CWD
12-28-2003, 06:14 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Alabama
Posts: 703
CWD
To all you Yankees, Howdy from the deep south.
I was curious about ya'lls problem with CWD and if it was under control yet. I hated to hear about it, but haven't heard anything in a while. How's it affected ya'lls huntin' up there.
I was curious about ya'lls problem with CWD and if it was under control yet. I hated to hear about it, but haven't heard anything in a while. How's it affected ya'lls huntin' up there.
12-28-2003, 06:44 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Chapin, Illinois USA
Posts: 561
RE: CWD
So far it has not affected Illinois deer hunting very much at all. For a while it was illegal to bring a skull or some forms of meat into the state. It is now illegal to feed deer in any capacity(even minerals). That has never affected me however as I don't feed the deer anything. We use foodplots.
According to yesterday's newspaper, IL had another 9 deer found to have CWD during our recent gun seasons. All were in the far northern counties of the state near the WI line.
I hunt in Pike and Calhoun Counties in Western IL. The DNR has tested hundreds of deer from the area but have found no cases of CWD.
I talk to a number of hunters through my deer hunting business and none have voiced any concern about CWD affecting their hunt in my part of the state.
Good luck!
LLBUX
According to yesterday's newspaper, IL had another 9 deer found to have CWD during our recent gun seasons. All were in the far northern counties of the state near the WI line.
I hunt in Pike and Calhoun Counties in Western IL. The DNR has tested hundreds of deer from the area but have found no cases of CWD.
I talk to a number of hunters through my deer hunting business and none have voiced any concern about CWD affecting their hunt in my part of the state.
Good luck!
LLBUX
12-28-2003, 08:37 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: WI USA
Posts: 175
RE: CWD
CWD is turning into a major problem for Wisconsin. Here are the latest details:
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE: 12,000 deer killed in disease zone
BY ROBERT IMRIE Associated Press
Hunters have killed about 12,000 deer this fall in the nearly 1,200-square-mile area of southwest Wisconsin where wildlife experts want to eradicate a fatal brain disease, an official said Tuesday.
The total should be enough to reduce the deer population in the area next fall by 25 percent, said Robert Rolley, a wildlife population ecologist for the state Department of Natural Resources.
"We are looking at a harvest rate of about 40 percent. It is about comparable to what we did last year in the eradication zone," he said.
Going into fall, the DNR estimated 28,000 to 34,000 deer roamed in the 1,150-square-mile area where the agency wants all the deer killed to try to eradicate chronic wasting disease from the herd, Rolley said.
Since the disease was first confirmed in Wisconsin deer in February 2002, the DNR has implemented a strategy that calls for dramatically reducing deer populations in a region surrounding Mount Horeb, where the disease was first detected.
Experts believe the disease is transmitted by animal-to-animal contact.
Hunting in the eradication zone began in October and continues until Jan. 3. The only other deer hunting still taking place is the archery season, which also ends Jan. 3.
As of Tuesday, the DNR had analyzed 48,923 brains of deer killed throughout Wisconsin since the discovery of the disease and found 239 deer inflicted with it in seven counties: Iowa (126), Dane (107), Sauk (2), Columbia (1), Richland (1), Rock (1) and Walworth (1).
The fatal, incurable disease threatens Wisconsin's $1 billion a year hunting industry.
The deer that hunters killed in the intensive harvest zone so far this fall include 4,100 does and 7,000 bucks, Rolley said. The sex of the rest were unknown or not documented, he said.
Last year, hunters killed about 10,000 deer in the disease zone, which then covered about 411 square miles, Rolley said.
"It is going to take us quite a few years to see how low (the population) has to go to eradicate the disease," he said.
Although hunting continues in the disease zone until Jan. 3, Rolley doesn't expect many more to be killed. Only 600 deer were killed last December, he said.
Jeff Schinkten, president of Whitetails Unlimited, said he was satisfied with the progress in the DNR's strategy in dealing with the disease.
But as deer populations drop, killing large numbers will get harder and harder, he said.
