Rubber Gloves

[bradyman1]

I am new to this hunting thing and I have a question. I noticed that in a lot of the pics, and in a lot of the stories there are nitrile gloves. What is the purpose? I have seen pics of people cleaning animals with rubber gloves on, and in the next pic they are in the stew pot. Is it just to keep the blood off of you?

[oldpink]

Yes to keeping blood off your hands.
There are also some concerns about parasites and blood-borne pathogens.
Unless the critter is diseased to the point of being unfit to eat, cooking will take care of all those problems, but the gloves are a very good idea while cleaning your game for the pot.

[Mebits]

Also, it keeps you from nicking your fingers while cleaning. Even when I'm boning domestic birds or rabbit, I wear them. It's so easy to give your cold fingers a little cut with a sharp knife, and the gloves effectively prevent that. THAT is a good way to introduce a pathogen or parasite to your bloodstream.

[only1harry]

I wear gloves only when I handle (or clean) raccoon, possum (and fox) because they may carry Rabies.  I almost never wear gloves cleaning squirrel or rabbit, or when handling Groundhogs.  I 've had plenty of G-hog and squirrel blood on my skin , and I just wash it off, but would not take that chance with coon and possum. 

[a1Bogey]

As a person that has more than a casual connection to the medical field,  I can say Yes to the wisdom of wearing gloves while handling animals.  Animals , wild and domestic,  can carry unseen bacteria on thier coats and in thier mouths.  Muchless the blood and intestines.  Be Safe.

People that have low a auto-immune situation ( diabetics, etc) should be especially carefull.


Bogey

[shadow]

I use them every time i handle a Bandit, Country Rat when I'm out hunting you do not want to get their waste on you, carries some real nasty germ's. I also glove up to dress em out and clean up the crime scene. Ed