Topgun 30-06
Active member
I did not say they weren't being affected. I said I wasn't aware of any locations where the herds have been DECIMATED by CWD! That is a big difference in what I said and what you posted!!!
CWD Found in MT
- Thread starter belly-deep
- Start date
I did not say they weren't being affected. I said I wasn't aware of any locations where the herds have been DECIMATED by CWD! That is a big difference in what I said and what you posted!!!
The Hedgehog
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- Dec 19, 2000
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- 11,606
Topgun 30-06, I'm thinking of signing up for this special CWD hunt. What is it like for access, also trophy potential, meat palatability, places to park, camp, dine, and have my meat processed. Thanks in advance.
Topgun 30-06
Active member
Another stalker that hardly ever adds anything positive or worthwhile to a discussion, so go fly a kite with your buddy from Laramie!!
375H&H
Well-known member
Greenhorn you really don't add much to most conversations except for trying to make people feel small...THAT I can agree with. It's nice to see that elementary school antics still exist on a forum with adults.
Is there any possible correlation to a lack of natural predators that may have led to CWD gaining traction?
D
Deleted member 20812
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What lack of natural predators are you referring to? I think the Laramie Range has plenty of coyotes, cougars, and bears?
Hunting Wife
Well-known member
I’m not going to split hairs with you.
Also not quite sure what you mean by lack of natural predators- do you mean wolves specifically? Haven’t read much research on it. Predators can remove infected animals, but by the time an animal is sick enough to be susceptible to predation it has probably been shedding prions for a while and those will persist and remain infective long after the infected individual is removed. It seems doubtful that predators (any predators) could have had or will have much impact on CWD occurrence. I suppose we might learn a lot more about that though when it reaches the feed grounds and Yellowstone.
npaden
Well-known member
Seems like there is a pretty good population of mountain lions for sure.
Of the 143 collared deer, 97 died during the study. Of those they weren't able to identify the cause of 37 of them. 13 died during or relating to capture. That leaves 47 that they were able to determine the cause and mountain lions killed 20 of those. 42.5% of the known deaths were from mountain lions.
Sounds like we should just release a bunch of mountain lions in areas that have CWD. They seem to do a good job on them.
Topgun 30-06
Active member
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ClearCreek
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Topgun 30-06
Active member
D
Deleted member 20812
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Are we doubling down on ridiculous here? If any other cause such as winter kill, predation, or hunting caused a loss of 50% of a population I’m pretty sure we would consider that decimation.
We have an area that has little issue with winter range encroachment, liberal lion seasons, and tightly regulated deer seasons. Yet, numbers are half of what they used to be and likely to decline much further. If that’s not equal to or getting very damned close to decimation we have much different perspectives about what equals a large portion of the population.
Dig away.
We have an area that has little issue with winter range encroachment, liberal lion seasons, and tightly regulated deer seasons. Yet, numbers are half of what they used to be and likely to decline much further. If that’s not equal to or getting very damned close to decimation we have much different perspectives about what equals a large portion of the population.
Dig away.
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ClearCreek
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See JLS, here is where the problem arises. For you a 50% decline is decimation, and I am not saying that is wrong, but for others the level may have to reach a reduction of 90% to be considered decimation. The comments by others in this thread show that.
I think the bottom line is, with all the other problems mule deer are having, CWD is only going to further reduce populations. CWD will continue to cause havoc with mule deer (and white-tailed deer as well) populations, that I believe, is a given.
(Please don't make me define and quantify "havoc"!!
ClearCreek
JM77
Well-known member
I'm going to weigh in on this for several reasons, the least being the childish behavior surrounding several exchanges and different people.
Obviously, the Wyoming G&F Dept doesn't feel any elk or deer herds have been "decimated" enough by CWD to close any hunting areas. In fact, the deer area with the highest CWD rate known, area 65, (as high as 49% of hunter killed deer testing positive), is still a general, over the counter area for residents. Ok, enough of that.
I'm sure some of you have heard of Lucky the elk. Lucky is the sole survivor from some 38 elk calves brought to the Sybille Research Unit between Laramie and Wheatland, where it is known that CWD prions exist in the soil. Lucky, who is now 13 years old, has a different genetic makeup found in a very low percentage of elk. What is beginning to be seen in Wyoming, as time goes on, more animals are surviving longer with CWD. The longer they survive, the longer they pass on their more resistant genes. Elk, like Lucky, could be the very reason. Now I am not a biologist, but I have talked to a few about this. There is some school of thought, that wiping out herds within CWD areas could slow the "possible" natural process of the change in genetics that resist CWD.