The effort to deal with chronic wasting disease in the Mount Horeb area could take nearly two decades. It involves dramatically reducing the herd, holding the population down for a few years and then building it back up, Schinkten said.
The DNR, working with Whitetails Unlimited, is offering a $400 bounty for each deer with chronic wasting disease killed in the eradication zone.
The bounty is split between the hunter and the landowner where the deer was killed.
So far, 25 hunters and 26 landowners have received the payments, said Bill Gerl, executive vice president of Whitetails Unlimited.
The DNR is offering $250,000 in what it calls reward money as an incentive to get more landowners to participate in the eradication program.
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE: 12,000 deer killed in disease zone
BY ROBERT IMRIE Associated Press
Hunters have killed about 12,000 deer this fall in the nearly 1,200-square-mile area of southwest Wisconsin where wildlife experts want to eradicate a fatal brain disease, an official said Tuesday.
The total should be enough to reduce the deer population in the area next fall by 25 percent, said Robert Rolley, a wildlife population ecologist for the state Department of Natural Resources.
"We are looking at a harvest rate of about 40 percent. It is about comparable to what we did last year in the eradication zone," he said.
Going into fall, the DNR estimated 28,000 to 34,000 deer roamed in the 1,150-square-mile area where the agency wants all the deer killed to try to eradicate chronic wasting disease from the herd, Rolley said.
Since the disease was first confirmed in Wisconsin deer in February 2002, the DNR has implemented a strategy that calls for dramatically reducing deer populations in a region surrounding Mount Horeb, where the disease was first detected.
Experts believe the disease is transmitted by animal-to-animal contact.
Hunting in the eradication zone began in October and continues until Jan. 3. The only other deer hunting still taking place is the archery season, which also ends Jan. 3.
As of Tuesday, the DNR had analyzed 48,923 brains of deer killed throughout Wisconsin since the discovery of the disease and found 239 deer inflicted with it in seven counties: Iowa (126), Dane (107), Sauk (2), Columbia (1), Richland (1), Rock (1) and Walworth (1).
The fatal, incurable disease threatens Wisconsin's $1 billion a year hunting industry.
The deer that hunters killed in the intensive harvest zone so far this fall include 4,100 does and 7,000 bucks, Rolley said. The sex of the rest were unknown or not documented, he said.
Last year, hunters killed about 10,000 deer in the disease zone, which then covered about 411 square miles, Rolley said.
"It is going to take us quite a few years to see how low (the population) has to go to eradicate the disease," he said.
Although hunting continues in the disease zone until Jan. 3, Rolley doesn't expect many more to be killed. Only 600 deer were killed last December, he said.
Jeff Schinkten, president of Whitetails Unlimited, said he was satisfied with the progress in the DNR's strategy in dealing with the disease.
But as deer populations drop, killing large numbers will get harder and harder, he said.
The effort to deal with chronic wasting disease in the Mount Horeb area could take nearly two decades. It involves dramatically reducing the herd, holding the population down for a few years and then building it back up, Schinkten said.
The DNR, working with Whitetails Unlimited, is offering a $400 bounty for each deer with chronic wasting disease killed in the eradication zone.
The bounty is split between the hunter and the landowner where the deer was killed.
So far, 25 hunters and 26 landowners have received the payments, said Bill Gerl, executive vice president of Whitetails Unlimited.
The DNR is offering $250,000 in what it calls reward money as an incentive to get more landowners to participate in the eradication program.
12-29-2003, 11:49 PM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: CWD
Been said cases have been exsitance for over 1/4 of century in wild deer known and thought it has been around for much longer just never tested for it. I have heard wildlife biologist say it probably is no different than other diseases in the wild and way to control population naturally. The main reason it has spread is over population, lack of habitat and lack of food sources. In Saskatchewan the deer that have been positively identified with CWD are in large herd areas where animals yard up in the 100's and chew on the same food sources for most of the winter. These same areas have had limited hunting opportunities and the population has thrived to out of control numbers. My thoughts are poor management are part to blame but so is urbanization we have forced animals in to closer corners by our need to develop. Sure game farms will have a higher % due to close spaces and feeding on placed food(hay, etc) but I think it is unreasonable to blame a deer in the fence for deer outside the fence...soley! Only reason it makes so much hay as our DNR's are testing large numbers of animals and trying to intervine, obviously if you test large quantities of harvested animals in a given area your bond to find disease...especially when over populated. I am not sure it is correct to assume it is something we can really prevent. The only method they have is reduce the herd, which wouldn't have been a problem had they managed the resource properly in the first place...again that is just my opinion.
