ND Game and Fish coming under fire for CWD Management

[brocksw]

Brock from what I gathered from listening to and talking to the gentlemen is his deer are CWD positive but not dying. So, if his deer are showing that they resist the disease enough that they live a full life isn't that good? They are on their 5th year of their study. From what I understand it takes five years before it is a scientific study, but I may be wrong on this.

I think your post proves you have not done the research necessary to understand the claims they're making or the nuance that comes with CWD research. It is well known (in multiple studies) that certain genotypes can survive 4-5 years in captivity before they die from CWD or CWD complications. Even Whitetails of Wisconsin VP Laurie Seale confirms that in an interview she did.

“Dr. Kroll told me CWD is similar to prostrate cancer in men. Men will die with the disease, but something else is usually the cause of their death. He said CWD was similar, deer may have it, but something else kills them." - Laurie Seale

An excerpt from Aug of 2022

 

[Johnarman]

So you just “feed” then with all the big and j posts on your IG? How are you determining that it does anything to improve the health of the critters eating it?

No scientific data, just observations. Two years ago we got hammered by EHD, we found 38 dead deer along the river. The majority were young deer. The older deer made it through it. Might have been just a coincidence not sure.

 

[brocksw]

It is also noteworthy to mention that "The Primal Biotic" video John shared with the group was released on July 22, 2021. There has not been a single publication, published study, article or anything that I can find anywhere that gives an update to the results of their "study". In other words, they are claiming ground breaking work and a "cure" for CWD but have been silent on the subject since mid 2021.

Since that time people (Laurie Seale) in the video have depopulated their deer farm.
Does anything that I've posted here lead one to believe that these claims they are making are true or have any validity whatsoever?

I have not seen a single piece of data or peer reviewed published literature that validates any of their claims.

 

[NDGuy]

Hi Hunttalk forum admins, I’d like to report a murder

 

[Schism]

I think what Brock has done a good job illustrating is the importance of the peer review process in scientific literature and publication. I can remember "scientific breakthroughs" in various fields of research that when put under the microscope of peer review, the data was determined incorrect/incomplete due to any number of reasons.

That is why the NDGF cannot simply adopt management practices and approaches that haven't stood the test of the peer review process. Anything less than that would be irresponsible.

It is well known that congregation of animals has the potential to spread disease. Artificially congregating deer in areas known to harbor some infected with CWD seems like an obvious way to increase the chance of spreading CWD to other deer. It is the NDGF's responsibility to manage game populations and their health. In the absence of peer reviewed data showing that CWD is not spread through baiting or a cure for CWD is found, I think it is only prudent that NDGF restrict baiting.

 

[brocksw]

From what I understand it takes five years before it is a scientific study, but I may be wrong on this.

 

[brocksw]

I get it John. I started my bowhunting career hunting over bait. I had no archery mentors to speak of and had no clue how to be successful. It took me about a half a season to learn that I just wasn't built for whitetail hunting. I couldn't sit still long enough. Hiking around the badlands and mountains hunting elk and mule deer just fits me better. But I don't think less of hunting over bait, or wanting to. This isn't about winning, or about taking something away from those that do. This isn't about ethics. This is about doing everything in our power to fight off this disease.

John, I bet I love deer hunting just as much as you. The possibility that in I don't know, 20 years? give or take, our deer herd could look drastically different for the worse... perhaps just a remnant of what we know today. That is not a future I want. That is not a future I'm comfortable with. That is not a future I want to even entertain.

There might not be a single activity I enjoy more than chasing mule deer around the ND Badlands every fall. Ask anyone who knows me, that's my thing. That is just as much a part of who I am as whatever hunting you do is a part of you. I get that change is hard. I get the frustration over having to change a way you've hunted for years. I get it.

I wish this disease wasn't here and all you guys could keep on doing it. I would much prefer that over this disease. But that's not our reality, John. That is not even an option. God knows I'd pick it if it was, I wouldn't even hesitate.

But the truth is hard to talk about. It's hard not to feel something bad when we're honest about this situation. When we truly look at states around us and see what's happening. I understand that you and the others have a difficult time with differences in regulation, the seasonal herding, the lack of a study specific to CWD and baiting. I get that you guys are hung up on it. The Game and Fish testimony at the hearing and Randy's CWD podcast with Dr. Bahnson go through all of those discussions. I'd encourage you to listen to them, I mean really listen to them.

