CWD Positive

Nemont

Nemont

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
Messages
4,396
Location
Glasgow, Montana
So just got off the phone with the FWP Biologist and found out the mule deer buck I took in northern Phillips County came back positive for CWD.

I haven't pulled the trigger on a deer in about 10 years, I did this year because my son was with me and was wanting to just have some venison in the freezer.

I guess it was bound to happen to somebody.

Nemont
 
It's a personal choice for everyone, but I wouldn't eat the meat from an animal that was to known to have CWD. You guys have all heard of the recent macaque monkey study, and even though the results are preliminary, it is still concerning. At least to me it is, anyway. There is also a similar study out that essentially refutes what those folks said, though, so who can really say at this point?

To contradict myself, I will say that I have eaten animals that have been harvested in areas where CWD is present, and present at a fairly high prevalence rate. However, there was no way for me to get mine tested without personally paying to send it to a lab. I was able to justify it to myself based on the animal's behavior- he was a very healthy looking adult deer doing what deer do during the rut, and was dogging does. He appeared healthy and showed no signs of illness (which CWD+ critters can do for a long time) so I ate him. It would just be a different story to me if I knew
 
I wouldn't eat it either if I knew it tested positive.

With that I am not going to worry about testing all the deer I shoot. All the studies I have read said that prions have never skipped from one species to another.
 
Yeah well this deer looked and acted healthy. Was rutted up and chasing does. He was kind of stupid but I chalked that up the rut.

We checked his heart, liver and lungs, all were perfect from what we could tell. Glad I used surgical gloves when I gutted him.

Nemont
 
So you’re the one....

A little disheartened to read that there are suspected cases all the way to Daniels County (very likely those will be confirmed positive on the second test). Also a positive in Saskatchewan within 5 miles of the border north of Plentywood. For all intents and purposes, the entire hi-line of Eastern Montana is positive. Not surprising at all, but extremely disappointing.
 
That sucks. Another reason I make all my own sausage. I don't want my meat mixed in with meat from deer I have no idea where they came from.
 
Hunting Wife said:
So you’re the one....

A little disheartened to read that there are suspected cases all the way to Daniels County (very likely those will be confirmed positive on the second test). Also a positive in Saskatchewan within 5 miles of the border north of Plentywood. For all intents and purposes, the entire hi-line of Eastern Montana is positive. Not surprising at all, but extremely disappointing.
Click to expand...

Yeah we were at the meat processor and decided to swing by the F&G region 6 HQ just because we were interested in helping out. Turns out to be a positive test.

Where this deer was shot is within line of sight of the border. It is going to be one more thing for our big game herds to deal with.
 
Humans have contracted Mad cow Disease in England. MCD is similar to CWD. I wouldn't eat any that test positive.
 
My Colorado buck came back negative, but I had eaten a good part of it before the results came back. I would have still eaten it had it been positive, but wouldn't have fed it to my kids, and don't fault anyone for not wanting to consume it.
 
If I knew it was positive, I wouldn't eat it. That being said none of my elk, deer, or lope were tested this year. My kids eat it too. Based on some of the posts above I am not sure if I should be concerned or not.
 
Antelope aren't carriers, but I'm betting it would cross that barrier before humans. I live in Nebraska where we have quite a bit of cwd showing up, I decided from here on out I'll have my deer tested. This year was negative, cost $50 for the dang test though.
 
I wouldn't knowingly eat a CWD infected deer, but there are no known cases of CWD crossing the species barrier to humans.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the info. I love hunting Montana and really the meat is more important than horns. I swear I hate to hear that I guess it’s best to get checked next time.
 
So do they have any idea how long it’s been in MT?

I’m guessing from the prevalence that we’ve actually had it for a while and it was undetected.
 
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