No documentation or proof deer can contract it through cattle or pass it to cattle...although many people believe there is a link to BSE(Madcow). Also no proof that it can be transferred to humans via consumsption or contact with an postive animal.
Really a lot of unknows and possibly misconceptions floating around with CWD, really am not sure we'll ever know the real story behind this disease. Best thing is sift through the hoards of info available, keep informed and do your part when called upon.
No documentation or proof deer can contract it through cattle or pass it to cattle...although many people believe there is a link to BSE(Madcow). Also no proof that it can be transferred to humans via consumsption or contact with an postive animal.
Really a lot of unknows and possibly misconceptions floating around with CWD, really am not sure we'll ever know the real story behind this disease. Best thing is sift through the hoards of info available, keep informed and do your part when called upon.
12-31-2003, 03:41 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cottage Grove Oregon
Posts: 918
RE: CWD
If you try some of the factual internet sites through a search engine and read all the facts it is a NO BIG DEAL. just another place to make a big stink. Look at the numbers above 239 in 40,ooo deer. if left salone you would not notice it I read some ware that in the effected states at it future peak it would affect 1 in 4000 deer SO big deal. Forget it and enjoy the hunt. You have more chance of running into a 200 point B&C Buck. It also gestates slowly after several years 4 or 5 I think if I remember right . So most deer die of other causes before it takes hold. Just my 2 cents. if I get time I will post the article that identifies the above.
12-31-2003, 02:48 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 227
RE: CWD
yes it has caused problems. The biggest is the WI DNR trying to wipe out the herd, and forcing people to earn bucks by shooting doe. I am not against shooting doe but with two people hunting in the house if we whoot our two doe which have been very hard to come by. Then our buck that is four deer that does not include archery season. we can only eat two or three a year so we are done after taking the doe with no chance to take bucks. and unlike the other dirt balls out there we are not going to shoot a deer just to throw it in a dumpster to earn the buck. and believe me there are a number of people doing this and some are taking four and five doe to earn that many buck tags and just dumping them all just to get horns. These people sicken me but the dnr pats them on the back.
12-31-2003, 03:04 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: WI USA
Posts: 175
RE: CWD
From the Wisconsin DNR Web site:
How did wild deer in southwest Wisconsin get CWD?
Unfortunately, since the disease was likely introduced 5-10 years ago, we probably won’t ever know exactly how it happened. But, the more we understand about how CWD was introduced into our wild deer herd, the more we can do to prevent something similar from occurring elsewhere in the state and, for that matter, elsewhere in the country.
Starting with the discovery of CWD on Feb. 28, 2002, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and DNR’s law enforcement and wildlife management staffs began investigating the possible origins of the fatal nervous system disease found in our local deer herd. Landowners, deer farm owners, hunters, animal feed businesses and other members of communities in the CWD-affected area were contacted.
The investigation of the origins of CWD inWisconsin’s wild and captive whitetailed deer has occupied thousands of hours of conservation wardens’ time. More than 100 wardens followed up on over 500 leads and audited the records of over 600 deer farms. These investigations have added to our understanding of the activities that might have brought this disease to southwest Wisconsin, such as:
infected deer brought into the Mt. Horeb area and released;
infected deer escaping from a deer farm;
hunter-harvested deer brought back from the West and carcass remains being left on the landscape;
CWD prions made available to wild deer in deer food or mineral blocks.
People would have been unaware that CWD was present in all of the above scenarios, yet these situations all have something in common – a human activity that poses the risk of unknowingly introducing a devastating disease.
If you have information that might help us learn more about how CWD got to this area, please call 1-800-TIP-WDNR.