All this being said, apparently no one knows how to handle this disease with any certainty. So all of you commenting on here, take that into consideration while you argue about something that no one really has a grasp on yet. As far as where CWD came from? It very well could have been Sybille in Wyoming. No one really knows that for sure either.
Obviously, the Wyoming G&F Dept doesn't feel any elk or deer herds have been "decimated" enough by CWD to close any hunting areas. In fact, the deer area with the highest CWD rate known, area 65, (as high as 49% of hunter killed deer testing positive), is still a general, over the counter area for residents. Ok, enough of that.
I'm sure some of you have heard of Lucky the elk. Lucky is the sole survivor from some 38 elk calves brought to the Sybille Research Unit between Laramie and Wheatland, where it is known that CWD prions exist in the soil. Lucky, who is now 13 years old, has a different genetic makeup found in a very low percentage of elk. What is beginning to be seen in Wyoming, as time goes on, more animals are surviving longer with CWD. The longer they survive, the longer they pass on their more resistant genes. Elk, like Lucky, could be the very reason. Now I am not a biologist, but I have talked to a few about this. There is some school of thought, that wiping out herds within CWD areas could slow the "possible" natural process of the change in genetics that resist CWD.
All this being said, apparently no one knows how to handle this disease with any certainty. So all of you commenting on here, take that into consideration while you argue about something that no one really has a grasp on yet. As far as where CWD came from? It very well could have been Sybille in Wyoming. No one really knows that for sure either.
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D
Deleted member 20812
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Jeff,
Yes, I have heard the same hypothesis on allowing the resistant genes to spread. And yes, it does make sense. You’re also right in that many approaches are very much a gamble.
I seem to recall the disease is believed to have come from Colorado and ended up at Sybille through animal transport?
Yes, I have heard the same hypothesis on allowing the resistant genes to spread. And yes, it does make sense. You’re also right in that many approaches are very much a gamble.
I seem to recall the disease is believed to have come from Colorado and ended up at Sybille through animal transport?
D
Deleted member 20812
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Thank you Hunting Wife for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
375H&H
Well-known member
I was only providing a thought that perhaps CWD is natures way of righting itself in response to either an inflated population or significantly unnatural ecosystem, say one without all natural predators. The same way mad cow righted the unnatural aspect of cows eating cow offal (cannibalism).
Outside of that, if only people who work on the subject in the thread and are formally educated on it comment on it, then it would be quite the short conversation.
Outside of that, if only people who work on the subject in the thread and are formally educated on it comment on it, then it would be quite the short conversation.
JM77
Well-known member
Muleyhunter
New member
I am so thankful that Montana is here! It is the only place that I will be able to teach the love
Of big game hunting to my boys?
Lucas
Of big game hunting to my boys?
Lucas
onpoint
Well-known member
Seems a fair number of people have pretty strong ideas and opinions about this this wildlife management issue. If you are a sportsman/woman - rightfully so.
That being said, wildlife management is done by largely by government agencies. The folks who utilize that resource are the ones who pay for those services and to be fully and knowledgeably engaged - need to be engaged.
To be engage folks need to be "showing up".
So, how many of the guys with the opinions on this topic actually:
Actively engage with and stay in contact with their respective wildlife mgmt agencies?
Show up for public informational and comment meetings and/or communicate comments to the agencies?
Actively take part in local sportsmans/womans groups - I don't mean "hey I belong to RMEF"...?
Try and get fellow hunter/anglers to get involved?
As a citizen, take part in the actual legislative process?
Just wondering.
I'm going hunting...................
That being said, wildlife management is done by largely by government agencies. The folks who utilize that resource are the ones who pay for those services and to be fully and knowledgeably engaged - need to be engaged.
To be engage folks need to be "showing up".
So, how many of the guys with the opinions on this topic actually:
Actively engage with and stay in contact with their respective wildlife mgmt agencies?
Show up for public informational and comment meetings and/or communicate comments to the agencies?
Actively take part in local sportsmans/womans groups - I don't mean "hey I belong to RMEF"...?
Try and get fellow hunter/anglers to get involved?
As a citizen, take part in the actual legislative process?
Just wondering.
I'm going hunting...................
walking buffalo
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If this thought was believed in, then wouldn't Nature being telling us to eliminate Game Farms?
Oh Hell no!. lol... Nope, not at all. You definitely got that one wrong.
