Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Do you hunt in a CWD infected area? #201726 09/04/2019 1:36 AM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,669
Chance Weldon Offline OP
Distinguished Expert
OP Offline
Distinguished Expert
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,669
Midway through last deer season, a handful of deer in west Tennessee - in the counties east of Memphis - were found to have contracted Chronic Wasting Disease for the first time. This resulted in an emergency extended season as well as the creation of a CWD management zone in the affected and surrounding counties. I'm not in the CWD zone, but I fear it will reach my neck of the woods within the next few years.

How many of you live in areas where CWD has been discovered? Has it affected your hunting? If it only came about recently, have you had to make any changes to your hunting?


Formerly TN Lone Wolf

"We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided." - J.K. Rowling
Re: Do you hunt in a CWD infected area? [Re: Chance Weldon] #201727 09/04/2019 1:48 AM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 190
short30 Offline
member
Offline
member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 190
Not CWD, but several Blue Tongue deaths found in south central TN, few shot with obvious blue tongue. Blue tongue is a non-contagious, viral disease spread by biting insects. My BIL and I both agreed we just could not eat meat from an obviously infected animal. Processor can spot it even in barely sick animals.

I worry as AL has now made legal hunting over feeders if you buy the $15 license. this will make CWD easy to spread.


First Handgun Deer: ~1982 8" S&W .38Spl
SW 7.5" 686-7 with Matchdot II
SBHH .45LC 7.5"
Contender G2 .35-30/30 (Bellm), .22LR, .22 Hornet, 25-35
Glock 40 10mm; G21 Poly80 w/ 9 inch barrel (in work)
Re: Do you hunt in a CWD infected area? [Re: short30] #201740 09/04/2019 12:16 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 378
BRASF0311 Offline
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 378
Four years ago, CWD was recorded on the north east side of West Virginia. It has since entered the north west counties of Virginia and made it's way south east down to my county for this year. We are now required to check in all deer at a check station, where as before we could just call in our harvest.
The recent acquisition of my hunting tour bus is in part due to my plans of hunting south western counties that don't have any CWD reportings.
Years back we had black fly that reduced the dear population then disappeared.
That is most likely how CWD will run its course. JMO

Re: Do you hunt in a CWD infected area? [Re: BRASF0311] #201742 09/04/2019 12:47 PM
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 90
Memtb460 Offline
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 90
Here in Wyoming, it?s getting pretty hard ?not? to. We have a general area right here at the house.....but, it?s also listed as a CWD area. It?s not affected us much, as we really haven?t hunted deer much for many years. However, our daughter had to throw away a deer several years ago. And we know of several others that had to dispose of their kill. One of the sad things is, you?ve used-up your license and by the time that the test report comes back....you?ve already processed your game! Kind of a ?no win? for the hunter! memtb

Last edited by Memtb460; 09/04/2019 12:52 PM.

You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel

~Molɔ̀ːn Lab? Sk?la~
Re: Do you hunt in a CWD infected area? [Re: Memtb460] #201743 09/04/2019 1:52 PM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 859
karl Offline
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 859
Here in MN, we've got it strong in Wisconsin right across a river. It has been turning up in locations across the state, typically associated with deer farms that have infected animals on site. There is a large area of infected deer in SE Minnesota that is ~50-75 miles south of us. We are just outside the mandatory deer checking areas where the state will collect the lymph nodes and send them in for analysis so we collect our own and bring them to the U of MN where they will turn around the results in 2 weeks. If you are in the hot spots, the state/hunting associations will typically provide a walk-in cooler and fedex the samples to CSU in Fort Collins for one week testing results so you know before you take your deer out of the area. Right now we process the deer at risk under the assumption that it isn't in the immediate area yet. At some point that will change. Currently, my biggest worry is cross contamination at the Butcher shop. We may go back to processing and grinding our own, but it's been getting so warm that you can't leave a deer hanging for very long so that will complicate things a bit.
I think data on human impact is still lacking, but there is a study in Canada where interm results showed that feeding infected meat to monkeys caused them to get infected. From my understanding this is the first demonstration of CWD transmission between species and the reason the CDC recommended not eating infected animals. The final results were suppose to be available a year ago, but I haven't heard anything about it.
As for moving through and dying off... I'm not sure this has that sort of pattern. Has it disappeared in the elk and deer in Wyoming and Colorado where they first discovered the disease? From my understanding deer can live quite a while and reproduce before dying.

Last edited by karl; 09/04/2019 9:58 PM.
Re: Do you hunt in a CWD infected area? [Re: karl] #201744 09/04/2019 3:38 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,048
wvhitman Offline
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,048
I'm in the heart of CWD in eastern WV. Check in deer, no spinal column taken out of the county, no baiting. A good friend found a 140+" 10 point last year emaciated and dying. Lots od deer being found. None on my farm yet, but I'm only 15-20 miles from it.

Re: Do you hunt in a CWD infected area? [Re: wvhitman] #201752 09/04/2019 9:56 PM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 164
rougerocco Offline
member
Offline
member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 164
Michigan has CWD areas in the center of the state. They have extended seasons and banned all baiting in the lower peninsula. Not many cases have been found but they are treating it aggressive!

Re: Do you hunt in a CWD infected area? [Re: rougerocco] #201769 09/05/2019 5:28 AM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 124
Midwesthunter11 Offline
member
Offline
member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 124
Adding to mn . My family and I hunted within 5 miles from the first wild case reported in the se corner. We hunted there for over 40 years all it told between us till they sold the place. The season before that case we were told by the local butcher the USDA was not allowing them to butcher deer while operating there beef operation. Deer and beef was there entire buisness.Thay did let them butcher deer after hours if it was boned out of course lol. Might as well as finish the job yourself at that point. I hunted the state land the year they found cwd in the herd but since have moved on . Personally I would rather not take the risk. They want the deer gone so bad that you can shoot unlimited antlerless ,3 bucks as long as they are with bow, firearm, and muzzle loader. Separate tags that don't count towards the state buck limit elsewhere. This zone is half of se mn so the scale is massive. They want it gone can you tell! There only theory is infected deer herds that bottle hunting scents were used . Then the deer put there faces in it infecting them and others when they them selves pee. So needless to say no attracts of any kind and feeding bans as well. Good luck keeping them out of corn and soybean contry lol. Maybe the dnr can stare at them with frowning faces. Hopeing that one day that it will be gone from down there.what a shame ☹


Moderated by  Chance Weldon, Gary, Gregg Richter 

Newest Members
Redhawk41, Striker243, Sxviper, RobbieD, IRONMAN
9668 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
Who's Online Now
0 registered members (), 35 guests, and 1 spider.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3