# News - Bird flu could shut down pheasant season, official wa



## duxnbux (Feb 25, 2002)

"News - Bird flu could shut down pheasant season, official warns"

To view this article on The Argus Leader site, go to:

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200660309007

By JON WALKER
[email protected]

Article Published: 03/9/06, 1:25 pm

Top U.S., regional and state officials warned South Dakotans today to seriously consider the threat that a world bird flu epidemic poses to local communities.

Bruce Morrison, chief of wildlife for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, told an audience of 450 people at the South Dakota Summit on Pandemic Influenza that drastic action might be necessary "if Asian bird flu arrives in the United States."

"What happens if it shows up in wild birds and not humans?" Morrison asked. "We might have to shut down pheasant season in South Dakota."

Speaking at the Ramkota Hotel, Morrison said state wildlife authorities would be responsible to contain such an emergency, but he is not sure how that would happen.

"We can't kill all of the ducks. We can't kill all of the pheasants. We can't kill all of the songbirds. It's not possible." he said.

Officials said that if an epidemic like the one in 1918 reached the human population, about 2 million Americans could die, including 5,000 in South Dakota.

"Is this the little boy who cried wolf? Is this Y2K? Let's hope so. But the reality is we don't know," Michael Leavitt, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, told the audience.


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## sierra03 (Jan 27, 2005)

Thats scary stuff...  I couldnt even imagine what would happen to ND without a bird hunt!


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

WOW ! To think that this is being considered... and further that it is being discussed in a public forum as something to consider! Yikes! Can you imagine presenting that idea at the G&F Advisory meetings!

Will the Guiding and Outfitting community demand compensation to remove the birds from their property?

:stirpot:

Ryan

.


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## rowdie (Jan 19, 2005)

What about grouse, turkeys, partridge and waterfowl??


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I think we need to look at the countries that have bird flu to see what is most likely to happen and how it will affect the wild bird populations. I'm sure there are some patterns set by now.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Let's all hope this does not come to pass - but I fear it will.


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

The article in the Argus Leader was typical of sloppy reporting without any understanding of the science. The less lethal strain of avian flu has been present in wildlife in the US for decades. The more virulent strain of avian flu , according to the national wildlife health lab, the UN and various others are predicting its arrival in the US this year with migration, BUT, it was already in the US four or more times in the past century, the latest being 1983/4, almost entirely in captive bird flocks. Yes, it can and does infect wild birds, but is much more likely to show up in domestic poultry flocks. I have not heard or seen reports of massive dieoffs in wild birds, just localized outbreaks.

Here is a good starting point for factual information as is the entire national wildlife health lab site for all things avian flu.

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/w ... _05_03.jsp


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

If they outlaw pheasant hunting because of the bird flu I will still hunt them anyway.


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

I have read the same info indesport, typical reporting from the Arguy Lyer


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## The Norseman (Jan 8, 2005)

Good morning everyone,

Typical News reporting, The News usually doesn't tell the whole story.
There's more sides to this article.
There are captive birds and birds in the wild. Birds in the wild are stronger and less affected.
And why are pheasants brought up? There are 1000's of bird species.

See yeaw, out hunting pheasants next fall.


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## n_108_nd (Oct 13, 2004)

Isn't this exactly the type of thing they are worried about with the overpopulation of snows? It has already infected wild swans in Eastern Europe, so it will not be long before it is in our back-yard. Senator Conrad proposed a large chunk of extra funding to prepare for the day it shows up. I sure hope he can make it happen.


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## goose1965 (Sep 3, 2004)

If this does come through the area, I think I'll stop hunting them because there's no way I'll let my dogs even pick it up.


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## wiscan22 (Apr 4, 2004)

It's not so much that the wild animals are stronger than domestic, it's the fact that if you handle a diseased carrying bird your chances of getting it are really good..... and they're not only concerned about pheasants. Waterfowl are suppose to be the primary source for the introduction of the disease into the US. If bird flu does show up in the US the impact on bird hunting could be astronomical. True, Bird flu has been around before but I don't believe the virus strain was the H5N1 strain. It was a lesser strain. For these reasons alone, I would say hunters need to start paying pretty close attention.


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