pa game commission CWD proposal

[7 mag]

The prions that cause it are in the deer, its shed into the soil from urine, feces, and saliva. They arent present in the soil until a sick deer puts them there.

They are in the highest concentration in the brain, spinal column and lymph nodes but prions are present throughout the meat as well.

Common sense says to try and stop or slow the spread of a fatal disease in deer that can potentially make the jump to humans or other species like sheep or cattle rather than just standing idly by and making it our kids and grandkids problem.



I agree with a lot you've said, the sky isn't falling and there will always be deer whether we have CWD or not but I refuse to believe that "let nature take its course" is the best course of action.

Excellent post

 

[Robertsj22]

I feel for you being in the heart of the CWD zone. I don't know what the answer is, but I live a few miles north of the DMA zone and I hope it does not spread to my area. I understand this is an emotional issue, but I tend to trust the PGC and the professionals working on this. Numerous deer in your area have tested positive, I'm not sure what more proof you need? I don't think there is any debate about the lethality of CWD. Those deer that tested positive would have died eventually, even if they're not visibly sick at this moment.

The first cull the pgc did they shot 126 deer with sharp shooters. You know how many tested positive? ZERO. This tells me they have no idea what they are doing. If you use there way of thinking we are going to blow up a building that we think a suspect is living in. After its done well crap he wasn't there lets blow up another.

 

[pabearhunter]

Hmmm, I wonder if the car insurance company are hoping for total deer kill off ?

 

[bluespruce]

I don't think removing hundreds or even a few thousand deer in a population of over a million can be called an overreaction.

Wisconsin went about it very aggressively and had their programs defunded by the legislature before anything productive came about. Illinois has been doing the same program that PA is proposing and for over a decade kept prevalence rates at 3% or lower

My understanding is 3% is over the entire CWD area and rates are 5% to over 10%+ prevalence in more localized areas. Its also still spreading: 2 counties in 2003 and 17 (I think) today. So while, yes, they've fared better than Wisconsin, I'm not sure it is some shining success either. The other thing that nobody seems to mention is that Illinois was starting with fewer cases and a lower deer density, significantly so in some areas. (I suspect PA is closer to WI than IL in those aspects.)

Everyone, including me, rags on Wisconsin's management plan (or lack thereof) but at the same time has any other state ever eliminated CWD or even stopped the spread after its gotten past a handful of cases? Sure some places have slowed it more than others, but I question to what end? To hope our children and grandchildren find a cure or just make ourselves feel better because, well, at least we're doing something?

 

[COEngineer]

If the roof is falling and you don't know how to replace it, don't you put some supports in there and hope it holds until you figure out what caused it to start falling in the first place?

Maybe too many analogies...but anytime I hear something like, "Those durn wildlife professionals with all their fancy lernin...", I automatically side with the guys that are actually trying to do something instead of the guys that are sticking their heads in the sand.

 

[MJE2083]

The first cull the pgc did they shot 126 deer with sharp shooters. You know how many tested positive? ZERO. This tells me they have no idea what they are doing. If you use there way of thinking we are going to blow up a building that we think a suspect is living in. After its done well crap he wasn't there lets blow up another.

I was unaware that any cull had been done. I was under the impression that one was planned, but then cancelled due to public outcry.

 

[MJE2083]

Hmmm, I wonder if the car insurance company are hoping for total deer kill off ?

That's why they stocked all the coyotes right?

 

[PA deer hunter]

“I tend to trust the PGC...” Now that’s funny! Maybe we oughta bring Gary Alt back to fix this !

 

[Pelican]

That's why they stocked all the coyotes right?

Next is the Canadian super woofs.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Born and raised in PA now live in idaho it's crazy to hear people worried about culling some deer. My grandpa called me last week and said there was 63 deer in the field up back. 63!!!

 

[pabearhunter]

That's why they stocked all the coyotes right?

Car deer accidents is part of what generates the number of doe permits. So do the math.

 

[bluespruce]

Born and raised in PA now live in idaho it's crazy to hear people worried about culling some deer. My grandpa called me last week and said there was 63 deer in the field up back. 63!!!

Yeah, seems like culling 5 or even 10 won't really have an effect... so why spend the money to do so?

I constantly hear about how government departments of all types, not just DNRs, are underfunded but then they go and seemingly waste what they do have.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Yeah, seems like culling 5 or even 10 won't really have an effect... so why spend the money to do so?

I constantly hear about how government departments of all types, not just DNRs, are underfunded but then they go and seemingly waste what they do have.

I'm not debating that it's probably a waste of resources that will produce no fruit I agree with that 100%
What cracks me up is the people who act like there isnt gonna be any deer to hunt because a few hundred are getting taken from the herd. That arguement holds no weight it is simply a bitching point because the person needs to bitch and has no good arguement. There is over 1.5 million deer in the state with a total of 800 to 900 thousand hunters. I think PA will be ok on the deer front. Unless they do a absolutely nothing and CWD somehow takes a turn for the worst. Then the same people will bitch because DNR didnt do anything to save the deer herd and now they hunt days and days only seeing a few squirrels.

 

[Northwoods Labs]

Wisconsin really screwed the pooch, not with the initial aggressive harvest, but with the "let's stick our heads in the sand, do nothing, and hope it all just goes away" approach of the last 8 or so years. The rates are so high that I wouldn't even bother hunting many counties in SW Wisconsin. Too great of a chance of having to throw all the meat out. Sorry, if one tests positive for CWD I am too young to offer myself up as a guinea pig to see what will happen long term. Maybe when I am 65 I'll eat it regardless and not give a crap.