you can after field dressing, because meat sitting between 4 and 60°C (40 and 140°F) is where bacteria multiply. Our guide to how long venison stays good in the fridge or on ice has the timings.

Is venison hard to digest?

No harder than other lean red meat, as far as the evidence goes. Venison is very lean, so it is not heavy in the way a fatty cut can be. Large serves of any meat take longer to digest than a carbohydrate-heavy meal, which some people notice as fullness. If it sits badly every time, suspect handling, cooking or the rest of the meal before the meat itself.

FAQs

Does deer meat make you poop, or give you diarrhoea?

There is no evidence venison has a laxative effect of its own. A sudden upset after eating it is more likely to come from bacteria in poorly handled meat, from a large or rich meal, or, for a small number of people, from alpha-gal syndrome. Symptoms that keep happening are worth raising with a doctor.

Is it safe to eat venison raw?

Food safety agencies do not recommend it, especially for hunted deer, because of E. coli, Toxoplasma and other bacteria. See can you eat raw venison for the details.

Is venison high in purines?

The Arthritis Foundation lists red meats, including venison, beef and bison, as higher in purines than white meats. People who have been told to limit purines for gout should follow their doctor’s advice on red meat, venison included.

Is farmed venison safer than wild?

Farmed venison sold in shops goes through inspected processing, so it avoids most field-dressing contamination and lead fragments. It still needs to be cooked to the same temperatures.

Next read: can you eat venison raw, and what the risks are.