But GF staff, the veterinarians and biologists and researchers....they have no reason at all to lie to us. They have no reason at all to mislead us. They are telling us we should be concerned because of the overwhelming evidence collected in 33 other states and provinces. They don't enjoy being attacked and criticized over all this CWD stuff. They don't enjoy these conversations. They don't enjoy being called out in public meetings. Being told they don't know what they're talking about. I bet every single one of the North Dakotans who work at the GF would wish this disease away if they could.

But the resource must come first. Its the Game and fish's fiduciary and constitutional duty to protect that herd for a viable and sustainable population, now and into the future. It is our responsibility as hunters to help them do that. My kids are owed that. Your kids and both of our future grandchildren are owed that. And their kids and so on.

If you want to help hunters, help deer, help me....then let's show the other states how we do things here. We band together, make the changes necessary, and lead the nation in the slowest prevelence climb on record. I will personally show up at the Game and Fish and work on solutions with ranchers, you included, to try and keep deer out of their feed lots and lower the risk of transmission over the entire state. I will show up every single time if that is what is necessary.

Any other effort than that, any effort to hi-jack the GF, any effort that is irresponsible or negligent will be met with my, and my chapter's opposition. That's how it must be. Because I will not stop choosing to do the right thing for the future of our deer herd. I love it too much.

 

[8andcounting]

This is about doing everything in our power to fight off this disease.

whoa whoa whoa …. What ? So are you after guys with hay stacks ? Farmers ? Baiting does so little to congregate deer compared to hay stacks , pp fields planted to cover crop , etc ….

 

[wct12]

I get it John. I started my bowhunting career hunting over bait. I had no archery mentors to speak of and had no clue how to be successful. It took me about a half a season to learn that I just wasn't built for whitetail hunting. I couldn't sit still long enough. Hiking around the badlands and mountains hunting elk and mule deer just fits me better. But I don't think less of hunting over bait, or wanting to. This isn't about winning, or about taking something away from those that do. This isn't about ethics. This is about doing everything in our power to fight off this disease.

John, I bet I love deer hunting just as much as you. The possibility that in I don't know, 20 years? give or take, our deer herd could look drastically different for the worse... perhaps just a remnant of what we know today. That is not a future I want. That is not a future I'm comfortable with. That is not a future I want to even entertain.

There might not be a single activity I enjoy more than chasing mule deer around the ND Badlands every fall. Ask anyone who knows me, that's my thing. That is just as much a part of who I am as whatever hunting you do is a part of you. I get that change is hard. I get the frustration over having to change a way you've hunted for years. I get it.

I wish this disease wasn't here and all you guys could keep on doing it. I would much prefer that over this disease. But that's not our reality, John. That is not even an option. God knows I'd pick it if it was, I wouldn't even hesitate.

But the truth is hard to talk about. It's hard not to feel something bad when we're honest about this situation. When we truly look at states around us and see what's happening. I understand that you and the others have a difficult time with differences in regulation, the seasonal herding, the lack of a study specific to CWD and baiting. I get that you guys are hung up on it. The Game and Fish testimony at the hearing and Randy's CWD podcast with Dr. Bahnson go through all of those discussions. I'd encourage you to listen to them, I mean really listen to them.

But GF staff, the veterinarians and biologists and researchers....they have no reason at all to lie to us. They have no reason at all to mislead us. They are telling us we should be concerned because of the overwhelming evidence collected in 33 other states and provinces. They don't enjoy being attacked and criticized over all this CWD stuff. They don't enjoy these conversations. They don't enjoy being called out in public meetings. Being told they don't know what they're talking about. I bet every single one of the North Dakotans who work at the GF would wish this disease away if they could.

But the resource must come first. Its the Game and fish's fiduciary and constitutional duty to protect that herd for a viable and sustainable population, now and into the future. It is our responsibility as hunters to help them do that. My kids are owed that. Your kids and both of our future grandchildren are owed that. And their kids and so on.

If you want to help hunters, help deer, help me....then let's show the other states how we do things here. We band together, make the changes necessary, and lead the nation in the slowest prevelence climb on record. I will personally show up at the Game and Fish and work on solutions with ranchers, you included, to try and keep deer out of their feed lots and lower the risk of transmission over the entire state. I will show up every single time if that is what is necessary.

