Rabid deer? What hunters need to know.

Albany, NY (News10) -- We often hear about rabid raccoons, but deer?

"It's most common in skunks and fox and raccoons and bats, but any mammal could be susceptible to it, including humans," said Jeremy Hurst, Game Management Section Head for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

A white-tailed deer in Columbia County recently tested positive for rabies, a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system. Once symptoms start showing, it's usually fatal.

With hunting season underway, Hurst shared a few things hunters can do to protect themselves.

"Wearing gloves is the best course of action," he said. "If they're harvesting a deer and then processing it themselves, to wear gloves and protect themselves that way. And then wash their hands when they're done."

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