How do we know that CWD hasn’t been in Wisconsin’s wild deer herd all along?
We have only been testing a lot of hunter-harvested deer for CWD in Wisconsin since 1999, but for several decades we have been following up on reports of sick and dead Wisconsin deer without detecting CWD.
Last fall and winter we accomplished the most intensive CWD testing in the history of North American wildlife management. In total, we have sampled 41,245 deer statewide in an effort to get good information about where CWD is in our state.
Disease experts from the University of Wisconsin and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center have been studying the pattern of CWD cases in southwest Wisconsin. The large cluster of cases north of Mt. Horeb surrounded by a sprinkling of cases, especially to the north and west, is reminiscent of a wild fire in that there is an intense area with spot fires on the periphery. The pattern suggests there was a relatively recent (within a decade) introduction of the disease in the core area, and also suggests that, like a fire, this may be something we can put out.
How did wild deer in southwest Wisconsin get CWD?
Unfortunately, since the disease was likely introduced 5-10 years ago, we probably won’t ever know exactly how it happened. But, the more we understand about how CWD was introduced into our wild deer herd, the more we can do to prevent something similar from occurring elsewhere in the state and, for that matter, elsewhere in the country.
Starting with the discovery of CWD on Feb. 28, 2002, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and DNR’s law enforcement and wildlife management staffs began investigating the possible origins of the fatal nervous system disease found in our local deer herd. Landowners, deer farm owners, hunters, animal feed businesses and other members of communities in the CWD-affected area were contacted.
The investigation of the origins of CWD inWisconsin’s wild and captive whitetailed deer has occupied thousands of hours of conservation wardens’ time. More than 100 wardens followed up on over 500 leads and audited the records of over 600 deer farms. These investigations have added to our understanding of the activities that might have brought this disease to southwest Wisconsin, such as:
infected deer brought into the Mt. Horeb area and released;
infected deer escaping from a deer farm;
hunter-harvested deer brought back from the West and carcass remains being left on the landscape;
CWD prions made available to wild deer in deer food or mineral blocks.
People would have been unaware that CWD was present in all of the above scenarios, yet these situations all have something in common – a human activity that poses the risk of unknowingly introducing a devastating disease.
If you have information that might help us learn more about how CWD got to this area, please call 1-800-TIP-WDNR.
How do we know that CWD hasn’t been in Wisconsin’s wild deer herd all along?
We have only been testing a lot of hunter-harvested deer for CWD in Wisconsin since 1999, but for several decades we have been following up on reports of sick and dead Wisconsin deer without detecting CWD.
Last fall and winter we accomplished the most intensive CWD testing in the history of North American wildlife management. In total, we have sampled 41,245 deer statewide in an effort to get good information about where CWD is in our state.
Disease experts from the University of Wisconsin and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center have been studying the pattern of CWD cases in southwest Wisconsin. The large cluster of cases north of Mt. Horeb surrounded by a sprinkling of cases, especially to the north and west, is reminiscent of a wild fire in that there is an intense area with spot fires on the periphery. The pattern suggests there was a relatively recent (within a decade) introduction of the disease in the core area, and also suggests that, like a fire, this may be something we can put out.
12-31-2003, 04:55 PM
#10
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 227
RE: CWD
Sorry but unless cwd is something that will die out naturaly it is here to stay. I have anumber of times ask the dnr why did they do such a heavy sampling in the mount horeb area 1000 deer when in the rest of the state they would test twenty deer here or thirty here. Did they dnow or suspect something they are not telling also the UW was doing research on cwd in the same area of heavy testing. But they deny they could be the source as for cwd. As for the following up on tests of sick and dead deer I know of anumber of pwople who have reported dead or sick deer and the dnr did nothing with them told these people to bury them. One of these the landowner had a deer run across open fields and right into his garage breaking its neck the dnr was not interested. also of all these sick deer over decades were not tested for cwd until the last few years. Too many people in this state believe every thing the dnr says. Start looking at other info, these people will give you facts that are not as biased as the dnrs.