CWD IN ILLINOIS - GOOD UPDATE INFO FROM IDNR
03-30-2003, 10:06 AM
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Giant Nontypical
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Darien, IL
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CWD IN ILLINOIS - GOOD UPDATE INFO FROM IDNR
This is taken from the " ILLINOIS IN THE FIELD" section of my latest issue if Illinois Game & Fish (April 2003 issue)....................
MIXED REVIEWS ON DEER SEASON; MORE CWD FOUND
Though Ilinois hunters experienced slightly better success during last fall' s two long weekends of firearm deer hunting, news regarding the season bears something of a disappointing overtone.
During the seven-day season, Illinois hunters harvested a preliminary total of 102,336 whitetails. The initial figures show an increase in harvest of some 2,400 deer from the previous year.
However, the second seasonharvest of 34,415 dropped significantly from 2001' s total of 37,145 during the same period. The 2002 preliminary firs-season deer harvest of 67,921 was up by more than 5,000 from 2001.
The figures do not include deer harvested during hunts on state sites where special permits are issued.
" While alot of hunters in Illinois were talking about the cold, windy late-autumn weather, the preliminary final tally shows hunters enjoyed another successful firearm deer season," said Department of Natural Resources Director Brent Manning. " I again want to thank the thousands of hunters who voluntarily participated in our chronic wasting disease surveillance program during the firearm season."
Manning said the cooperation and willingness to provide samples from harvested deer was exemplary. The data collected will be extremely useful as biologists work to continue a tradition of successful deer management in Illinois.
This is where the bad news enters the scene. Though testing for chronic wasting disease (CWD) was far from complete at the time this article was prepared, early results showed the disease had been detected in three more deer from the northern Illinois area.
Two of the three new cases found in the vicinity of the first CWD case reported in early November.
One positive case each was returned from Boone, McHenry and Winnebago counties. This represented the second instance of a CWD-positive deer in Boone County.
Illinois' first case, originally reported as from Winnebago County, actually was from just over the county line in Boone County. The locations of the three cases reported to date within Boone and Winnebago counties are approximately two miles of each other in an area east of Roscoe.
The McHenry County positive deer came from an area a few miles northeast of Woodstock. The new cases comprise a 2 1/2-year-old buck (Boone), a 1 1/2-year-old buck (McHenry) and a 1 1/2-year-old doe (Winnebago).
" It comes as no suprise that we found additional cases near the first one," Manning said. " The identification of a new location in McHenry County, although an unwelcome result, does demonstrate that our surveillance program is proving effective."
About 4,000 samples of hunter-harvested deer were taken in 36 counties around Illinois during both segments of the firearm deer season. At the time this article was prepared, tests had been completed on about 1,450 samples, with three positive results.
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease found in deer and elk. The disease affects the brains of infected animals, causing them to become emaciated, display abnormal behavior, lose coordination and eventually die. It is not known to be contagious to either livestock or humans.
" Though we tested for the disease in several downstate counties, I really do not expect to see any positive results coming from this area," said Alton-based regional wildlife biologist Deck Major. " In fact, I would be suprised if any confirmed cases show up this year from counties south of Interstate 80."
When it comes to hunting success during the 2002 firearm deer season, most counties witnessed increases in harvest. Some, however, did see significany decreases in the number of deer brought to check stations.
" During the relatively short seven-day hunt, many things can play a role in hunter success, including weather, the number of permits issued, crop harvest and hunter participation," Major said. " I don' t think anyone believes there are fewer deer in our state and the diminished hunter success in certain counties is more likely due to difficult hunting weather during the opening weekend." END
P.S. For those who don' t know already, Director Brent Manning is leaving the IDNR. I for one feel that he will be greatly missed. Brett did a good job and was a friend to the hunter/sportsman here in Illinois. He has accepted a position with (I believe) Montana. I sure wish that our new Gov. would have appointed another good fellow (from within IDNR), and " friend of the fields" .......Mr. Bob Ruff. For those of you who do not know Bob, he is a truly great, generous man, who graciously shares his time (and warm personality) with those of us that go afield.
