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The Tennessee WRA has found CWD in 13 out of 2700 deer tested. The counties I hunt are in the CWD 'zone.' The TWRA has extended our season a few weeks and every deer killed here must be tested by the TWRA. We took one for testing today.

My concern is eating the deer. Maybe I am paranoid, but I am also cautious with what I feed myself and kids. I know (from what I've read) that no verifiable cases of deer to human CWD has been verified. I have deer in my freezer now that wasn't tested and am hesitant to eat it. The TWRA game warden said he wouldn't eat the meat, just to be safe.

The way it works now is, they will test your deer, you can then butcher it or take to a processor. In 4 to 8 weeks they will notify you if the deer tests positive for CWD. Of course there seems to be a lot of opinions on the internet and the TN Facebook pages. Some say throw it out, others say they are eating it.

I know a lot of you may live in WI or other high-risk areas that have had confirmed CWD cases for years. Are you eating deer without getting it tested? Do you get it tested and THEN eat it? Just wondering what you guys are doing.

And I apologize if this has been beaten to death on the Bowsite, as I have not been here as often as I once was.

Thanks!

More people have died from eating Romaine lettuce just this year than from eating CWD infected meat since it was "discovered" 50 years ago.

There are 11 counties in northern MS who are within about 50 mi of the TN/MS border who have gone into testing mode as a result of the CWD discovery in TN. BUILD THE WALL!!

I had a gastro-intestinal dr friend who told me he would not eat the meat.

Buffalo1, I have a deer I shot earlier in the season before TWRA made this announcement and before the public was aware of CWD-positive deer in the counties I hunt. My deer from earlier in the season was already processed, and I have eaten some of it. It can't be tested once processed. Today I took a deer to the TWRA-mandated check station where they removed the glands from the neck. They say it will take 4 to 8+ weeks for results. So I have an untested deer in my freezer. The TWRA officer said he personally would not eat any (untested) deer from the affected counties, just to be safe. Why did your gastro friend say he would not eat the deer? And PS....I think the infected animals migrated north to TN...build the wall! :-)

In regards to CWD, we have had some cases in Texas also, but I'm not getting deer tested, nor am I worried about it. I believe what Lou said is the common sense approach to the situation. If nobody's "caught" it in CO. , I ain't likely to either.

I took a hike about a mile from my house this afternoon, up and around the CSU ‘deer pens’ right in the foothills.

I could see Bighorn sheep, a few elk and a moose within the confines of the testing area.

I also saw about 25 mule deer bouncing around the trail I was on (not part of the CSU testing area)

The dr. gave no explanation why he would not eat CWD meat. I know him very well and trust his word. He is my gastro dr.

The whole current situation is laughable. I wasnt aware it had been around for so long until speaking with him and confirming on this thread again.

Fake news! Ha:)

Now thats funny!

Maybe he should make a trip to CSU and tour the deer pens and get some real history

If CWD is in your area. It's likely they have processed a few. I live in the original hot spot and gave up worrying about it years ago. Ecoli, Lysteria, etc, etc show up in grocery stores all the time and I know very few people who don't buy groceries.

Those things cause death and illness for sure. CWD has caused zero known deaths or illnesses in humans. I'll worry when it happens for the first time.

Food for thought.

A few years ago, my doctor, (who is a big bow hunter as well as a fine physician), told me to eat more wild game except for pigs, just shoot them and let them lay he said due to brucellosis. Now if I could just get him to write a prescription the game wardens would honor. ;)

I'll accept anyone's decision to Personally eat venison that may be CWD positive. Another matter giving CWD infected meat to others without them being aware, or to children in any circumstance.

Having said that....

Your assertion that CWD prions does not exist is muscle tissue is plain and simply completely Wrong!

Please don't continue to spread false imformation on such an important topic.

Look it up

CWD Found in TN-What is it?

