CWD Positive. What would you do??

[LostArra]

Once you have made the decision to get the animal tested, it seems to me you have also made the decision to trash it. My guess is the overwhelming number of animals are not even tested but still eaten.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Once you have made the decision to get the animal tested, it seems to me you have also made the decision to trash it. My guess is the overwhelming number of animals are not even tested but still eaten.

I tend to agree with this.

Most guys aren't going to worry about testing an animal which looked and acted normally prior to the kill. On the other hand, if an area becomes polluted with CWD+ deer, testing would likely gain traction. If I hunted in a serious CWD zone I would try to test before butchering, which likely isn't possible. I would handle the carcass with care to prevent blood-to-blood (theirs to mine) exposure. I almost certainly would have it professionally processed and vacuum sealed. And if testing revealed CWD, I'd be out the animal, my tag and all monies spent.

 

[cnelk]

There are many units in Colorado that vary from year to year that require mandatory testing.

Other units have voluntary testing.

 

[D16er]

I would pass on being patient zero.

 

[Wiscat]

I've considered this question a lot. We are on the fringe of the CWD area in WI and it's only a matter of time. My thinking was that it was a reasonable risk and I didn't consider or test any of my kills. That all changed when I had kids. The idea of feeding them something even with a slight, hypothetical risk was beyond what I was comfortable with.

 

[Stalker69]

I tend to agree with this.

Most guys aren't going to worry about testing an animal which looked and acted normally prior to the kill. On the other hand, if an area becomes polluted with CWD+ deer, testing would likely gain traction. If I hunted in a serious CWD zone I would try to test before butchering, which likely isn't possible. I would handle the carcass with care to prevent blood-to-blood (theirs to mine) exposure. I almost certainly would have it professionally processed and vacuum sealed. And if testing revealed CWD, I'd be out the animal, my tag and all monies spent.

The professionally processed part, could be the worst thing. Your animal is processed with many many others, and many times you don’t get your actual meat back. They figure your animal weight xxx amount when you brought it in. That will yeld xxxx amount of processed meat. You may get some of yours and some of three or four others that are being cut also. Hamburger, sausage, jerky. It’s all mixed up and based on yeld. And maybe those three or four others did not have theirs tested. Then you figure in the cutting boards, knives, mixers all that from all of the previous animals, even years before, and you may want to consider processing your own.

 

[AT Hiker]

I guess everyone is aware that there is no "Negative" test result for CWD, only "not detected".

To further complicate our logic of eating it or not; it’s my understanding these test are “animal health” type test and not “food safety”.



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[woods89]

I will only be testing if required. And honestly, I think I might just eat the animal even if it came back positive.

I will not hate on anyone who elects not too, though, and no one wants to think about death from that type of disease. I just feel like I and my family routinely engage in activities that are far, far more risky. Driving is way more likely to kill us than CWD, yet most of us put our kids in a car and take off without a second thought.

I worry about CWD from a standpoint of what it may do to hunting. I have to believe that a lot of casual hunters may just quit as the idea of eating or handling venison scares them out. And, in a way, I can't say blame them. But I think about the thousands of pounds of venison eaten from areas with high rates of CWD and can't help but think if it hasn't happened yet.........

 

[JoeRjolin]

I wouldn't mess with it...

 

[TheCougar]

I wouldn’t eat it. I’ve also never had an animal tested. Thanks to the OP for the thread; I learned a lot about CWD from this thread. I had no idea that prions couldn’t be cleaned or removed or that they are basically everywhere: water, scat, meat, skull...

 

[Htm84]

I’d eat one knowing it was cwd. If it could be transmitted to humans you’d think somebody would of got it by now. If I’m the first oh well. At least I’ll get a Wikipedia page in my name. Hopefully anyway.

 

[MO_flatlander]

If I had one come back positive, I like to think I would still eat it myself. HOWEVER, I would not let my kids touch it. I'm ok with dying due to my own ignorance/carelessness, but I'll be damned if I poison my own children.

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[jsb]

Anybody here eat vegetables or other crops? Guess what's out in those fields chowing down every day and night, pissing, shitting, licking, slobbering, etc. CWD positive deer, that's what.

Wash your veggies all you want, won't help so they say. Prions are forever so they say.

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!

 

[jmez]

Between this and climate change we've all likely got about 16 hours left.

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[spike camp]

Between this and climate change we've all likely got about 16 hours left.

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Anybody here eat vegetables or other crops? Guess what's out in those fields chowing down every day and night, pissing, shitting, licking, slobbering, etc. CWD positive deer, that's what.

Wash your veggies all you want, won't help so they say. Prions are forever so they say.

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!

Well thought out posts, gents.

 

[jmez]

Who can think in times like these?

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[Forestryguy]

Toss it. Friends of mine that are Biologist say they would toss the meat also. I now de-bone the meat and keep each animal separate, then store it awaiting the test results. This has all been with Whitetails.

 

[jsb]

Well thought out posts, gents.

You don't agree that croplands frequented by CWD animals would harbor prions? Care to explain your reasoning?

 

[cuerro viejo]

Well thought out posts, gents.

He is correct on CWD being found in plants.

it’s a simple google search. CO ships alfalfa all over North America... they also ship corn, wheat, barely, peas(legumes) etc.

 

[MuleyFever]

I’d eat it and am pretty sure I have consumed infected deer growing up in the heart of the WI CWD eradication zone.