CWD was found in Wisconsin's wild deer herd for the first time last year. The WI DNR felt that is was a serious threat to the whole herd. Wisconsin has had a serious deer overpopulation problem recently (according to their statistics). The deer numbers are beyond the carrying capacity of the land. After the initial initial discovery, two more cases were found around the same small area. They felt (or hoped) the disease might be centralized and contained in an isolated area. Further testing indicated that the disease had spread and they set up an eradication zone. They figured they better try to nip the problem in the bud. They now want to eliminate every deer in a 400+ sq. mile zone. They figure that would be about 25,000 deer. Seems like a lot, but not so big when dealing with a deer herd popultion estimated at 1.6 million. This seems drastic, but so is the disease. It is new to our area and there are to many uncertains about CWD to let it go rapant. If they (DNR) can control or at least contain the disease, they might buy some time to figure out what to do later.

The eradication zone herd numbers will be effected immediatly for the short term, but the long term effects of doing nothing far outweigh what seems like slaughter.

Does it seem worth it to kill a deer and drag it out, just to turn it over to the DNR (or dump it)? YES, it is worth it if it will prevent future deer from being infected with the terminal disease.

In this case "the needs of the many are greater than the nees of the one (or few).

Edited by - Jim Przybyla on 12/13/2002 17:26:32