CWD - Seeing is Believing

[Sask hunter]

Also the massive culls we did had no effect just knocked the deer numbers down but CWD seems to be just a prevalent in cull areas vs non cull areas

 

[Irrelevant]

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.2c00155

"When prions from the most common polymorphism (wild type) present in white-tailed deer are used to experimentally infect white-tailed deer with different polymorphisms, the resulting prions have different properties. (182) As noted previously, while-tailed deer with rare genotypes show an extended incubation period before they succumb to the disease compared to wild type controls. (54,55) Furthermore, the distribution of CWD prions in the bodies of those white-tailed deer with some rare Prnp genotypes show less peripheral distribution than is observed in analogously infected wild type white-tailed deer. (183) This suggests that animals expressing these rare PrPC polymorphisms are more resistant to CWD infection and, if infected, may transmit CWD less efficiently. The prions from some of the orally dosed white-tailed deer expressing the rarer polymorphisms could be transmitted to wild type mice, while others could not."

Also, this link was interesting. I didn't know it was documented quite a while ago.

 

[RobertD]

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.2c00155

"When prions from the most common polymorphism (wild type) present in white-tailed deer are used to experimentally infect white-tailed deer with different polymorphisms, the resulting prions have different properties. (182) As noted previously, while-tailed deer with rare genotypes show an extended incubation period before they succumb to the disease compared to wild type controls. (54,55) Furthermore, the distribution of CWD prions in the bodies of those white-tailed deer with some rare Prnp genotypes show less peripheral distribution than is observed in analogously infected wild type white-tailed deer. (183) This suggests that animals expressing these rare PrPC polymorphisms are more resistant to CWD infection and, if infected, may transmit CWD less efficiently. The prions from some of the orally dosed white-tailed deer expressing the rarer polymorphisms could be transmitted to wild type mice, while others could not."

Also, this link was interesting. I didn't know it was documented quite a while ago.
View attachment 261012

Great share, thanks. It is a bizarre disease that's for sure

 

[7Bartman]

I study human prion diseases. I find it hard to believe states still allow captive cervids. Unfortunately, I think it may be too little too late in that regard. The scary thing about prions is how long they can reman viable in nature. Similar to the article above, I suspect some rare single-nucleotide-polymorphism (SNP) will come along to allow further resistance, but the current cases have made it worse given the longer half-life of pathogenicity and spread of prion proteins. If this ever does find a way to cross over to humans, we have BIG problems. Until then it remains theoretical, but nonetheless something we should be concerned with.

 

[Nick_CO]

If. CWD is primarily transmitted directly from one infected specimen to another, but also spread (to some lesser extent) environmentally through soil and vegetation, why aren't more preventative measures being taken by Wildlife Agencies to limit cross-country contamination?

For example, a hunter shoots a deer in a known CWD area, but then takes the deer home without being tested (because it's not mandatory) and then disposes of some of the deer's body parts in his backyard where deer frequent. In doing so, did the hunter possibly pass CWD on to the local deer herd through soil contamination?

Colorado Parks and Wildlife goes to great lengths in trying to prevent the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species from one waterway to another, but seemingly does very little to try and prevent hunters from spreading CWD around the Country. Is it not spread that way as easily as I'm imagining it could? Do other State Wildlife Agencies have policies regulating the transport and disposal of potentially CWD positive animals?

 

[TheTone]

If. CWD is primarily transmitted directly from one infected specimen to another, but also spread (to some lesser extent) environmentally through soil and vegetation, why aren't more preventative measures being taken by Wildlife Agencies to limit cross-country contamination?

For example, a hunter shoots a deer in a known CWD area, but then takes the deer home without being tested (because it's not mandatory) and then disposes of some of the deer's body parts in his backyard where deer frequent. In doing so, did the hunter possibly pass CWD on to the local deer herd through soil contamination?