Any other effort than that, any effort to hi-jack the GF, any effort that is irresponsible or negligent will be met with my, and my chapter's opposition. That's how it must be. Because I will not stop choosing to do the right thing for the future of our deer herd. I love it too much.

Brock.. Wyatt here, Guessing you will remember me from our Facebook interactions..

Our state constitution literally gives the legislature the authority to do things like this. IT states by "law and regulation".

I will be talking about some data that the Game and Fish has been collecting from unit 3F2. CWD was first found in state in 2009 in 3F2, with the Game and Fish implementing a ban on hunting over bait through their 2010 CWD Proclamation, even after a bill to ban baiting introduced into the legislature in 2007 and 2009 was shot down.



70 positive CWD cases have been found in North Dakota in 13 years of testing. 48 of these cases have come from 3f2, or 68.6% of all positives. In the last 3 years of released data, 2019-2021, 34 of 52 positives have come from 3F2, or 65% of positives from that time frame, even though the baiting restriction had been in place for 9 years prior.



In North Dakota since 2009 there has been 1 deer found dead our state where they say CWD was the possible cause of death, but are unable with 100% certainty to say that CWD was the direct cause. This deer was found dead, then tested positive.



After running through those numbers and remembering a baiting restriction has been in place now for 12 years total in 3F2, has that restriction the Game and Fish implemented been effective at impacting spread beyond a normal, natural deer to deer interaction, especially after the drastic spike the last 3 years?



At a Minot CWD meeting this past year, the Game and Fish Department stated they are moving away from data collection in 3F2. This has been the data collection site in the state that could back up the science they want us to believe… That a baiting restriction slows the spread of CWD, yet they are moving away from data there, specifically after the huge leap in positives the last 3 years. Perhaps the data and science does NOT match the narrative and agenda.


That is a condensed version of the written testimony I submitted.. my longer version contains the links and more data and all of that fun jazz, but I have yet to have any one answer the couple of questions that have been asked in there. Why are we going away from results in 3F2? Where are all the dead deer at? Where is the accountability for the game and fish department when they eradicated 50 something deer by Williston, with out a single positive, just to dump them in the garbage and not even donate the meat?

Who gets to hold the game and fish accountable? This was attempted twice through the legislature previously. "We the People" spoke out and got it shot down, and then the game and fish wrote a CWD specific proclamation to back door a baiting restriction after going 0 for 2. I have sat through advisory board meetings and CWD specific meetings where sportsmen's concerns were turned on deaf ears on this topic and a vast amount of others. There has been 0 accountability for a government branch that is headed by an appointed position that has literally chosen to ignore what the people of the state spoke for and has literally shown their inability to manage the deer herds in the past, having to give out a surplus of tags (100,000 +) after not listening to people that see these herd every single deer for multiple years at a time at advisory board meetings.. the only thing that saved their tail was a winter where literally hundreds or thousands of dead deer were killed by the elements.

My family has deer hunted the last few years with out the ability to bait and have had success.. This is due to our habitat implementation practices that we have done, but others aren't as fortunate. It might pain me to see it but there is way more tree rows and sloughs and habitat disappearing from our area then there is going in. Spot and stalk is fun, heck.. It's a blast. But on our flat land with 0 cover it's not feasible. I have enjoyed watching many youth and other folks set out and harvest deer, many first deer, off of our property.. including 100+ folks that fall mother nature intervened.. all while only losing 1 animal due to a bad shot.. With out a bait pile as a tool for those people, and to help remove 100+ deer out of our yard.. how many more deer would have perished to the elements?

There are lots of valid concerns on both sides, but unless they can prove with out a doubt.. no maybes, can or can not, no possibles.. why should a tool that has been so helpful, for myself and others, be targeted.. all while the game and fish funds programs meant to congregate deer themselves.

 

[8andcounting]

Brock.. Wyatt here, Guessing you will remember me from our Facebook interactions..

Our state constitution literally gives the legislature the authority to do things like this. IT states by "law and regulation".

I will be talking about some data that the Game and Fish has been collecting from unit 3F2. CWD was first found in state in 2009 in 3F2, with the Game and Fish implementing a ban on hunting over bait through their 2010 CWD Proclamation, even after a bill to ban baiting introduced into the legislature in 2007 and 2009 was shot down.



