It is already in the wild. They found it in the same area as the game farm where it first showed up. I wonder if there are some captive deer farms near where they found the CWD road kill in WV?

According to the regional DNR office in Romney, there are no permit holding captive game farms in that area. Off the record, they think someone illegally imported deer from an infected area.

I have pretty thick skin Bill, and you made some good points. However a food plot and a feeder are 2 different things. Alot of feeders have the deer eating right out of a small tray, that the corn spills out on. Having deer after deer stick their noses into this small area is perfect mechanism for spreading an infectious disease.

You are correct, the above statement is right on the money.
While Ive only been hunting WV for the last 10 years, I have hunted Potter Co. Pa since 78. During those early years it was common to see 30-40 deer a day, however the deer were small and for the most part a typical buck was a spike or a spindly forkhorn. Come the late 80s the PGC instituted bonus tags for anterless deer, as the DPSM was reduced the deer started putting on weight and the antlers increased in size. As is stands right now, a good portion of Potter is within the PGCs DPSM model and while there are much less deer than when I was a kid, the animals now are in superb health and sporting some very impressive racks.

While I agree with that, a feeder can and will draw deer from a wide area and cause an over crowding of that specific area, leaving the surronding area relativly deviod of deer. Anytime you create a situation where deer are artifically packed into a small area you are making it easier for the disease to spread.

Oh and just so you understand where Im coming from, I have 2 feeders that I keep stocked with corn from septemeber till january. From the looks of things I wont be filling them this year.

Buckshot, nothing scientific here, but I just dont feel nose-to-nose is the way this is being transfered. I know a farm where a guy had one deer test positive, yet in three subsequent years he has not had another positive. Its such a problem, not knowing how or why. My frustration stems from those who dont know, wanting to conveniently blame deer farmers. If they only knew what some of us do, they wouldnt.

If you wanna REALLY have some fun, go research the elk trap and transfer records for the last 30 years. Then check where CWD is nowadays. Real interesting read, especially way back when they were loosing elk to a condition "similar to brainworm, where the brain showed little perforations". Hmmm, and TSE are...

The infected WV deer came from the Slanesville Area. I hunt in paw paw, so that's pretty close by.

For all those interested, WV DNR is holding a public meeting on Sept. 13 at 7 PM at the Hampshire County High school Auiditorium to discuss their plan to deal with this situation. The school is located on Route 50 just east of Romney. I will be there and will report back.

http://wvhunting.proboards26.com/index.cgi?board=cwd

You can see my take on the meeting at the above link. Thanks for posting it bspencer. I was not a happy camper afterwards and I fear for the future of deer hunting in WV with the attitude of the states DNR towards it and hunters.

Seems that with the new testing, several more cases are being report. DNR is currently waiting confirmation, including one possible in neighboring Hardy county WV. This isnt good.....not good at all.

http://www.wvdnr.gov/2005news/05news192.shtm

Hopefully they'll find a way to cull the infected deer, if there are many more of them. Could get bad if it srpeads.