# Chronic Wasting Disease



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I didn't want to subscribe to get the entire article, but I found this on Drudge today. Years ago when people were trying to shut down the high fence shooting the people in favor of it passed off CWD as if it was not important. I would guess it's because they are the spreader of this disease. I think it was only known from Wyoming and Colorado for a while, but now it's in 26 states and threatening the populations.



> U.S.
> Disease Threatening Deer Population Has Spread to 26 States
> Wasting illness is incurable and can be spread among deer species, including the whitetail
> By Cameron McWhirter
> ...


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

CWD is now in my neck of the woods in SE MN.

The comments by the USDA biologist that I spoke with when they were taking the sample from my doe is that they have it located or "centralized" to a deer farm (not hunting preserve) that was in non compliance. It is the nucleus of the out break. But his comment was also that not enough big does are getting shot. He said that the more 2 1/2 year old does or older are the main animals that "spread' CWD. He said because the older does are more social and "group" up. So his indication was that if hunters want to help control CWD they need to shoot more does. He also stated that the "older" deer get the more apt they are to have CWD and the "craze" of mature bucks is kind of hurting it as well. But he also know that to get "big antlers" you need to have older deer so it is a catch 22.

So in SE MN they have had a push with "antler point" restrictions to help bucks get older. We are seeing more and more "leased" land. Where not so many deer are being harvested and people are only chasing "antlers". Which to each your own. I wish they would adopt an "earn a buck" type system where you need to harvest an antlerless deer before you can harvest a buck. The biologist I spoke with said that would help contain the spread for sure. He mentioned how in WI they pretty much have thrown up there hands and stopped trying to control CWD because of backlash from hunters. He said that when it was first discovered that about 25-30% of the deer that were tested came back positive. Then when they had "special regulations" to help control it dropped down to 15-20% tested came back positive. Well a few years ago they dropped all those measures....now it is darn near 50% of the deer tested have CWD. He made the comments about IL goes in and stomps out an area once things happen and they pretty much "curb" the out break.

Well people in the SE MN are bucking the trend and think all the deer will get wiped out and not recover. This biologist made the comment that the deer herd in SE MN is very strong and the does tend to have twins and triplets in the spring. So the herd will rebound in a hurry. :bop:

So just some info I wanted to pass along on CWD that I got from USDA biologists.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I have been on other sites where arm chair biologists think they know it all. That and high fence operators and deer/elk farmers tell them how safe it is . When they wake up it will be to late.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I know many guys love baiting but eventually it's gonna be part of this problem. As may be food plots. When I drive by a field in the winter and there are 50-100 or more deer in it I think about the possibility of disease spreading particularly when you consider some of those animals may have migrated 10 or 20 miles to be in that field and in the spring may carry that disease back to their home territory.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Some get angry when I say we have a two party political system, perverts and money worshipers. The money worshipers never met a dollar they didn't like. That led to deer farms and high fence shooting galleries. They deny they are the problem, but I think they have spread this diseased faster than nature could ever have done.


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## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

I am no biologist. Also want to state I am naive with respect to information on this subject. Curious if there have been any disease incidence maps published with hot spots or levels of occurrence? Can they be tied to deer or elk farms? Can moose spread CWD? Am am concerned as there are two elk farms within a 30 mile radius of me. Also a lot of moose have moved into my area within the last 10 years. But I have no way of knowing if, at what level or if there has been an increase in CWD in my area.

Have also noticed an increase in deer bunching up in corn fields in my area. Never had corn around 10 years ago so didn't see a lot of this. Also have a landowner with a section of land that rents it out to a farmer that raises a lot of corn. They post and will not let ANYONE hunt because they feel the deer need a refuge to be safe from all the hunting that occurs around them. Have tried to impress upon them they may be inviting trouble with disease incidence but they scoff at me. Suppose they think I just want to hunt their land but they should know I gave up hunting once my son moved away. This is just one reason I invite hunters I respect and trust to harvest deer on land I own and farm. Especially those seeking meat and not antlers. Seems common sense to me that it will lead to an overall healthier deer population. But what do I know?


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> But what do I know?


  A lot more than the type that think they know everything. You have some good questions and I can't answer them. I think CWD has been found close to some of these game farms. Some states will report that and I think for some reason some states hide it.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Here is a map of MN area's of CWD...Also some info on CWD as well.

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/cwdcheck/index.html

The one thing the biologist told me when we were discussing the "deer/elk" farms. He said that if they are in compliance there shouldn't be an issue. But did say that enforcement and regulations very new and ever changing. What I mean is that the older regulations were based more on "cattle" biology and stuff like that. He mentioned that it is more "new" and they are still trying to find the correct animals per acre and what not. I think he was talking more "political" than anything.

But like I stated the "hot spot" in SE MN map were most of the CWD is being found is where a deer farm was not in compliance with anything and they are not sure where the "herd" went. If it was sold, slaughtered, or "released". Because no documentation was made and the owner (according to locals) was "shady". They said that one day the fences were just "gone". So nobody really knows what happened to that herd.


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