70 positive CWD cases have been found in North Dakota in 13 years of testing. 48 of these cases have come from 3f2, or 68.6% of all positives. In the last 3 years of released data, 2019-2021, 34 of 52 positives have come from 3F2, or 65% of positives from that time frame, even though the baiting restriction had been in place for 9 years prior.



In North Dakota since 2009 there has been 1 deer found dead our state where they say CWD was the possible cause of death, but are unable with 100% certainty to say that CWD was the direct cause. This deer was found dead, then tested positive.



After running through those numbers and remembering a baiting restriction has been in place now for 12 years total in 3F2, has that restriction the Game and Fish implemented been effective at impacting spread beyond a normal, natural deer to deer interaction, especially after the drastic spike the last 3 years?



At a Minot CWD meeting this past year, the Game and Fish Department stated they are moving away from data collection in 3F2. This has been the data collection site in the state that could back up the science they want us to believe… That a baiting restriction slows the spread of CWD, yet they are moving away from data there, specifically after the huge leap in positives the last 3 years. Perhaps the data and science does NOT match the narrative and agenda.


That is a condensed version of the written testimony I submitted.. my longer version contains the links and more data and all of that fun jazz, but I have yet to have any one answer the couple of questions that have been asked in there. Why are we going away from results in 3F2? Where are all the dead deer at? Where is the accountability for the game and fish department when they eradicated 50 something deer by Williston, with out a single positive, just to dump them in the garbage and not even donate the meat?

Who gets to hold the game and fish accountable? This was attempted twice through the legislature previously. "We the People" spoke out and got it shot down, and then the game and fish wrote a CWD specific proclamation to back door a baiting restriction after going 0 for 2. I have sat through advisory board meetings and CWD specific meetings where sportsmen's concerns were turned on deaf ears on this topic and a vast amount of others. There has been 0 accountability for a government branch that is headed by an appointed position that has literally chosen to ignore what the people of the state spoke for and has literally shown their inability to manage the deer herds in the past, having to give out a surplus of tags (100,000 +) after not listening to people that see these herd every single deer for multiple years at a time at advisory board meetings.. the only thing that saved their tail was a winter where literally hundreds or thousands of dead deer were killed by the elements.

My family has deer hunted the last few years with out the ability to bait and have had success.. This is due to our habitat implementation practices that we have done, but others aren't as fortunate. It might pain me to see it but there is way more tree rows and sloughs and habitat disappearing from our area then there is going in. Spot and stalk is fun, heck.. It's a blast. But on our flat land with 0 cover it's not feasible. I have enjoyed watching many youth and other folks set out and harvest deer, many first deer, off of our property.. including 100+ folks that fall mother nature intervened.. all while only losing 1 animal due to a bad shot.. With out a bait pile as a tool for those people, and to help remove 100+ deer out of our yard.. how many more deer would have perished to the elements?

There are lots of valid concerns on both sides, but unless they can prove with out a doubt.. no maybes, can or can not, no possibles.. why should a tool that has been so helpful, for myself and others, be targeted.. all while the game and fish funds programs meant to congregate deer themselves.

Baiting does nothing to increase the spread of cwd and he knows it he’s just fighting an uphill battle. I hope he loses this one .

 

[wct12]

Baiting does nothing to increase the spread of cwd and he knows it he’s just fighting an uphill battle. I hope he loses this one .

Brock hunts the badlands I'm guessing.. There's essentially one area in nodak spot and stalk is possible on large chunks of public and it's the western/south western nodak.. Maybe a few of the refuges around the state also.

Like I said I like to spot and stalk and do it when I can, but north dakota doesn't have enough public land in those areas to satisfy the increase in archery hunters it would increase down there if baiting is made unavailable state wide.

Look at the states he lists.. Montana, sodak and Minnesota. Minnesota has over the counter tags available to try and control population plus large tracts of free standing trees making pinch points and trails and cutouts valid options. Sodak you can bait until prior to season I believe and has a much different terrain then nodak, even eastern sodak in the valley. Montana obviously has it advantages when it comes to spot and stalk.

The area we hunt in has a road every mile and you can see for 3 miles. Spot and stalk isn't feasible in our home area and our success is due to improving habitat which isn't feasible for 95% of the people that deer hunt.

 

[8andcounting]

Brock hunts the badlands I'm guessing.. There's essentially one area in nodak spot and stalk is possible on large chunks of public and it's the western/south western nodak.. Maybe a few of the refuges around the state also.

