CWD Confirmed in Wild Iowa Whitetail
As reported by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the first case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been confirmed in a wild Iowa whitetail deer.
The deer was reported as harvested in Allamakee County, located in the far Northeast corner of the state, during the first shotgun season in early December. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is currently working to obtain as much information as possible about the infected deer to implement its CWD response plan.
“We have been testing for CWD in Iowa’s deer herd for more than a decade and are optimistic, given the extensive data we have collected, that we have caught this early,” said Chuck Gipp, DNR director.
“The next step will be to focus our monitoring efforts in the area where the animal was harvested and work closely with local landowners and hunters to gather more information.” said Gipp.
CWD is a neurological disease affecting primarily deer and elk. It is caused by an abnormal protein, called a prion that attacks the brains of infected animals, causing them to lose weight, display abnormal behavior and lose bodily functions. Signs include excessive salivation, thirst and urination, loss of appetite, progressive weight loss, listlessness and drooping ears and head. The only reliable test for CWD requires testing of lymph nodes or brain material.
There is currently no evidence that humans can contract CWD by eating venison. However, the National Institute of Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hunters do not eat the brain, eyeballs or spinal cord of deer and that hunters wear protective gloves while field dressing game and boning out meat for consumption.
Allamakee County is located in the far Northeast corner of Iowa, just across the Mississippi river from Western Wisconsin where CWD rates have been increasing for the past several years.
Prior to the positive detection in Iowa, CWD had been detected in every bordering state.
“With CWD in all the states around us, we have understood the possibility of a positive detection in the wild deer herd for some time” said Gipp.
Since 2002, the DNR has collected more than 650 samples of deer from within a five-mile radius of where the deer is believed to have been harvested.
Editor's Note: What remains to be seen is how the Iowa DNR will react to this finding in order to try and contain the spread of the disease. While Wisconsin tried unsuccessfully to eradicate the disease through unlimited harvest of deer, other states including Illinois, have found nominal success with sharpshooting programs targeted around CWD "hot spots" to reduce deer numbers.
How do you think the Iowa DNR should handle this new finding?
Re: CWD Confirmed in Wild Iowa Whitetail
Do the exact opposite of whatever the Wisconsin DNR did. Those idiots have ruined Deer hunting in wisconsin for many years to come.
Re: CWD Confirmed in Wild Iowa Whitetail
The Wisconsin DNR tried to wipe out the herd which only succeeded in upsetting all of the deer hunters. After they they gave up on doing much of anything and now the infection rate in adult males in the hot zone is quickly approaching 25% with no end in sight. Killing all of the deer isn't the answer, but neither is doing nothing. I would venture the best management practice lays somewhere in the middle with reducing deer numbers enough to slow the spread of the disease.
Re: CWD Confirmed in Wild Iowa Whitetail
I read a good article not too long ago in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal. Here is the link: http://m.jsonline.com/more/editorials/crossroads/250404571.htm. I recommend having a read. I think most would agree Wisconsin initial approach was not effective and did more harm than good. They are now recommending a passive approach, which I feel is spot on. Trying to eliminate this desease / slowing it down is merely causing more harm than good to the future or our deer herd. This passive approach points out that with each, new deer generation; the deer themselves form a stronger ability to resist the CWD genome from progressing to a harmful state. This is classic evidence of nature's ability to adapt and evolve. I feel that far too often people feel they can intevene with nature, and smoothly acheive desired outcomes. In this case, trying to elimate CWD has proven to be extremely difficult and doesn't appear to be a viable option. By trying to slow down the spread is just preventin
Re: CWD Confirmed in Wild Iowa Whitetail
i think our dnr should just let nature take care of itself before we end up and dont have deer to harvest. ive seen way to many times where so-called biologists panicked and overreacted. i saw a study of captive deer that had cwd and it did effect them but did not kill them.they will develope an immunity at some point