Bad news.
The number of free-ranging deer in PA found to have CWD nearly doubled last year.
According to the PA Game Commission, since last year 123 deer have tested positive for the always fatal disease in deer and other members of the cervid family.
It's the same thing going on in Tn where I hunt, it's pretty bad.
Bad news.
The number of free-ranging deer in PA found to have CWD nearly doubled last year.
According to the PA Game Commission, since last year 123 deer have tested positive for the always fatal disease in deer and other members of the cervid family.
How's that vaccination program progressing?
My WAG on this, in places where it pops up out of nowhere and there are no game farms or other obvious vectors, that urine-based scent products may be the initial source. VA has banned all of them on suspicion. Don't know of any actual tests that prove it, but seems like a reasonable precaution, along with baiting bans in places where the disease already exists to slow the spread.
I'm located in a buffer zone. None here as yet, but it's not all that far away. My processor sends all the heads off for testing.
Could be spread by birds feeding on carrion.
Yup. Given the persistent nature of the prions, lots of stuff is possible. The cat's out of the bag, so anything we can do that might help is worth trying, mandated or not.
VA also recommends burying the guts after field dressing, to prevent lead poisoning in the raptors that feed on it. Not sure that will keep vultures from finding it, as they have a good sense of smell, and canines may find it and dig it up anyway. Eagles and red tails are big carrion eaters here too. I've seen vultures waiting while a little red tail eats his fill. Pretty funny.
123 out of almost 375,000 or about one in every 3000 deer harvested. Doesn't sound as dire as some make it out to be. No doubt there is a problem but a .03% rate of infection hardly seems like the end of the world. I assure you there were far more than 123 deer in PA killed by poachers, more than 123 killed by vehicles, more than 123 killed by predators. I bet more than 123 were killed by farm equipment this spring. The reaction to this has been blown way out of proportion as far as I am concerned. I have a cabin and have grown up hunting my whole life right in the middle of the main PA CWD area and the increased tags, sharpshooters, and government agency intervention has had a huge impact on the deer numbers.
123 out of almost 375,000 or about one in every 3000 deer harvested. Doesn't sound as dire as some make it out to be. No doubt there is a problem but a .03% rate of infection hardly seems like the end of the world. I assure you there were far more than 123 deer in PA killed by poachers, more than 123 killed by vehicles, more than 123 killed by predators. I bet more than 123 were killed by farm equipment this spring. The reaction to this has been blown way out of proportion as far as I am concerned. I have a cabin and have grown up hunting my whole life right in the middle of the main PA CWD area and the increased tags, sharpshooters, and government agency intervention has had a huge impact on the deer numbers.
Agreed, but the ‘Genie is out of the bottle’.
I have some PGC Press Releases re. CWD that I can email if someone would be kind enough to post them.
Where you at.
Bedford suburbs here.
How many were tested to get 123 positive?
I don't think it is 375,000 as suggested above.
It is alarming to me how fast it is progressing thru more states and higher rates of herd infection.
This is not going to end well. If and when it ends.
How many were tested to get 123 positive?
I don't think it is 375,000 as suggested above.
It is alarming to me how fast it is progressing thru more states and higher rates of herd infection.
This is not going to end well. If and when it ends.
You’re correct, there were 9,613 deer tested for CWD in 2018.
The PGC does not feel the disease can ever be eradicated.
So the ratio of positive tests was about 1 in 78.
A long ways from 1 in 3000.
I will go stick my head in the sand now till it goes away.
Somebody let me know when that happens.
Or even just let me know when the ratio drops anywhere.
Could be spread by birds feeding on carrion.
Sort of wondering how many peta member are out there with a spray bottle.
We've been dealing with it for over 50yrs here in Colorado that weve been aware of it. Nothing CP&W has done has had any effect on the disease. Their latest attempt is to issue a large amount buck tags during the rut, with a belief that older mature bucks are the primary carriers/spreaders of the disease. I feel the only effect this will have is lowering the age class of our bucks. The "we need to do something" mentality is the wrong approach IMHO. What we need to do is figure out the correct thing to do, and I fear no one has that answer........