Colorado Parks and Wildlife goes to great lengths in trying to prevent the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species from one waterway to another, but seemingly does very little to try and prevent hunters from spreading CWD around the Country. Is it not spread that way as easily as I'm imagining it could? Do other State Wildlife Agencies have policies regulating the transport and disposal of potentially CWD positive animals?

Idaho has only had cwd found in one area so far but that area has mandatory testing and does have carcass transportation rules in effect that don’t allow spinal or brain tissue To be removed from the area

 

[Elktrack]

If. CWD is primarily transmitted directly from one infected specimen to another, but also spread (to some lesser extent) environmentally through soil and vegetation, why aren't more preventative measures being taken by Wildlife Agencies to limit cross-country contamination?

For example, a hunter shoots a deer in a known CWD area, but then takes the deer home without being tested (because it's not mandatory) and then disposes of some of the deer's body parts in his backyard where deer frequent. In doing so, did the hunter possibly pass CWD on to the local deer herd through soil contamination?

Colorado Parks and Wildlife goes to great lengths in trying to prevent the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species from one waterway to another, but seemingly does very little to try and prevent hunters from spreading CWD around the Country. Is it not spread that way as easily as I'm imagining it could? Do other State Wildlife Agencies have policies regulating the transport and disposal of potentially CWD positive animals?

I know most western states are already doing this. Can’t bring skulls back from other states to have euros done and other restrictions. It’s hard to enforce and takes self policing but is good policy.

 

[JM77]

Given the best known control measure, at this time, is to keep mature buck numbers lower, the prescribed management strategies are being met with a lot of resistance from some hunters.

Given our local area has a somewhat static prevalence rate from mainly hunter killed bucks of around 30%, increasing harvest on mature bucks means roughly 7 out of 10 bucks killed is disease free. In the end, IF it really lowers prevalence rates, we still have CWD on the landscape. Until game managers known a heck of a lot more than they do now, I'm a hard no on management strategies that call for lowering deer numbers in at or below objective herds.

 

[Zellhouse]

CWD continues to be one of those issues that causes a lot of fractures in the hunting community. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, a state that is ground zero for the disease in wild populations, has put out a video that I think help with the awareness of this issue.

A lot of hunters are skeptical of the data around CWD, as they haven't seen dead or sick deer. In this video, you will see some sick deer.

The first video (I assume another video is forthcoming, given they call this Part 1) is in Eastern Colorado, an area primarily private land. I get the feeling that CPW is hoping this video will appeal to private landowners in places where they control most of the hunting access and therefore they control the ability to manage a disease such as CWD.

Given the best known control measure, at this time, is to keep mature buck numbers lower, the prescribed management strategies are being met with a lot of resistance from some hunters. Montana already hammers deer and it seems like a strategy to lower numbers even further, at least on public land, is going to be met with resistance.

I talked to the CPW folks in charge of these management strategies. They are doing a ton of work on this. They had a couple good points as it relates to CWD, both focused on keeping hunters engaged and informed.

1. Be open and transparent with what you know, but even more so with what you don't know.

2. Balance the management strategies based on what you do know and with the interest of hunters who need to have trust that your agency is working to find more answers.

CWD is here and it becomes more of an issue every day. I often wonder how hunters would react if CWD only impacted does, not bucks. Would proposed management actions to control or lower the prevalence rates be as controversial? I think we all know the answer to that.

Hopefully the rate of understanding and management options grows at a faster pace than the spread or discovery of CWD.

P.S. If anyone knows where Part 2 and subsequent videos are, please post them to this thread.

Appreciate the post & the info. Sobering facts that are hard to accept. Have watched the effects of a long term drought here in AZ on the desert mule deer herds, & the current management practices. The end result is the same, a landscape devoid of these animals. That is a trajedy.

 

[Hunting Wife]

If. CWD is primarily transmitted directly from one infected specimen to another, but also spread (to some lesser extent) environmentally through soil and vegetation, why aren't more preventative measures being taken by Wildlife Agencies to limit cross-country contamination?

