CWD infected deer found in Northwest Montana

[bobr1]

I don't know if anyone has seen this yet but it looks like CWD jumped the divide in Montana. Just thought I would post it for anyone interested in reading it.

https://flatheadbeacon.com/2019/05/...libby-tests-positive-chronic-wasting-disease/

 

[cnelk]

The question would be is if they had tested for CWD in previous years or just started?

Could be it was always there

 

[ClearCreek]

I don't think CWD has "always been there".

Most likely spread there from other areas, either naturally (animal to animal contact over time) or by people moving parts of infested animals to the area and discarding the parts on the landscape. If game farms are legal in that area, this could be another way of CWD getting there.

If deer and elk have not been previously tested for CWD in the area, CWD could have present in the wildlife for some time.

ClearCreek

 

[Wmmichael20]

Hopefully they don't manage it like they have been in Michigan, by blasting everything that walks the last two years and just the other day I got a survey asking for us to vote for antler point restrictions ....after they promoted killing everything the last couple years.....makes no darn sense to me!

 

[Axlrod]

I don't think CWD has "always been there".

Most likely spread there from other areas, either naturally (animal to animal contact over time) or by people moving parts of infested animals to the area and discarding the parts on the landscape. If game farms are legal in that area, this could be another way of CWD getting there.

If deer and elk have not been previously tested for CWD in the area, CWD could have present in the wildlife for some time.

ClearCreek

Game farms (oxymoron?) are not legal in Montana

 

[Reburn]

Game farms (oxymoron?) are not legal in Montana

That is incorrect sir. There are for sure elk farms in montana. Wether hunting is legal on them I wouldn't speculate. For sure the elk farms that are in montana are subject to test every qualifying death for CWD. I would say with 99.99% certianty that it did not come from a game farm / ranch.

 

[Axlrod]

That is incorrect sir. There are for sure elk farms in montana. Wether hunting is legal on them I wouldn't speculate. For sure the elk farms that are in montana are subject to test every qualifying death for CWD. I would say with 99.99% certianty that it did not come from a game farm / ranch.

Yes there area few remaining. In 2000 the law was changed. No new game farms, No hunting on game farms, existing game farms couldn't be sold.
A game farm near where i live had CWD in their Elk and the FWP killed all 89 of them back in 1999 so your "99.88% certianty" where it came from may be right or may not.

 

[Reburn]

Yes there area few remaining. In 2000 the law was changed. No new game farms, No hunting on game farms, existing game farms couldn't be sold.
A game farm near where i live had CWD in their Elk and the FWP killed all 89 of them back in 1999 so your "99.88% certianty" where it came from may be right or may not.

20 years ago was a long time ago. Do you have the case study? I would be interested to see if they we depopulated (which is the correct lingo) on a positive conformation or a suspect. I would also like to see the traceability in/out to see if they ever determined a trace back or trace forward. My educated guess is any CWD in montana walks across the border from Alberta. Alberta has had many CWD cases.

 

[Axlrod]

20 years ago was a long time ago. Do you have the case study? I would be interested to see if they we depopulated (which is the correct lingo) on a positive conformation or a suspect. I would also like to see the traceability in/out to see if they ever determined a trace back or trace forward. My educated guess is any CWD in montana walks across the border from Alberta. Alberta has had many CWD cases.

20 years ago? That is when the sportsmen of Montana put the effort in to get a voter initiative passed banning hunting in a zoo and treating wild animals like chickens.
Case study? An elk died there and tested positive for CWD.
depopulation? yea i call it what it is.
https://www.hcn.org/issues/171/5518

 

[Reburn]

20 years ago? That is when the sportsmen of Montana put the effort in to get a voter initiative passed banning hunting in a zoo and treating wild animals like chickens.
Case study? An elk died there and tested positive for CWD.
depopulation? yea i call it what it is.
https://www.hcn.org/issues/171/5518

We seem to be at a fork in the road here.
Thanks for the article.

 

[Axlrod]

We seem to be at a fork in the road here.
Thanks for the article.

You are welcome. No hard feelings. I don't know what the answers are but i believe the work we did back then was worth it and my passion is as strong now as it was then. I do hope that the game departments can get a handle on CWD, but it will be hunters that pay either way.