Naz 's Link
What the author omitted was that the eradication efforts in WI resulted in little as prevalence rates increased. He also did not address how these CWD sparks jumped to far away counties, like Polk or even MI, NY and other states far away from ground zero in WY/CO.
The author also admits he doesn't hunt in a CWD area. It is always easy to agree with an objective when it does not directly affect you.
By trying to scare hunters about a species jump is uncalled for. He is attempting to use these fears to get MI to try something which is already failed. CWD has been in known "existence" for 40 plus years. Some scientist state it could have been 100s of years. It would have jumped species in this amount of time but again, he is thinking this is a mutating virus which can change to infect a host. Could it happen...perhaps but then again, all water could change into blood too.
IMO....there is one constant which is overlooked. We allow deer(especially bucks) to live much longer than 15+ years ago. There is little to explain these sparks(far fetched CWD carcass brought into the area) except that it is possibly a naturally occurring disease for deer and is now apparent because of our increased awareness.
Of course, this is an unknown blogger who fails to give his name or credentials. It is a political piece stating his hatred of current government and fails to state the entire story of which he is not part of. The blog could have read, "we need deer reduction to save all the trees;)".
Good luck to MI, hope they don't shoot from the hip like WI did.
An unknown blogger? It was longtime hunter and industry insider Brian Lovett. Under the editor's note: "Brian Lovett, author the Realtree Outdoor News blog, lives in Wisconsin and hunts deer in a CWD state. I asked him to share his experiences in dealing with CWD and what it's meant to him as a deer hunter."
There are two separate models scientist look at for the length of CWD exposure. Unfortunately, I lost the study. One was 50 year and the other was over 100 years.
When you state "who knows for sure", you are correct. There is so much unknown about CWD. This is why I have a problem with his blog.
His blog was meant to excite MI hunters into thinking the sky was falling. He has no basis on causing a stir about cross species transmission. He explained half of the information and the information he passed was a direct attack on current management/government. He clearly admits have no experience in an area CWD was detected other than a biologist cutting of a head.
It is easy to agree to eradicate a population when it doesn't affect you. Like Iowa biologist urging WI to continue eradication efforts as they didn't want it in their backyard. Easy thing to say when your on the outside looking in. People didn't see the wasted animal piled at sites. We dang near eradicated the deer in the Badger Ammo plant yet not one animal tested positive.
Although the possibility of deer farms exist for transmission, I find it far fetched that carcass disposal was the cause. If a hunter harvested a deer at the very last minute of his WY hunt, he still would have a 10-12 hour drive home and process the deer immediately, it would have to be from a CWD area of WY( 10+ years ago) and the unprocessed deer would be subject to heat and spoil. Almost all deer shot in WY are processed there and a majority of hunters don't leave immediately after harvest.
Could it happen.....I guess. Is it probable, probably not. There are too many sparks throughout the state and nation which this highly improbably occurrence would have to happen.
I'm not saying we should bail on CWD management, I'm just expressing my opinion on past management and this political blogger post.
I AM SICK OF HEARING ABOUT CWD ! CAN'T YOU TELL !
Just My $02!
To me CWD is an issue for the deer herd. I friend of mine was head of the Veterinarian Lab of University of California Davis and knows a lot about CWD. She told me she would have no issue (and does) eat venision.
The article is one person's opinion of CWD. Just like these posts on this forum.
Michigan has to take a stand on what they believe is the right way to handle this disease. I hope they learn from Wisconsin's mistakes and don't waste money like we wasted here.
Even though it's been around since the 1960's we know relatively little about the disease. As hunters we need to take it upon ourselves to try and protect those who we provide the meat to. Which means no cutting of the bones, remove all of the lymph nodes, and so on. And of course if a deer looks sick, remove it from the landscape.
Does this mean I am going to give up deer hunting? No, not by any means.
It means that I will do my best to help keep the herd around me healthy and provide the best habitat I can to ensure future generations have a healthy deer herd to hunt if they chose to do so.
CWD is out there. The government has shown is that they can not manage it. We have to live with it and realize that some day it might affect is in a very negative way. But until that day comes there is no reason not to go out and enjoy hunting and consuming venison like I do today.
Bow Crazy's Link
I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that burying our head in the sand isn't the answer.