Like I said I like to spot and stalk and do it when I can, but north dakota doesn't have enough public land in those areas to satisfy the increase in archery hunters it would increase down there if baiting is made unavailable state wide.

Look at the states he lists.. Montana, sodak and Minnesota. Minnesota has over the counter tags available to try and control population plus large tracts of free standing trees making pinch points and trails and cutouts valid options. Sodak you can bait until prior to season I believe and has a much different terrain then nodak, even eastern sodak in the valley. Montana obviously has it advantages when it comes to spot and stalk.

The area we hunt in has a road every mile and you can see for 3 miles. Spot and stalk isn't feasible in our home area and our success is due to improving habitat which isn't feasible for 95% of the people that deer hunt.

I agree totally . He’s looking at it through one set of eyes . His

 

[Hunting Wife]

I agree totally . He’s looking at it through one set of eyes . His

I think the same could be said for those opposing a baiting ban as well.

I’ve still yet to see a single piece of credible research finding that baiting does not exacerbate CWD. Funny how people latch onto a course of action with not a shred of supporting evidence, while arguing that the other alternative has no supporting evidence.

We actually know quite a bit about how feeding/baiting influences a lot of other diseases (hint: it makes them worse), and there’s not yet any evidence that isn’t true for CWD. But I think even if we had a smoking gun study, people would find some other reason to justify not banning baiting. Let’s call it what it is… people prioritize their selfish wants over the health of the resource. Happens every day, no need to be bashful or make up conspiracies or pseudo-scientific “studies”, just be honest about it.

 

[wct12]

I think the same could be said for those opposing a baiting ban as well.

I’ve still yet to see a single piece of credible research finding that baiting does not exacerbate CWD. Funny how people latch onto a course of action with not a shred of supporting evidence, while arguing that the other alternative has no supporting evidence.

We actually know quite a bit about how feeding/baiting influences a lot of other diseases (hint: it makes them worse), and there’s not yet any evidence that isn’t true for CWD. But I think even if we had a smoking gun study, people would find some other reason to justify not banning baiting. Let’s call it what it is… people prioritize their selfish wants over the health of the resource. Happens every day, no need to be bashful or make up conspiracies or pseudo-scientific “studies”, just be honest about it.

I would like you to answer my questions posted then.. Obviously I'm in favor of baiting, but if you can tell me that CWD is going to eradicate herds more than what game and fish has done for testing, with certainty, I'll change my opinion. Like I said, we haven't baited since we couldn't and have had success, but the people that used to come in December and January and harvest deer haven't been able to.. And then usually 2 weeks after season we have 350 or more deer standing in our yard yarded up.

TB is a very serious disease but also spreads when deer congregate if it's present, and has actually been proven to kill deer.. But the baiting ban is specifically in the CWD proclamation. Read my stats.. Why are they going away from testing in 3f2 now?

They use Saskatchewan as an example of what could happen. Where's the zombie deer and wiped out herds? The areas with the highest prevalence rates are also the trophy units.. Even though according to ND game and fish it "targets big bucks". Also look at deer density numbers.. Wisconsin, sask.. All much higher deer densities per mile then nodak.

 

[8andcounting]

I think the same could be said for those opposing a baiting ban as well.

I’ve still yet to see a single piece of credible research finding that baiting does not exacerbate CWD. Funny how people latch onto a course of action with not a shred of supporting evidence, while arguing that the other alternative has no supporting evidence.

We actually know quite a bit about how feeding/baiting influences a lot of other diseases (hint: it makes them worse), and there’s not yet any evidence that isn’t true for CWD. But I think even if we had a smoking gun study, people would find some other reason to justify not banning baiting. Let’s call it what it is… people prioritize their selfish wants over the health of the resource. Happens every day, no need to be bashful or make up conspiracies or pseudo-scientific “studies”, just be honest about it.

Are you Brock’s brother ? Lol

 

[JLS]

Are you Brock’s brother ? Lol

What an idiot. Her record speak for itself.

 

[wct12]

I think the same could be said for those opposing a baiting ban as well.

I’ve still yet to see a single piece of credible research finding that baiting does not exacerbate CWD. Funny how people latch onto a course of action with not a shred of supporting evidence, while arguing that the other alternative has no supporting evidence.

