Charlie P

Should NYS allow any animal that hasn't been tested into state? I'd say NO!

Charlie P

I'm not condeming you at all. From what I've read on here you seem to be a allright person.

To be honest Yup I'd give up everything you mentioned no problem. That's one of the main reasons I don't read hunting mags nor do I buy video's the only hunting show I watch are from guys that hunt wild deer.

adams

I agree Charlie. I'm not certain how one goes about testing a live deer or if it's like mad cow where you have to test brain matter, but it's certainly in the best interest of the state, the herd and the sportsman and women of the state to contain CWD. If that means not allowing the importation of animals from states known to be infested with the disease that that is a good step. Maine and New Hampshire have laws that target just that.

It's pretty safe to say that CWD will be all but impossible to irraticate. The best option is to contain it and I don't think trucking animals all over the country is the right way to accomplish containment.

T_in_PA3

Wow, touchy crowd. I did not intend to "blame" anyone. Just stated the migration of CWD to the east can ride in the back of a truck. Where are most of the CWD problems located at? Captive cervids. There's a reason a deer farmer is regulated so much.

Bill Yox

Guys, Im going to say something for all of you. You guys know very little about this subject in general, and this case specifically. You are NOT to blame, though, so please dont feel as though Im criticizing you. In turn, as much as you guys might be misinformed, I on the other hand, have become too defensive over all this. This is serious stuff, and the info isnt getting out there accurately. But the publics lack of info hurts me financially. Ill explain.

Most of you use deer recreationally. You hunt them, collect sheds, eat them, etc. I make my living putting them back together as a taxidermist as well as raising them for sale to other breeders. Without deer, Im sunk. I cannot risk having deer be sick, wild or captive. Please keep that in mind when someone comes in here and says Im just in it for the money, etc. I hope you see my point.

CWD is NOT the result of captive deer movement. CWD started in the mid-sixties in Colorado and Wyoming during scrapies research with sheep. They were looking at maganese replacement of copper for prion and protien function and proteinase resistance. Deer and elk later contracted a wasting disease from those areas. Elk were moved to Saskatchewan before this disease was known. Restocking elk, not farming. Wisconsin got theirs from Mule deer. I know, theres no mule deer in Wisconsin. Heck, theres no captive cervid program in Wyoming either, but those who blame deerfarms dont care. One of the universities in Wis. had test stations where they operated a program on wasting diseases in deer. The papers are public record. Later those facilities werent kept up and deer could freely move in and out of the test stations. Mt. Horeb is just one example.

Here in NY state, the culprit looks like contamination from taxidermy waste. Before anyone wants this guys head, he just did what so many others did. Animals came to him still on the carcass long before any of us knew anything about transmissable spongiform encephalapathies. The area he often processed those animals later became part of his deer facilities. Facilities the state licensed him to operate to rehab wildlife, including deer. He, like the state, or anyone for that matter, had no idea that rogue prions could store dorminantly in the ground to somehow be passed on later. So, you can say it was the deer industry, but I think an intelligent observer can deduce that even without any deer farm that this was going to happen.

Now, I wont lie to you guys and say that sloppy deer farming practices and illegal movement wont excellerate the process, but Im not taking the blame for this, either. Illegally moving live animals across state lines is in violation of the Lacy Act, besides all our new emergency regs on CWD. Most states require that cervids cant be moved into the state until the herd has been in the CWD monitoring or surveillance program for 3 to 5 years, depending on the state.

Many of the above comments/questions have already been answered in my first post. No live test available, wish there was one! No, NY does not allow deer into the state without the CWD monitoring program. NY doesnt allow hunter killed animals to come in either, without first being processed, but, its still happening. Lack of education is the culprit here.

Charlie, no, there has not been any more positives from approximately 120 deer tested this past week, from the wild in an area near the infected herds. No, the farmer in question had not imported anything from out of state since the early '90s. I know him personally. Without our captive deer program, no, we sure wouldnt have deer to test. But, you wouldnt see CWD until it infected your wild deer, either. Like I believe I convincingly pointed out, the disease wasnt a result of deerfarming.

