Posted on 11/11/2015 1:55:06 PM PST by afraidfortherepublic
As we remain passive, Michigan gets aggressive with deer disease
When chronic wasting disease was discovered in Wisconsin's wild white-tailed deer herd in 2002, state wildlife officials expressed a goal of eradicating the disease.
After several years of effort, including the use of sharpshooters and extended hunting seasons to reduce deer numbers in the affected area, the Department of Natural Resources backed off on its plans and abandoned the aggressive measures.
The 2012 Deer Trustees Report helped drive a final stake in the ambitions of any state wildlife managers who hoped to control the disease. The report advised a "more passive approach to CWD management."
The DNR no longer attempts to manage the disease. It simply monitors the spread.
As such, Wisconsin now serves as a study for how fast CWD can spread in a whitetail-rich environment.
Thirty-eight of Wisconsin's 72 counties are now considered "CWD-affected" by the DNR.
Just to the south, in Illinois, wildlife managers have continued to to use sharpshooters since 2002 and are working to limit the disease spread. It's hard work, and not inexpensive. But in Illinois the CWD prevelance rate is staying about 1%, while in Wisconsin it's several times higher and rising, according to a review by University of Illinois researchers.
It's not entirely clear what the disease will do to the state's or the nation's deer resource over the next 10, 50 and 100 years. The most dire predictions call for a collapse of the deer population.
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
It seems that the DNR is now ignoring the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease. 34 Counties now affected. This will be devastating to the economy of those who depend upon the $ millions gleaned from hunters every season.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
They donated the disease to Colorado deer.
Read the article. Thanks for posting it.
Um...as usual, Milwaukee URINAL Sentinel is fomenting agitation.
This is Governor Walkers Fault, no doubt, LOL!
Our DNR has PLENTY of safeguards in place. If they thought this was a real threat, they’d be giving every man, woman and child a license and a loaded rifle in the CWD areas, or at a minimum, hiring snipers. They are doing neither.
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/releases/article/?id=3741
There is no way in H#LL they’re going to lose out on the BILLION dollars that deer hunting brings to our state each and every year. Absolutely no way. We have over 400 DEER FARMS that release fresh, healthy deer into the woods every single year.
http://datcp.wi.gov/Farms/Deer_Farming/index.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
It’s Big Business! It’s too big to fail. ;)
Glad to hear it, but I’ve witnessed the DNR with their heads in the sand about the deer population. My husband and sons gave up hunting in Florence County a number of years ago when the herd was decimated by wolves. The DNR refused to acknowledge that the wolves existed in WI, despite ample visual and tracking evidence to the contrary. My husband and sons now hunt in Northern Missouri at a private game farm they know about there. Hubby is leaving Sat. for his annual trip, despite the fact that we have about 20 deer running around on our property, including a beautiful 8 pointer. We give permission for someone else to bow hunt here (although shotguns are allowed.) The bow hunters have taken quite a few deer from my back yard. I just insist that they know the difference between a horse, or a dog, and a deer (there is a stable behind me.)
Terrible newspaper - or is that an oxymoron?
Yes, knowing what you’re aiming at SHOULD be a priority, LOL!
Beau is in CO Elk hunting. He’s giddy as a Schoolgirl. They’re having a blast, but they all only have tags for Bucks, which are less populous than the females, of course.
He’s thinking today will be the day, as there was 16 inches of snow in the hills that will drive them down to where they’re hunting. So far he’s seen thousands of Elk, hundreds of Mule Deer and a few dozen Antelope. It’s pretty cool! :)
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