We actually know quite a bit about how feeding/baiting influences a lot of other diseases (hint: it makes them worse), and there’s not yet any evidence that isn’t true for CWD. But I think even if we had a smoking gun study, people would find some other reason to justify not banning baiting. Let’s call it what it is… people prioritize their selfish wants over the health of the resource. Happens every day, no need to be bashful or make up conspiracies or pseudo-scientific “studies”, just be honest about it.

whats the greastest risk of disease transference? I'll answer that question for ya.. Overpopulation. The ND game and fish has PROVEN their inability to manage deer herd numbers properly.. The same people you are claiming prioritize themselves over deer health are the same ones leaving crop standing, pushing paths through the snow so deer can browse, or heck.. Even having them stand at silage piles and hay stacks. We've told the game and fish time and time before they had an exploding deer population and it all went on deaf ears and we got told to trust the experts, we know what we're doing.. The next year they released 100,000 tags for the public.. The only thing that saved a further overpopulation was mother nature that winter.

We hauled well over 100 dead deer out of hard and had 100+ harvest deer. Overpopulation is way worse for disease transference than a bait pile.

 

[Hunting Wife]

At this point I give up answering questions and posting links. I’ve been doing it here for years, to what end? Every few months a new crop of armchair biologists show up with the same fake news and misrepresentations, making the same accusations, asking the same insincere questions. No amount of posting or discussion will satisfy those who have already made up their minds and are staunchly anti-science. In this Internet age, there is plenty of legit research readily available online for those who truly want to see what we know, what we don’t know, and the information being used to support management directions. Not a single biologist would disagree with you that we don’t know as much as we would like to. But throwing up hands and saying oh well isn’t a management strategy. You use what you do know, until you have better information, do you not?

whats the greastest risk of disease transference? I'll answer that question for ya.. Overpopulation.

You know why that is, right? Because it increases densities and raises contact rates between individuals. You know, kinda like baiting/feeding does, which is the mechanism by which it is known to exacerbate other better-understood diseases.

They use Saskatchewan as an example of what could happen.

Probably because population declines have been documented in infected Sask mule deer herds. And Wyoming Mule deer. And Wyoming whitetails. And Colorado mule deer. And Wind Cave elk. Some of our very own Sask HT members have confirmed they’ve personally observed this on this very forum. I’ve posted links to these here before, many times.

Are you Brock’s brother ? Lol

I usually take name calling or personal jabs to mean someone lacks the mental capacity to actually engage in the discussion. That’s usually my cue to leave the chat.

Have a good weekend.

 

[BuzzH]

I think the same could be said for those opposing a baiting ban as well.

I’ve still yet to see a single piece of credible research finding that baiting does not exacerbate CWD. Funny how people latch onto a course of action with not a shred of supporting evidence, while arguing that the other alternative has no supporting evidence.

We actually know quite a bit about how feeding/baiting influences a lot of other diseases (hint: it makes them worse), and there’s not yet any evidence that isn’t true for CWD. But I think even if we had a smoking gun study, people would find some other reason to justify not banning baiting. Let’s call it what it is… people prioritize their selfish wants over the health of the resource. Happens every day, no need to be bashful or make up conspiracies or pseudo-scientific “studies”, just be honest about it.

After having talked with lots of people involved with CWD I'm not convinced, at this time, we have the ability to stop it from spreading. I doubt very much we can even control prelevance. Could be wrong but successes are hard to find and reconcile.

I suppose time will tell, but experts I've talked with are not confident it will be ever be controlled.

But, there are some common sense things we can do, and imo, decreasing contact at bait/mineral piles makes sense. Not to mention the list of other diseases that can be problematic as well, CWD being controllable or not aside.

I'm way more inclined to try these types of things over large scale depopulation.

 

[antlerradar]

After having talked with lots of people involved with CWD I'm not convinced, at this time, we have the ability to stop it from spreading. I doubt very much we can even control prelevance. Could be wrong but successes are hard to find and reconcile.

I suppose time will tell, but experts I've talked with are not confident it will be ever be controlled.

But, there are some common sense things we can do, and imo, decreasing contact at bait/mineral piles makes sense. Not to mention the list of other diseases that can be problematic as well, CWD being controllable or not aside.

I'm way more inclined to try these types of things over large scale depopulation.

Agree, Bait/mineral are low hanging fruit.