Joined Apr 2009
1,130 Posts | 0+
Columbia, MO
We are trying to get some real information into the hands of our legislators. I have re-done the CWD facts and thought I would get comments from all my deer friends before I send it out. Here they are so please feel free to comment and THANKS in advance:
Some facts about the CWD positives in Missouri
1. 5 CWD positives have been found in Missouri. All 5 were from healthy animals as a result of a hunter harvest.
2. At least some of the 5 were probably later consumed before the CWD positive was found.
3. Three of the positives were inside enclosures and 2 were from outside enclosures in what we term as “free ranging� whitetails. The 3 found inside enclosures were from natural born animals or what are referred to as “native animals� within the enclosures. It is possible these deer originated from deer that were in the enclosures at the time the enclosures were built.
4. At the time the first ones were found, the enclosures were being monitored and tested at a fairly high level while the free ranging deer were being tested very little. It only makes sense that if CWD were present in the area that it would be found in the enclosures first. You only find something when you are looking or testing for it.
5. In 2005, the Missouri Department of Conservation quit testing for CWD. From 2001 to 2005 they had taken almost 23,000 samples at that time without a positive. In the target area of 6 counties where the positives were later found, they had taken 1281 samples. There are 3881 square miles in that area and the deer population is estimated at 64 per square mile or 248,384 deer. So they sampled about ½ of 1 percent.
6. In 2005, the Missouri Department of Conservation took 24 samples statewide and 0 samples in the 6 county area where CWD was later found. In 2006, they took 25 samples statewide and 1 sample in the 6 counties.
7. Sometime in 2005-06 it was pointed out in a CWD Task Force meeting that since the MDC was no longer testing, if we found it in Missouri, it would be found by the cervid industry. Of course that was true.
8. In 2007 the MDC started sampling again by hiring taxidermists to take lymph nodes from adult trophy bucks. From 2007-2009, they collected 4221 samples with 367 coming from the 6 counties. It is note worthy that the breakdown is 331 in 2007, 8 in 2008, and 28 in 2009 from the 6 target counties. That is a very small sample size in 2008 and 2009. All together during those 3 years they tested .15 of 1 percent. Of the deer population in that area.
9. Collection of lymph nodes is not considered accurate enough and not approved for use by the cervid industry.
10. The enclosures have a game proof fence around them. All deer introduced into the enclosures must meet strict monitoring and testing requirements for CWD, TB, and Brucellosis. Captive deer are the healthiest and most monitored and tested species of animal in the United States. The free ranging deer can move about anywhere and could walk in from just about anywhere. They have no monitoring or testing requirements for ANY disease. In fact free ranging deer in general are tested very little as seen by the facts above.
11. There has never been a case where a CWD positive has been traced back to a herd that was monitored for over 5 years. NONE!
12. After finding the first CWD in an enclosure, authorities tested over 1100 deer both inside and outside the enclosure and found no more positive deer. That number is rarely seen in the press.
13. The people who raise captive deer are also hunters and care about the wild deer herd on an almost absurd level. When people know the real facts surrounding CWD, they will realize that the captive deer industry posies no threat to our great deer populations. In fact, it was our industry that found the positive even though there is no proof of where it came from. More than likely it “walked� in from the very low monitored free ranging population or came in from remains of cervids brought in from out West. We really don’t know.
Some facts about the CWD positives in Missouri
1. 5 CWD positives have been found in Missouri. All 5 were from healthy animals as a result of a hunter harvest.
2. At least some of the 5 were probably later consumed before the CWD positive was found.
3. Three of the positives were inside enclosures and 2 were from outside enclosures in what we term as “free ranging� whitetails. The 3 found inside enclosures were from natural born animals or what are referred to as “native animals� within the enclosures. It is possible these deer originated from deer that were in the enclosures at the time the enclosures were built.
4. At the time the first ones were found, the enclosures were being monitored and tested at a fairly high level while the free ranging deer were being tested very little. It only makes sense that if CWD were present in the area that it would be found in the enclosures first. You only find something when you are looking or testing for it.
5. In 2005, the Missouri Department of Conservation quit testing for CWD. From 2001 to 2005 they had taken almost 23,000 samples at that time without a positive. In the target area of 6 counties where the positives were later found, they had taken 1281 samples. There are 3881 square miles in that area and the deer population is estimated at 64 per square mile or 248,384 deer. So they sampled about ½ of 1 percent.
6. In 2005, the Missouri Department of Conservation took 24 samples statewide and 0 samples in the 6 county area where CWD was later found. In 2006, they took 25 samples statewide and 1 sample in the 6 counties.
7. Sometime in 2005-06 it was pointed out in a CWD Task Force meeting that since the MDC was no longer testing, if we found it in Missouri, it would be found by the cervid industry. Of course that was true.
8. In 2007 the MDC started sampling again by hiring taxidermists to take lymph nodes from adult trophy bucks. From 2007-2009, they collected 4221 samples with 367 coming from the 6 counties. It is note worthy that the breakdown is 331 in 2007, 8 in 2008, and 28 in 2009 from the 6 target counties. That is a very small sample size in 2008 and 2009. All together during those 3 years they tested .15 of 1 percent. Of the deer population in that area.
9. Collection of lymph nodes is not considered accurate enough and not approved for use by the cervid industry.
10. The enclosures have a game proof fence around them. All deer introduced into the enclosures must meet strict monitoring and testing requirements for CWD, TB, and Brucellosis. Captive deer are the healthiest and most monitored and tested species of animal in the United States. The free ranging deer can move about anywhere and could walk in from just about anywhere. They have no monitoring or testing requirements for ANY disease. In fact free ranging deer in general are tested very little as seen by the facts above.
11. There has never been a case where a CWD positive has been traced back to a herd that was monitored for over 5 years. NONE!
12. After finding the first CWD in an enclosure, authorities tested over 1100 deer both inside and outside the enclosure and found no more positive deer. That number is rarely seen in the press.
13. The people who raise captive deer are also hunters and care about the wild deer herd on an almost absurd level. When people know the real facts surrounding CWD, they will realize that the captive deer industry posies no threat to our great deer populations. In fact, it was our industry that found the positive even though there is no proof of where it came from. More than likely it “walked� in from the very low monitored free ranging population or came in from remains of cervids brought in from out West. We really don’t know.
