Posted on 12/12/2021 5:40:53 AM PST by Alas Babylon!
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Wildlife officials in several states are warning of new cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer, and issuing guidance for hunters.
According to Shane Hesting, wildlife disease coordinator with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the disease could threaten the future of one of the state’s most popular industries.
“CWD has the potential to ruin hunting as we know it over time,” Hesting said. “This is going to take a long time…decades. There are a lot of questions whether we’re going to have localized extinction, which would be 50, 60 years from now. But, more likely, we’re going to see the older animals disappear from the population.”
CWD can be found in deer, elk and moose. The disease is caused by prions, an infectious agent, spreading through bodily fluids or nose-to-nose contact, damaging portions of the animal’s brain once they’re infected. It typically causes gradual loss of body condition, like significant weight loss, behavioral changes, excessive salivation, and death.
Limited surveillance of the disease in deer dates back to the 1990’s. But, Hesting said, since then, the number of deer infected has grown “exponentially.”
“As it progresses and becomes entrenched in the population, the prevalence of CWD is going up, and we’re seeing more and more numbers of deer infected with the disease,” Hesting said.
Hesting said, to date, the state has sampled about 30,000 deer, with about 548 that have been positive. However, that number is increasing rapidly.
Kansas is not alone when it comes to CWD.
Tennessee officials recently identified the deadly condition in a 12th county. So far, the condition has only been found in West Tennessee. Officials have rolled out new regulations on the transport of carcasses, feeding and deer mineral sites. They are also urging hunters not to eat meat from a sick deer.
In Louisiana, officials have created a contest with prizes of $500 or $1,000 in hopes of expanding their monitoring efforts. The rewards will go to hunters and taxidermists who submit deer samples with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
In Illinois, deer check stations in counties with CWD will once again be open during this year’s hunting season.
The disease has also been detected in Arkansas, South Dakota and Pennsylvania, among other states.
Prevention Efforts According to Hesting, hunters should also take steps to prevent the disease from spreading.
“What we’re asking hunters to do is not move carcasses from where they kill animals,” Hesting said. “Leave those carcasses where they kill animals, so they keep the prions in the infected areas. The prions are in the spinal cord, in the brain, and any nervous tissue. So, the more you can leave that behind and not take it to a new area, the more you can prevent CWD from moving faster than it will naturally.”
The prevalence of the disease has also led others to take extra precautions.
Lisa Keith, director of David Traylor Zoo in Emporia, Kansas, said her zoo has put several measures in place to protect her mule deer population, which is already rare to see in her community.
“Mule Deer are popular just because it’s not something you’re going to see in Lyon County,” she said. “You’re going to find them more in Western Kansas or in the northern states. It’s fun for people to see.”
The zoo has a 30 to 60 day quarantine period in place for new animals, which also go through testing during that time before they’re introduced to the herd. Zookeepers keep all their tools within the exhibit, so no outside contaminants get in. In addition, they’ve put a barrier around the perimeter, so wild animals can’t come in contact with the deer.
“It’s just a very scary disease. They stumble, they may act a little different than normal. Unfortunately, for the animal, it’s fatal,” Keith said.
So far, the disease hasn’t jumped from deer to humans, but officials are urging hunters to test their kill when possible and to avoid eating any contaminated meat.
Evidence that COVID “vaccines” could be linked to increased prion disease cases surfaces
Glass half full. I’m tired of dodging dear grazing on the road.
CWD didn’t just start in the 90’s, it’s always been around and the Whitetail population is higher than it’s ever been.
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Deer are more plentiful because people have stopped hunting them. That’s because human populations have become more dense, and anti-firearm discharge laws have proliferated.
Deer are herbivores and therefore prey. We cull their predators because they also prey on humans. There’s no easy answer.
The more we test, the more we keep finding. Seems familiar.
It’s been around longer than I have (7+ decades) and always seems to flare up when populations get to dense. Back in the 60’s we had to go over 100 miles to the south to find an area that even had whitetails, now they get into my shrubs during the fall. We even have Muledeer in the county now. They just keep expanding and forming dense pockets. You can’t drive a half mile down the backroads and not see a deer blind and feeders set up. I’ll see 30 to 40 deer a day on the ranch and it’s 5 miles south of the house.
“Taking control of the food supply being the goal.”
Backyard gardening is growing exponentianly especially among millennials. Farm to home transactions as well (Bypassing the stores)
If the gov’t is tring to take control they are losing...badly
I have been sitting in a deer stand all morning in East Texas and I haven’t seen a single deer. It must be chronic wasting disease. Or I am a bad hunter. I did put down two feral hogs yesterday.
These people do not consider it losing. They take note and then, step by step, they come up with reasons to eliminate/prevent success. Sure, farm to table is excellent and that is precisely why, at some point, will be regulated into elimination.
In my county here in Texas we’re allowed to take 5 deer a year. When i was a kid there were no deer and our first open season we were allowed 1 buck only. I believe the biggest change in population at least for Texas has been feeders. Anybody with an acre or more nearly always has a feeder within viewing of the house. Some may shoot them but most just like to view them. My sister feeds about 20 regulars at her house and she never shoots one. This has made a big difference in not just deer populations but in Feral Hog’s, White Wing Dove and Eurasian Dove (Feral Dove, much bigger than any native species). We create fake foods rich, year round enviroments and the animals take full advantage of it. The Eurasian Dove have almost run off the native and we have no set season for them, They can be hunted year round with no limit. yet the population keeps growing. I think everybody’s aware of the Feral Hog problem we’re facing here in TX, they can now be found in every county in the state.
“Wildlife officials in several states are warning of new cases of chronic wasting disease”
Not just deer being infected with that, and video games don’t help.
Come to my house. There are a dozen 12-pointers just laying in the yard.
old Walt Disney changed everything when he made little animals with big eyes talk ... the gullible ***** fell for it ...
No joke here, really. This disease has insidiously spread, untreatable especially in wild herds, and long term fatal. If susceptible animals died quickly, disease would be self limiting, but long and chronic disease has more ability to spread unnoticed.
Sadly, this is not new disease, and is not covid. Research is on going, but because of slow progression of disease, difficult to track. Also, funding for veterinary research in non-food animals is limited.
Millions wasted on covid, barely find hundred thousands for CWD. Hunters may be the salvation.
CWD is untreatable in any infected animal, captive or wild.
Sad fact—there is no cure.
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Sad indeed.
https://www.scienceabc.com/pure-sciences/what-are-prions.html
The big questions are how and why a non-life form reproduces in a body. My opinion is that prion research will reveal how human amyloid diseases like tremor and Alzheimer’s take hold in the brain.
Gypsy Moth Caterpillars.
Their populations increased dramatically over years, then, they all just DIED!
We haven’t had an infestation since. In fact, now when they just start to make a comeback, BOOM! They like explode. I don’t mean in the increase in numbers “expode”, I mean the grenade type of “explode”.
Deer have increased in my area. Almost hit one the other night, “grazing in the road”. Actually it was crossing the road to get to the other side.
I slammed/JUMPED on the brakes harder than I ever have before, just missing hitting it by a whisker.
Anti-lock breaks worked well, no skid marks and I did miss hitting the deer.
I didn’t test it for COVID or CWD, no time, but I almost had it all over the front of my Durango.
DON’T PICK UP WOMEN AT THE BAR
Deadly deer disease
Mad Cow Disease?
No, you’re thinking of foxes, dogs, and cougars. The definition of each depends on your blood alcohol level.
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