Cwd

[BullSprig]

So I shot my first buck out of state this yr and today I got a letter saying he tested positive for cwd
Everything I have read says there’s no studies proving or disproving the fact that humans can contract through consumption
I was just curious on the thoughts of others who have dealt with this in the past
Thank you in advance

P.S - there are a few member here who helped me thru pm’s and as soon as I figure out how to send pics to you they will be headed your way!

 

[npaden]

It has never been shown to make the jump from cervids to humans.

With that said, my understanding is that only about 1 out of 1,000,000 people who ate beef infected with Mad Cow disease actually got it. My personal thought is that just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it won’t. I wouldn’t risk it personally.

 

[Redman]

I have hunted in CWD areas and never had my deer checked for it. I am not concerned with consuming the meat at all.

 

[406LIFE]

I would tell you to dispose of it as your fish and game tells you, if you decide to not keep it. That way the prion spread is limited.

 

[8andcounting]

So I shot my first buck out of state this yr and today I got a letter saying he tested positive for cwd
Everything I have read says there’s no studies proving or disproving the fact that humans can contract through consumption
I was just curious on the thoughts of others who have dealt with this in the past
Thank you in advance

P.S - there are a few member here who helped me thru pm’s and as soon as I figure out how to send pics to you they will be headed your way!

What stats did U kill the deer

 

[BullSprig]

Wyoming

 

[Power54]

I ate part of a CWD positive deer before I had gotten the test results back. After I knew she was positive, I disposed of the remainder properly. It hasn't yet jumped from cervid to human but I don't want to be the first. I just don't see any reason to risk it.

 

[Louisdove]

To me it depends on who is eating it. I have not had anything test positive yet, personally. If I did I would not be able to bring myself to throw it away. That being said, I do not have children or anything. I would be feeding it to myself and my wife. If I were feeding the meat to kiddos or something my thoughts may change. I generally cook wild game for guests, if I had an animal I knew had cwd, I would not serve it to guests.

I have the same feelings towards this as I do hanging out with killer whales. Neither have ever killed anyone and if I’m the very first person it happens to, so be it. One will make the papers and the other will make medical journals.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Like someone else mentioned, even with BSE, it was a rare occurrence for the prion to jump the species barrier to humans. But for those unlucky few, it meant a certain and unpleasant death. Given that vastly fewer people consume venison than beef, I don’t see the lack of human cases of CWD to date as any sort of reassurance that it isn’t possible. But that’s me. Everyone must weigh the risk for themselves.

I figure if I discard meat from an infected animal and it turns out that humans definitely can not contract CWD, the consequence is I missed out on some venison. Alternatively, if I eat an infected animal and happen to have the extreme misfortune of contracting a prion disease, the consequences are that I am guaranteed a fairly unpleasant and likely untimely death. There are very few 100% fatal illnesses over which you have nearly 100% control over your exposure risk. At this point it’s worth it to me to reduce the risks I can in life.

 

[Rzrbck918]

I hunt yearly in Arkansas where CWD has just made landfall in the last three or four years. Our hunting property is in the quarantine area that limits bones except from cleaned skull caps from being removed and taken out of the area, even in state. I have all my deer tested and I personally wouldn't risk it either. None of my wife's family who live where we hunt are too concerned about it but they're crazy already.

 

[Elkhunter24]

I would not take the risk

 

[shootbrownelk]

The Wyoming G&F dept. recommends that you not consume venison- Elk/Deer/Moose that tests positive for CWD. In my opinion CWD is too similar to Mad Cow disease or Creutzfeldt/Jakob disease to take a chance. But that's just me. The M/C disease has jumped species and affected humans in the UK where there was a huge Mad Cow disease outbreak. There was another test research done where CWD infected venison was fed to spider monkeys who then contracted CWD. They said that CWD couldn't jump species before the experiment, but they proved that false. Whether or not it can be transmitted to humans is anyone's guess....do you feel lucky?

 

[waygoner]

I understand these prions are difficult to kill. Even bleach is no guarantee. You may consider tossing any knives/saws you used on this animal.

 

[Stretcher_Jockey]

I understand these prions are difficult to kill. Even bleach is no guarantee. You may consider tossing any knives/saws you used on this animal.

Correct. From what I understand the only way to destroy the proteins is sustained heat higher than many of us are capable of producing for multiple hours.

 

[COEngineer]

I kill my elk in known CWD areas (Colorado) and have never made the effort to carry the head several miles out of the Wilderness, so I never have them checked. I guess I am just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.

 

[406LIFE]

Correct. From what I understand the only way to destroy the proteins is sustained heat higher than many of us are capable of producing for multiple hours.

Instrument soaked in a 50/50 solution of bleach for an hour have been shown to reduce an prions on medical equipment to non-transmissible levels. This is also the Wisconsin DNR recommendation for cleaning and MTFWP (although that was just in a oral presentation).

I use replaceable blades anyway, but soaking in bleach solution should be fine. Still, more research is being done on this and could change.

Also, the macaque study should that their is at least a possible transmission from venison fed to primates. But, that study is still being reviewed.

 

[LuketheDog]

One of my wife's coworkers had a patient a few years back who picked up a prion disease. She lived approximately 2 weeks after first starting to feel sick, and not a pleasant two weeks either. They suspect she picked it up from sterilized surgical instruments that had been through an autoclave, but that process didn't kill the prions. It's made me think a little more about whether or not I'd personally consume meat that's tested positive for CWD and I definitely won't feed it to my kids.

 

[COEngineer]

The best anecdotal evidence, IMO, that CWD is not transmissible outside of cervids is that coyotes, bears, mountain lions, etc have certainly been exposed to it much more than any human and we have not seen any cases of it in any of those species. It's not 100% by a long shot, but makes me feel better.