I believe any older animal is more likely to have a disease because their immune systems are weaker with age. They have suppliments now to give animals to improve their immune systems. I think they could put it in lick blocks for deer to lick. I give my pets Imuquin every day with their food. This could be implimented into a lick block for deer and other wild game.
The "we need to do something" mentality is the wrong approach IMHO. What we need to do is figure out the correct thing to do, and I fear no one has that answer........
I agree.
I believe any older animal is more likely to have a disease because their immune systems are weaker with age. They have suppliments now to give animals to improve their immune systems. I think they could put it in lick blocks for deer to lick. I give my pets Imuquin every day with their food. This could be implimented into a lick block for deer and other wild game.
Lick blocks congregate ungulates and spread diseases, especially those transmitted through saliva, like CWD. Not sure that's the right approach.
I believe any older animal is more likely to have a disease because their immune systems are weaker with age. They have suppliments now to give animals to improve their immune systems. I think they could put it in lick blocks for deer to lick. I give my pets Imuquin every day with their food. This could be implimented into a lick block for deer and other wild game.
Lick blocks congregate ungulates and spread diseases, especially those transmitted through saliva, like CWD. Not sure that's the right approach.
Yep, and besides there are no known supplements that would ‘improve’ a Cervids immune system and prevent CWD.
Once those prions are deposited on the soil they last basically forever. It’s a matter of time before another deer comes by and feeds in the area and infects it’s self. My wife’s uncle contracted Creutzfelt-Jacob about 7 yrs ago, it took him very quickly. They believe the cause may have been from eye surgery he had done 6 months prior. It seems sterilized equipment does not kill/remover the prion. Once he started to show symptoms he went within weeks. With CWD being the same sort of prion, once an area is infected it will always be infected . Well at least that is my thought on it.
is the meat infectous to human when consumes ? if not them then i don't know what the issue is.
is the meat infectous to human when consumes ? if not them then i don't know what the issue is.
Nobody knows definitively.
Would this be an issue in your opinion?
https://www.wyofile.com/study-chronic-wasting-disease-kills-19-deer-annually/
The Executive Director of the PA Game Comission indicated that CWD has the potential to become an ecological disaster similar to the American Chestnut blight that decimated PA’s forests a century ago.
The Executive Director of the PA Game Comission indicated that CWD has the potential to become an ecological disaster similar to the American Chestnut blight that decimated PA’s forests a century ago.
Maybe I need to type this slower, we have been dealing with this for over 50yrs in Colorado. It has not been the end all be all impending disaster your executive director is proclaiming. If I were you guys I'd dump his ignorant ass pronto!
50yrs WiM, not a single case indicating it transfers to humans, not even one. Could it one day mutate and make the jump? That's above my paygrade.
The Executive Director of the PA Game Comission indicated that CWD has the potential to become an ecological disaster similar to the American Chestnut blight that decimated PA’s forests a century ago.
Maybe I need to type this slower, we have been dealing with this for over 50yrs in Colorado. It has not been the end all be all impending disaster your executive director is proclaiming. If I were you guys I'd dump his ignorant ass pronto!
Take it you haven’t read any of your own CPW’s recent press releases?
The Executive Director of the PA Game Comission indicated that CWD has the potential to become an ecological disaster similar to the American Chestnut blight that decimated PA’s forests a century ago.
Maybe I need to type this slower, we have been dealing with this for over 50yrs in Colorado. It has not been the end all be all impending disaster your executive director is proclaiming. If I were you guys I'd dump his ignorant ass pronto!
Take it you haven’t read any of your own CPW’s recent press releases?
You guys should just do what we did 20yrs ago, its worked out great!
I have Zombie Human disease....
My opinion is it’s a lot of fuss over something that’s been around forever but again, that’s just my opinion. Our biology “experts” here in Michigan obviously don’t have a clue. Last year it was “kill them all”. This year they put APRs in the CWD core area to decrease the kill. Makes perfect sense.
Oh baiting and feeding deer is illegal. Unless you are handicapped then is ok. Reading the hunting regulations is like a joke book.