I haven't seen these before...must have been 20 of them. Some larger than other. Cut them open and there wasn't really anything there...seemed like blood. Keep in mind these were on top of the muscle surrounding the food and windpipes, not coming out of them. I have only just started to butcher the neck to make neck roasts, so I am not sure if this is common or not.

Deer (also pictured) seemed very healthy to me.

Cancer. Proly a 2 pack a day smoker.

I would contact a biologist if you don't get some real answers

I'd be interested to know what you find out. I've never seen anything like that either

Look like lymph nodes to me. Every deer has a bunch of them around the trachia.

Nice buck and I have no idea! That isnt normal we butcher all ours and thats alot weve never seen it

Those are lymph nodes. They are important for the immune system and can become enlarged when the body is fighting an infection.

Are you sure they are lymph nodes? I thought that at first, but because there were so many of them and they were so random, I wasn't sure. They also did not seem to be attached to anything. They just came right off.

I would of said lymph nodes as well but not if there were 20 or more of them. I would contact your DNR and find out.

Did some googling, Still think they're lymph nodes.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7...2311--,00.html

Lymph nodes are typically embedded in fat. I always assued they were just pockets of blood. ,I've see them several times. Never really thought twice about them.