PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s traditional fall hunting seasons are in full swing, but hunters are being asked to avoid eating their game in some parts of the state because of the possibility of chemicals harmful in animal meat.

Northeast hunters head to Maine each fall, where deer and wild turkeys are two of the most popular game animals. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said it has issued a “do not eat wildlife advisory” in several communities in the central part of the state.

The department said in a statement that it sampled wildlife in the area and found they had levels of PFAS in their muscle tissue that warranted the advisory. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are chemicals that persist in the environment and are linked to human health problems, including cancer and low birth weight.

“Advisory areas encompass areas that have been contaminated with high levels of PFAS due to the application of municipal and/or industrial sludge containing PFAS. Deer and turkeys feeding in these contaminated areas have ingested these chemicals and now contain PFAS in their meat and organs,” the department said Thursday.

The advisory covers parts of Unity, Unity Township, Albion and Freedom, in addition to existing advisory areas in Fairfield and parts of Skowhegan, the department said. The department said it based its opinion on tests conducted on 54 deer and 55 turkeys for the presence of PFAS. The notice came shortly before the state’s popular “Residents Only Day” for deer hunters on Nov. 2.

It is unclear how long the advisories will remain in effect. The department said New Hampshire, Michigan and Wisconsin have also issued consumer advisories regarding PFAS and deer.

Maine was one of the first states to detect PFAS in deer. The presence of “forever chemicals” in wildlife and fish has been growing as a goal for public health regulators in recent years.

PFAS substances have long been used in household products such as nonstick cookware and food packaging. The chemicals are also used in firefighting foams and appear in some fertilizers. Federal authorities have also taken steps to try to limit PFAS pollution, given concerns about the substances in food, drinking water systems and private wells.