I think this article was posted before on another CWD thread. BC
BC, not sure when or where it was posted before, I just saw this one dated June 8, 2015. It very well could have been rewritten specifically for MI due to the new discovery there, but I don't know.
Buck Watcher, that was one of the popular theories early on. Who knows other than the guys who did it (if they did)? Same with research. If prions weren't disposed of properly, it's possible that deer eventually contacted them. And same with carcasses from out West. In my mind, all three are possible. Some folks may know or think they know (who knows, for example, if a deer you brought back from out west had CWD back then, or even if deer you illegally released had CWD?). It's here, now how do we deal with it?
I do believe there are many, like we read here, who are sick of hearing of it and don't fear eating their deer. But the fact that WI saw the greatest loss of hunters in history the year CWD's discovery was announced tells another story. We've never gained anywhere close to those numbers back.
This is what scientist and the DNR are facing, many people believe the best thing to do is to ignore it. Many people believe its always been here, no big deal. Tough to fight this thought process when votes are at steak. I don't know the answer. I do know it's spreading, the percentage of deer within the herd is increasing, its not good.
It's Tommy's fault? That's a new one on me. I haven't heard that one, it's a good one. I would throw both the Bush's into the fold, as well as Senator Johnson and Governor Walker. I heard Walker is the farmer in SW Wisconsin that brought the big bucks in with CWD several years ago. I even heard he personally drove the truck pulling the trailer with the infected 300" Booners. If your a biologist or scientist how do you deal with this stuff? BC
Maybe Mike F is correct when he said, "CWD is out there. The government has shown is that they can not manage it. We have to live with it and realize that some day it might affect is in a very negative way. But until that day comes there is no reason not to go out and enjoy hunting and consuming venison like I do today." BC
The deer were already "juiced" before Tommy was Governor.
How do I know? We had a deer farm.
Maybe someday we can sit down over a root beer and talk about it.
Mike, seriously I would like to do that someday. I would listen and respect your perspective. It may not change the way I view the source of CWD in Wisconsin but, I would respectfully listen.
Mike yes they were juiced but, it rose to a new level during his watch. I remember going to the local feed mill and seeing bags of supplemental mineral and protein on the shelves. When you looked closely at the label it listed protein from domestic sheep as one of the ingredients. Guys were buying that stuff and juicing their bait piles regularly. All on the promise of giant racked bucks. The hunting community, deer farms included, is responsible and should be the ones to pay to fix the mess. That is, if can ever be fixed.
Getting a little off topic here but the animal rights groups and their supporters would never spend the unknown millions of dollars needed to try and address any wildlife issue.
>>>--arrow1-->'s Link
"TSE's include scrapie in sheep and goats"-a source of protein found in the powdered early bait supplements that many hunters sprinkled on top of their bait piles to grow big antlers. Let me see, there was acorn mineral powder, apple mineral powder, sugar beet mineral powder…and all the mills in southern Wisconsin sold that crap. A close examination of the labels revealed the presence of protein from sheep and goats! Where are those supplement manufacturers now? Were their products tested and were they in part culpable? Like I said, domestication and the human desire to be all controlling, all conquering was the perfect cocktail for disaster. WE made our bed, now we have to sleep in it.
I hope it never comes, but I have a feeling they will find it somewhere,,,,,,,
There are some that say, urine based lures and such should be banned.....
I have no idea on how CWD came... I have no scientific background,,,,, I am not qualified to really give and opinion, but I do think it will pop up more and more in the future.....
The decline in hunters, especially in the early CWD zones (mine), is at least partially due to the tactics of the time. I gave it up for 8 years after seeing only one deer...period...in an entire archery season following the slaughter campaign.
No need to buy a tag to watch squirrels....yet.
The panic following the initial discovery was unbelievable. A couple miles from my house, the DNR set up dumpsters for hunters to dispose of their deer. They were HEEPED with dead deer...this in the firearm season...I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.
Eight years later, my son wanted his dad to hunt with him...can't say no to that, eh? First year back, I saw 1 small doe, and 1spike...total.
2nd year, last season, I saw one doe and 3 bucks...and passed on the only shot I was offered. This is archery only...haven't firearm hunted in 10 years, and will never do so again.
I'll buy a tag this year again...who knows, maybe things are gonna turn around a bit.
Says it all......
Razor, CWD was found many years ago in a Manitowoc County elk herd, which was depopulated. Has not been found in a wild deer there.
