DNR information meeting/Iowa

[BowEd]

Just got this letter from the DNR.I've heard of CWD before.In the brain stem and spinal fluid is all I know about it.A person does'nt want that fluid on their knife while butchering.I'm going to the meeting though to get all the info that's important I can.

[Hawkdancer]

That's pretty bad news!  CWD can decimate a herd!  Be sure to sanitize your knives and/or hatchet after field dressing big game.  Bleach, alcohol wipes, wear surgical gloves, and clean your hands as well.  If DNR sets up testing, and they should, get your game tested!  We've been dealing without here for 10 years or more, Seems to be waning at present, but I get mine tested.
Hawkdancer

[BowEd]

Yes Hawk I kinda realized that.I'm going to check it out better yet at that meeting.

[mullet]

I'm glad it's not in the South. But most of the Wildlife People down here have established some strict rules about any deer, or parts coming into this region.

[BowEd]

It's been in regions of Wisconsin in the past I've heard.Never had any cases around here though.The DNR people are plenty strict about the precautions of that up here too.We have a very high deer per square mile population also.
Let me get something clear here.This is by no means an epidemic or out of control situation.

[JEB]

We 11 confirmed cases and 3 more suspect cases here in Michigan.  This is a bad disease that there is no cure for.

[PEARL DRUMS]

It will be in all herds before we blink. We had an EHD break out go through the lower portion of our state 7-8 years ago. Some areas lost 70-80% of the local herd. It was stinky and nasty.

[BowEd]

I'll keep a look out in the washs and draws here that's for sure.I constantly kill honey locust volunteer saplings here every year.At the moment though in the evenings here there as many or more deer here as ever.I watch my own little herd here pretty close.Robin and me will go shed hunting soon so we'll check it out locally here.
I'll learn exactly to what extent this is all about at the meeting the 15th of march.Report back after that about it then.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I wish the best for you and your state, Ed. Hope they can contain it.

[bjrogg]

Our deer numbers in my area are very high now. I'm very concerned about a disease like this spreading through the herd. I'm really surprised it hasn't spread faster through our State. That gives me a very small bit of hope. I do believe Mother Nature will come up with something to thin the herd around here. I thought maybe it was going to be a hard winter but they seem to have survived it quite well. Like Pearl said about seven years ago or so we had that very dry summer and EHD followed by a very cold winter with lots of deep snow. The numbers were way down the next year I didn't see a deer all gun season. I can't believe how fast their numbers have grown since then. Only thing I can say is many more farmers around here plant Rye, radishes and clover cover crops. I'm sure these have really helped deer winter over.
Bjrogg

[PEARL DRUMS]

Tell you what, BJ. If you lose the majority of your herd you will learn FAST to appreciate them when they return. I have always respected all critters to the max, but now I'm even "softer" about killing them. It changed my hunting life that year. The absence of deer and the relentless stink was sickening. They had to hire hydrohoes and double bottoms to clean out hundreds of deer from the Hubbardston dam. It was disgusting.

[bjrogg]

Yes Pearl I don't think we had the EHD around here like you did and our numbers probably didn't drop as bad as yours. At any rate nothing scientific about it, just my observations and years of watching but I think we had a very good number of all our animals here going into winter except for the pheasants. Strange to because I can't think of any animal they have tried harder to bring back here. Some of it I'm sure is habitat but we have a quite a few acres of CRP and State land and they still seem pretty rare here yet. Lots of deer, bunnies, fox, coyotes, hawks, eagles, turkeys, ground hogs squirrels, coons, opossum, skunks, geese and I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody. I hope it stays that way.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Well the meeting was actually very informative.Testing is the key.Overall the state here of Iowa has had 28 confirmed tested cases.Mostly in NE Iowa from across the river of Wisconsin.A small little pocket of cases into northern Missouri.Which they think probably caused this one to come up in my county.It is coming from the west too from Colorado across Nebraska.
In the beginning they are very concerned about a 5 mile circumference around the positive tested deer case.The case is around 15 to 16 miles from me.Does'nt make me feel all that comfortable that's for sure.
Thing here and the education of this to properly dispose of carcass/no pile feeding attracting/and these boughten powder attractants.Of which I don't do here.It can be spread by bodily fluids very well also.Large older bucks are the most suscptible.Incubation of prion they call it since it is not a virus and can withstand winters and conditions more so than a virus to make it difficult to get on top of since it does spread by staying in the soil also.Also that the incubation period of CWD is 1 to 2 years with signs of it on the animal after 3 years.So far no case like that has been found by anyone in Iowa yet.So it is something just beginning here but the flags are up for warning so it is up to the resident deer hunters mostly to stay on top of testing for it.
Thing is I will get a deer tested now for sure and get it tested and wait for results before I will eat it.

[bjrogg]

Thanks for the info Ed. I didn't know it took three years for symptoms to show up. I'm curious, are these animals contagious during this entire period? Mother Nature can still be one mean mother. Think I'd prefer a arrow through both lungs. I wish you and your state the best in controlling this disease.
Stay Healthy my friend
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Yes BJ the animal is contagious all during the infected period and after death also with it's carcass.Weather and conditions don't kill it.Reason it's so tough to get rid of.
I got a kick out of the DNR stating right off that these deer are ours to take care of.While charging fees to harvest them....lol.I know...I know they are just asking for help is all.