Say a couple prayers each day for our soldiers!
" Now.....Go Get Ya One!"
Uncle Matt (in IL)
MIXED REVIEWS ON DEER SEASON; MORE CWD FOUND
Though Ilinois hunters experienced slightly better success during last fall' s two long weekends of firearm deer hunting, news regarding the season bears something of a disappointing overtone.
During the seven-day season, Illinois hunters harvested a preliminary total of 102,336 whitetails. The initial figures show an increase in harvest of some 2,400 deer from the previous year.
However, the second seasonharvest of 34,415 dropped significantly from 2001' s total of 37,145 during the same period. The 2002 preliminary firs-season deer harvest of 67,921 was up by more than 5,000 from 2001.
The figures do not include deer harvested during hunts on state sites where special permits are issued.
" While alot of hunters in Illinois were talking about the cold, windy late-autumn weather, the preliminary final tally shows hunters enjoyed another successful firearm deer season," said Department of Natural Resources Director Brent Manning. " I again want to thank the thousands of hunters who voluntarily participated in our chronic wasting disease surveillance program during the firearm season."
Manning said the cooperation and willingness to provide samples from harvested deer was exemplary. The data collected will be extremely useful as biologists work to continue a tradition of successful deer management in Illinois.
This is where the bad news enters the scene. Though testing for chronic wasting disease (CWD) was far from complete at the time this article was prepared, early results showed the disease had been detected in three more deer from the northern Illinois area.
Two of the three new cases found in the vicinity of the first CWD case reported in early November.
One positive case each was returned from Boone, McHenry and Winnebago counties. This represented the second instance of a CWD-positive deer in Boone County.
Illinois' first case, originally reported as from Winnebago County, actually was from just over the county line in Boone County. The locations of the three cases reported to date within Boone and Winnebago counties are approximately two miles of each other in an area east of Roscoe.
The McHenry County positive deer came from an area a few miles northeast of Woodstock. The new cases comprise a 2 1/2-year-old buck (Boone), a 1 1/2-year-old buck (McHenry) and a 1 1/2-year-old doe (Winnebago).
" It comes as no suprise that we found additional cases near the first one," Manning said. " The identification of a new location in McHenry County, although an unwelcome result, does demonstrate that our surveillance program is proving effective."
About 4,000 samples of hunter-harvested deer were taken in 36 counties around Illinois during both segments of the firearm deer season. At the time this article was prepared, tests had been completed on about 1,450 samples, with three positive results.
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease found in deer and elk. The disease affects the brains of infected animals, causing them to become emaciated, display abnormal behavior, lose coordination and eventually die. It is not known to be contagious to either livestock or humans.
" Though we tested for the disease in several downstate counties, I really do not expect to see any positive results coming from this area," said Alton-based regional wildlife biologist Deck Major. " In fact, I would be suprised if any confirmed cases show up this year from counties south of Interstate 80."
When it comes to hunting success during the 2002 firearm deer season, most counties witnessed increases in harvest. Some, however, did see significany decreases in the number of deer brought to check stations.
" During the relatively short seven-day hunt, many things can play a role in hunter success, including weather, the number of permits issued, crop harvest and hunter participation," Major said. " I don' t think anyone believes there are fewer deer in our state and the diminished hunter success in certain counties is more likely due to difficult hunting weather during the opening weekend." END
P.S. For those who don' t know already, Director Brent Manning is leaving the IDNR. I for one feel that he will be greatly missed. Brett did a good job and was a friend to the hunter/sportsman here in Illinois. He has accepted a position with (I believe) Montana. I sure wish that our new Gov. would have appointed another good fellow (from within IDNR), and " friend of the fields" .......Mr. Bob Ruff. For those of you who do not know Bob, he is a truly great, generous man, who graciously shares his time (and warm personality) with those of us that go afield.
Say a couple prayers each day for our soldiers!
" Now.....Go Get Ya One!"
Uncle Matt (in IL)