For example, a hunter shoots a deer in a known CWD area, but then takes the deer home without being tested (because it's not mandatory) and then disposes of some of the deer's body parts in his backyard where deer frequent. In doing so, did the hunter possibly pass CWD on to the local deer herd through soil contamination?

Colorado Parks and Wildlife goes to great lengths in trying to prevent the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species from one waterway to another, but seemingly does very little to try and prevent hunters from spreading CWD around the Country. Is it not spread that way as easily as I'm imagining it could? Do other State Wildlife Agencies have policies regulating the transport and disposal of potentially CWD positive animals?

All states have had transport restrictions in place for years.

 

[dgc1963]

Here in pa its spreading kinda fast and getting close to our elk herd
I had a very sick 6 point on a farm I hunt saw it a few times called a warden I know and he shot it the poor thing was so skinny an so sick it was heart breaking seeing it suffer that way

 

[RobertD]

I know most western states are already doing this. Can’t bring skulls back from other states to have euros done and other restrictions. It’s hard to enforce and takes self policing but is good policy.

Most states in general. Alabama got their first case a few years ago and they've implemented the same steps as western states on bringing in deer from outside states. They even have billboards on some of the major interstates telling about it.

Georgia doesn't have any cases (yet) but starting last year we implemented the whole suite of restrictions, same with both Carolinas I think.

 

[Elktrack]

Most states in general. Alabama got their first case a few years ago and they've implemented the same steps as western states on bringing in deer from outside states. They even have billboards on some of the major interstates telling about it.

Georgia doesn't have any cases (yet) but starting last year we implemented the whole suite of restrictions, same with both Carolinas I think.

I figured as much…just don’t know about anything East of Wyoming. I don’t pay much attention to foreign policies. Haha

 

[rogerthat]

Yeah I’m a hard no on the guess and by golly management plans as well until they have good data and can explain what the long term plan is. Whether hunters kill them or Cwd does you still end up in the same place. It’s debatable as to which gets you there faster.

 

[jmcd]

I cringe when I see management here in MT lean towards hammering bucks. Especially when it is done as a preventative measure….. what if cwd never affects an area/herd? What if cwd comes in anyway? Kill all the bucks to save em from cwd? Just when you think buck quality couldn’t be worse in MT.

I don’t have the answer but, I don’t think knee-jerk aggressive buck extermination makes sense.

 

[NMGuy]

While NM has rules regarding handling and transport of animals from CWD areas, I found out last year how much their implementation sucks. I drew an archery elk tag in a CWD unit and called NMGF to find out where the testing locations were in case I was successful. I was told they don't have CWD testing locations during the archery seasons and that it had been 10+ years since the last confirmed positive case in that area. I was then told that the testing during other seasons might be impacted because the person in charge had left the agency and there were also issues with getting testing supplies.

 

[Elktrack]

Idaho has flubbed up on this too.
In The area where CWD was found they gave out a bunch of special tags to thin the herd. Those folks were told about testing and transporting yet several people hauled their critters to other regions to have them tested. Also, the general season folk and LE tag holders weren’t notified. Little lack of organization here

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

Idaho has only had cwd found in one area so far but that area has mandatory testing and does have carcass transportation rules in effect that don’t allow spinal or brain tissue To be removed from the area

2002, Northeast of McCall on Crestline Trail, I saw a mulie doe that was CWD for sure. We didn’t know what the hell was wrong with her at the time. Deer was emaciated, wobbly, no concern about people.

 

[Irrelevant]

Relevant? Maybe?

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/06/19/1182881226/huntingtons-spreads-like-fire-in-the-brain-alzheimers-parkinsons

 

[thomas89]

Relevant? Maybe?

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/06/19/1182881226/huntingtons-spreads-like-fire-in-the-brain-alzheimers-parkinsons

Pretty fascinating either way! Good read, thanks for the link!