Beaver meat question

Hello all. I got a beaver this morning. Liver looks great. But.........there is this ".22 sized hole" that goes about 7/8 through the pelt from the outside. And there is a mass underneath it (if I pinch the fur) about the size of a golf ball.

Can I eat the meat? What is this?

Picture attached is me pinching the hole-area with my rubber gloves on.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Eat the next one.

When in doubt dont eat, is my rule. Unless you are starving.

Agree with law dog. Why run the risk.

Dangit! Second one this year. That's X pounds of junk meat.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP AS ALWAYS. You've helped me do so much. Thank you.

Guacamole, for taco's

Dont squeeze that too hard-you might get a facefull of custard.
You got a good hide,good castors,toss the meat.

Meat for bait.

Thanks all. Does anyone know what it is?

You will find out when you skin it.

Its a big puss pocket.

Gross

You must see them on rats too nimzy.

Ya some. Can happen anytime but more evident after ice out in Spring.

Puss bags are still gross. Usually you can tell the injury is taken a toll on the animal

I was watching when that happened to a friend of mine; I about puked, how he didn't I will never know.

Hardly ever see it on beaver here in the fall or winter.Late spring open water its more prevalent-especially on a line that has not been trapped sufficiently.

I dunno, I've eaten deer that had arrow tips in them, that had puss around them. Even slugs.....and I'm still walking around. I'd say plenty of meat that's not in the vicinity of the wound.

By now here its hard to find one that dosnt have several puss pockets from bites beaver are pretty good at encapsulating them if its not in the meat wouldn't worry about it its not going to have any antibiotics in it and your not going to prepare it rare . Always always always cook beaver to well done

Why? I like them m rare

What does beaver have that you feel the need to cook the snot out of it?

What does beaver have that you feel the need to cook the snot out of it?[/quote]

Leptospirosis, bacteria common in beaver and muskrat. Tularemia is most often found in squirrel and rabbit but can be present in beaver meat. 160-165 F is recommended, but I've never taken the temp of beaver meat in our kitchen.

I've eaten plenty of back straps wrapped in bacon, and grilled over charcoal to med rare, more times than I can count, with no ill effects. Not saying contracting one of the aforementioned isn't possible, but not as likely as is believed.

What do you mean-"no ill effects"?

Canadians have to have everything explained....... NO giardia, tularemia, leptospirosis, solmanilla, etc, after eating hundreds of med rare assorted beaver parts. The next one may give me something, but I highly doubt it.

To each his own .i might eaven take the risk myself . Im not going to recomend that sombody ELSE eat a meat on the tularemia list rare .maybe i used a couple too many " always " in my post earlier . Some people eat rare bear meat too . I wouldnt recomend that either

Call Dr Pimple Popper. It will either be mash potato consistency or oatmeal consistency according to the doc. Just sayin'.