Adam, they have been trying to develop a live test. Tonsil swabs, saliva, blood work, but nothing. There are theories out there that this is based on some spiroplasma, maybe its related to Alshiemers disease, all kinds of stuff. When they take a sample from deer, its dead deer, of course. They take the brain stem, and also the lymph node and tonsils, just for a comparative test. Theyre trying, believe me.

Ruffed grouse, another thing to remember. Many states, like PA, believe that because theyre CWD free, that instate movement is harmless. There are a helluva lot more guys dumping butchered carcasses of cervids out in fields that could have come from edemic areas then there are deerfarmers bringing in potential sick deer. We ALL know deer processors and taxidermists and private individuals who have for years dumped carcass parts in a hole out in the back forty. Im not familiar with PAs regs, because I havent needed to buy any deer. But Im willing to bet that theyll soon adopt the federal regs in whole or at least in part. You make a good point though.

Guys, I know you all wont agree with all of what I say here. Thats ok. But trust me when I say that Im involved, and Im not lying to you. Theres also things Im just not at liberty to say. Thats just part of being involved. I just hoped that I could share at least some info on this with guys like you, who I banter back and forth with on so many other topics. You are of course entitled to your own opinions, and I respect that. I hope youll give me that same courtesy...

NY Bowhunter

not sure if I understood this completely or not but this is how I see it :

There is a big difference between putting remains in a hole in some country field and putting remains in a hole, building a cage around the hole, and exposing deer to it 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Medic

Bill I would like to thank you for your post. That is the best info I have seen any where. If I ever take another Buck for the wall I would like to reward you with my business. ( Don't Hold your breath to long on that one. ) Seriously though, The truth does not make a good story and you are doing a great service by relaying this information to us. Try to keep us posted on anything else you learn.

rcdavis34

ray ny i live about 20 min from the spot they are testing the wild deer and they have shot about 135 deer already and have found no trace of cwd but thay still want to shoot 300 moor deer for testing i think there nuts if they havent found any trace yet you think they would have in by now

Bill Yox

To RCDavis...as Ive said, I cant talk too much about particulars on this for obvious reasons, but let me say this much. Your area cannot support that high of a kill, and the state realizes it. I think youll see that they wont kill that many deer there, even though it has been proposed. Your samples have all come back negative. They will continue to monitor roadkills though. I truly believe that the DEC and Ag and Markets is trying to be thorough and do their job to contain this, yet work in an intelligent manner on behalf of you, the residents of Onieda county. I can promise you that the majority of us deerfarmers are. Its our livelihood!

NYBowhunter...yes, and like I already stated, the big difference is that up to a few years ago, nobody knew that putting carcasses into the ground would ever pose any threat to anything. The enclosures were put up in good faith, not to be covering a known contaminated area. Heck, I could walk you to fields Im aware of that guys would get paid by veterinarians to dig holes and dump vet waste, ie chemically detroyed or euthanized pets, diseased animals, etc, instead of processing them legally. The stuff is out there. Just remember that so-called "hole in some country field" might later have a house over it, or a playground...or yes, a deer pen.

Medic, thank you for your kind words. Yes, the truth isnt always pretty, but it sure is accurate. If there was one person who does NOT want a sick deer, I would have to be on the short list of people saying it were me! 90% of us play by the rules and do all we can to be legal. I cant and wont speak for what might be the other 10%. I also do not want to be punished for that 10% either. Medic, tell you what...you shoot that great buck of yours, and Ill either be happy to take you up on your kind offer, or Ill help you locate a good taxidermist in your immediate area. Hows that sound?

One last note...there is a second area that the state was taking deer for testing too, and they have stopped culling deer there for testing as well. To date, no positives have come from that area either.

ruffed-grouse

News Release
NY DEC
April 27, 2005

Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Oneida County Wild Deer