Theres alot that you guys have yet to be told about CWD. The reason it is not supposed to be a threat to humans is very simple...its very species-specific. That means that other thenthe genus cervid and odocoileus(by the way, bison is not on the list) it doesnt seem to transmit. Thats whitetails, mulies, blacktails, elkand moose. Some of you probably never even heard about the positive moose out west this year.

As for the folks in Verona, the doe was donated to the dinner, the head was routinely submitted for testing, and later came up as a positive. Many private organizations asked for permission (and were denied) to make up a test group to see how and if this would affect those who consumed it. It remains to be seen if Cornell does anything with it.

It has been my observation that most processors have switched over to boning deer rather than cross cutting anyway, so thats almost become a moot point.

EHD, or blue tongue, is carried by the black gnat and causes, among other things, the deers lung tubercles to rupture, and the mucous membranes to blister and the tongue to swell to the point of becoming grotesque. Its actually common, and often misdiagnosed by laymen as CWD symptoms.

Its just common sense not to take any chance with any deer that seems sick. Ill always eat venison, but I do take CWD seriously, just not the hype and BS they tack on along with it! The spinal column, brain, and lymph nodes are what they fear, and skinning, boning and being clean is the key, like you guys said.

As for study, theres been test facilities for years, 40 to be exact, in Colorado, and others in Wyoming, Wisconsin and elsewhere. yep, right where some of the biggest outbreaks have occurred (hint). I know of a woman in Georgia who has been hand raising fawns for CWD research out west for a few years now. While West Virginia is reeling from the three positives found there this year, others are asking aloud why the state has been composting the road kills and selling and distributing this compost all over the state. In fact, there are a TON of questions still NOT being asked, such as where every state buries/dumps its deer waste? What about taxidermists? (Yes, I am one) How about meat cutters? Hunters? As a taxidermist I know from what states I can and cannot receive deer on the carcass, instead needing to have it first "processed". I know this because I raise deer. Not because the state has contacted all the taxidermists or meat cutters. Ive been told that bleach will not disinfect CWD. Yet we are being told to use it. I have been told by the state vets that I cannot freeze a CWD test sample, yet other states are doing just that.

Get the picture, fellas?