CWD Found in Mississippi
- Thread starter JTHOMP
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Topgun 30-06
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IMHO its been around far longer than it was first found in that captive CO herd back in the 70s. They are no closer to knowing how to get rid of it than the day they first found it and named it CWD back in the 70s. Yes, animals that get it will eventually die from it if they don't die from something else before it's final stages. However, IMHO it is something serious enough to keep good studies going on it, but also way overblown IMHO since if there are still plenty of animals in the area where it was first found I don't think it will be the end of all animals anywhere else that it's found. The more testing for it that is done the more chances are that it will continue to be found and it's probably in every state if enough testing continues. I know some don't agree with me, but it is what it is and the prions are so resistant to everything that a way to stop it may never be found and that's just the cold, hard truth about it!
Aussie_hunter_JD
Well-known member
I wouldn't be so sure it's nothing to worry about. In Australia we had an issue with our Tasmanian devils. In 1996 a photographer to a photo of a Tassie devil with a facial tumour, it had never been seen before. Within 20 years it has spread across the entire state and wiped out 95% of the population.
Fortunately they took a lot of animals for captive breeding and there's been a bit of resistance showing up in remnant populations. But similar to your cwd it showed up out of nowhere, no one knew why or how to stop it.
Fortunately they took a lot of animals for captive breeding and there's been a bit of resistance showing up in remnant populations. But similar to your cwd it showed up out of nowhere, no one knew why or how to stop it.
beginnerhunter
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So how did the prions make it to southern MS? That's a long way from northwest Arkansas. When it was found in the AR Ozarks many folks thought(wrongly or not) it was brought years ago by the elk and just stayed below detection levels until a couple years ago.
Did people transport deer/elk carcasses to southern MS and it spread from there? Did the deer eat corn imported from a CWD area of the US? Did it arise spontaneously in an area of high deer density?
Did people transport deer/elk carcasses to southern MS and it spread from there? Did the deer eat corn imported from a CWD area of the US? Did it arise spontaneously in an area of high deer density?
That is the golden question. Figure that out and states could at least place proper regs to reduce it spreading. Louisiana started this season with not allowing any spine or part of the brain across state lines. Mississippi is similar but it's only not allowing carcasses from confirmed CWD states. Both states will likely be adjusting the regs on feeding or at least consider it (feeding is a way bigger deal in Louisiana than Mississippi). Steps should be taken to reduce the risk of spreading, but nobody has figured out what exactly it will take.
nturpin
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Our wildlife biologist for our lease, is a prominent biologist for the southeast put it this way. Every state has cwd they just haven’t discovered it yet. The testing is so sporadic that any agency doesn’t have a good grasp on what is really going on. In Arkansas they only make testing mandatory on elk. The rest is voluntary. And that is only in the hot zone. I would bet we have it across the whole state of we did proper testing.
Aussie_hunter_JD
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Do they know whether there is risk to people or not yet?
Topgun 30-06
Active member
No more than anything else they know about it from all the reading I've done on it. By the way, regarding the comment you made in your other post, I don't believe anybody has said it's not something to worry about. However, many feel it's being overblown as a killer when we read some saying that it will decimate all the animals wherever it's found and that certainly isn't the case all the way from when it was first publicized being found in CO in the 70s and studies began on it.
ClearCreek
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Overblown, maybe not. Some recent CWD research on deer in Wyoming indicates that when the CWD prevalence rate gets up to 35% and higher there is likely a population level effect. So, we will see.
ClearCreek
Hunting Wife
Well-known member
They don’t know for sure, but it’s possible. Many of the “opinions” you’ll see on these threads (CWD has always been there, animals will develop a resistance, it isn’t a big deal because I still see lots of animals) are generally not supported by actual science. Look at some other CWD threads on this forum, or better yet go listen to The Meateater Podcast CWD episode with Dr. Bryan Richards. He does a great job debunking a lot of myths about the disease. The podcast is a great synopsis of the current knowledge on CWD.
Stretcher_Jockey
Active member
Tennessee is the same, I believe it started in 2017. However now with the addition of MS we have I believe 4 of our border states in which CWD has been found, so unfortunately regardless of efforts I feel like its simply a matter of time before it shows up here.
Well, count me in the "unscientific opinion" that "its always been there" category then. Nobody was testing for CWD before it was discovered. Its even been found in Europe and Asia. More places look for it, more places find it.
I will listen to that podcast though.
Northwoods Labs
Well-known member
I certainly don't think it has always been here. In Wisconsin's "hot zone" for the disease, the rates have steadily gone up since it was discovered. This has been in a fairly short amount of time. If CWD had been here for a long time, then the number of deer that had it would have been high right away
That sucks for the deer hunters in Mississippi, It is getting closer to my area in PA and is being transferred from deer farms that are being transferred to wild deer. Its a scary situation i love to hunt but if im unsure of if the meat is edible or not puts me Leary about giving the meat to my family. The real problem in my opinion is the deer farms that transfer deer all around that are infected. Eliminate the transfer of deer and you will stop the spread, im sure deer farms are to blame for the spread to the wild population.
pabearhunter
Well-known member
I don't know where you live in Pa. but CWD has been a problem in Pa. for the last few years.
I live in south central id Adams County, They expanded DMA 2 where i hunt, i hunt right on the fringe but they just found CWD in deer farms less than 10 miles from where i hunt.
Alabama
Active member
I don't see how a deer can develop a resistance to a mutated protein. It's not an organism like a virus or bacteria, that the body can develop antibodies and kill. It's not alive.
It seems the eastern states are finally starting to take this very seriously. Are higher deer densities in east (especially the southeast) going to translate into higher transmission rates? And an overall greater impact?
It seems the eastern states are finally starting to take this very seriously. Are higher deer densities in east (especially the southeast) going to translate into higher transmission rates? And an overall greater impact?
3855WIN
Well-known member
For those who hunt CWD areas, what precautions do you take?
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