In the late 1960’s Chronic Wasting Disease-CWD, was found in a small herd of penned elk at the University of Wyoming. The elk came from pens at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins. They had been live-trapped in the Colorado Mountains. That marked the discovery of CWD. CWD is a prion borne disease, similar to Mad Cow Disease in cattle and Scrapies in sheep. At present, if affects only cervidae-members of the deer family including whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, moose, reindeer and others. There is no evidence it can be transmitted to humans or any other species. Recently it was discovered in seven deer in Fayette and Hardeman Counties. Three other cases are suspect. In response to this discovery, the TFWC-the governing body of the TWRA, activated their emergency response plan. This plan include expanding the deer season in three counties-Fayette, Hardeman and McNairy. This will allow deer hunting through January 31, 2019. The goal is to gather more deer for testing. Also put in place was the prohibition of all feeding of wildlife except for bird feeders within 100-feet of any home and other normal agricultural practices. In other words, it is now illegal to feed wildlife. Symptoms may be delayed for some time before being manifest. They include apparent confusion in the animal and severe emaciation. It is almost 100% fatal to deer. To date, there is no evidence it can be spread to humans or any other animals. Obviously, common sense dictates some precautions should be taken. Do not eat or handle any deer that appears sick. I suggest you kill it if possible-regardless of sex-and immediately call a game warden. Do not handle the animal. If you cannot kill it, notify a game warden immediately and report the animal. TWRA Director, Ed Carter said, “…finding that many infected deer at once is unprecedented. Finding such a large number of infected deer in indicative that CWD has likely been present in the area for a long time, perhaps years.” It is my opinion, one I have made public for years, that CWD has always been present in significant populations of cervids. I do not believe we discovered CWD. I believe we discovered the test for it. There is no cause for panic, no reason to stop hunting, no reason to stop eating deer meat. Simply apply some common sense and immediately, stop all supplemental feeding of wildlife. I have killed five deer this year. All appeared healthy, all went into freezers. However, for many years, I have worn shoulder-length gloves in field dressing deer. I also do all my own meat processing and know what I am eating. I eat a lot of deer meat, have for years. Just use some common sense. CWD has been officially found in TN. In all probability, it has always been here. Our TFWC is taking some logical and appropriate action. In the future, I would hope to see a tightening of supplemental feeding laws and a return of check stations on weekends in all counties. That will not eliminate CWD from our wild deer population. It may have some limited impact on the spread. But it will provide more accurate data. Yes, CWD is in TN. Probably, it always has been. It is not a cause for panic or to stop hunting and eating deer meat. ###

Bowriter...I have read a lot of your articles, good stuff! Are you aware (or is it a fact?) that all of the deer meat donated to the Hunter's for the Hungry in Hardeman County was thrown away? That would be an interesting article, perhaps.

Yet hunters still hunt under the threat of poisonous snakes, West Nile, various tick-borne illnesses, tree stand falls, etc.. and we don't see widespread panic and sensationalist alarm over these proven threats.

This is not to say that the disease might not mutate someday, just as one could be hit and killed by a drunk driver while taking a deer to the testing station. But if we spend our lives in a bunker worrying about remote things that "could" happen, we would never leave that bunker.

I also hunt Kansas but not in a CWD zone.

I eat a lot of venison.

BUT.... I would not eat a deer that tested positive. The facts are pretty clear and indisputable... It is unlikely that the prions can cross the barrier. But it is not impossible. Each person has to decide for themselves how they manage that nonzero risk.

That food pyramid the govt has pushed for decades will kill you and millions of others before CWD ever kills one person.

I had seen it somewhere else first time.. maybe cdc or something, can't remember..

I've been hunting WI's CWD zone since long before they first found CWD in 2002. What you posted above is what I (and probably most hunters in that area) do. Honestly, the biggest thing you have to worry about is your DNR trying to "save the herd" by exterminating it like they tried (and to some degree are still trying) in IL and WI.