Smoke, thanks for mentioning cwd, although I think the biggest vector for it's initial spread was actually whitetail pens, not elk. But, same difference really. It is issues like farmed ungulates spreading disease to wild ungulates, that really impacts public land, public wildlife, and hunters. And yes, farmed elk have a higher chance of transmitting disease to wild elk than say cattle, because fence line contact will be much higher among the same species.
As far as transporting meat cwd endemic areas or from cwd affected farms there are multiple regulations at work. One, States may have laws preventing you from moving the brain of spinal column from endemic areas elsewhere within the state, or out of state. Similarly, your "home state" may have rules preventing the importation of spinal column from areas they consider cwd endemic. Meat really isn't the issue, its the spinal column. I imagine this ranch has gone through a quarantine where they have tested negative for x amount of years, and hunters can now transport with no restriction?? I'm not sure.
There was an escape of farmed elk across the border in Idaho a few years ago. The state extended the seasons in surrounding areas to try and aggressively remove animals that potentially carried disease and or undesirable genetic traits. Native elk of course were killed along with the escapees. Another example of privatized "wildlife" impacting all of our publicly owned wildlife.
Pigs are another phenomenal example of individuals looking for good sport really phugging up public resources. Enough said.
I bring these examples up only to illustrate how these farms really do affect the average hunter, and our public resources. It's not as simple as "I don't want to hunt like that".
Jorge et. al. I'm glad you had a great hunt. Really I am. But I'd like hunters to consider these above points when looking at booking a hunt in the future though.
