CWD DETECTED IN ALABAMA DEER; HELP PREVENT SPREAD TO GEORGIA

[C.Killmaster]

it's all over the southeast. borders don't deter deer or illegals anymore.

I love how folks find a way to shoehorn unrelated national politics into any situation!

 

[lampern]

I’m being serious.

I wonder if other states have done that

 

[Throwback]

I’m being serious.

I wonder if other states have done that

I’m being serious too. Not laughing AT you or the suggestion though.

 

[Glenn]

There has been a lot of research on it using transgenic (humanized) mice and monkeys that shows that human infection isn't likely. There's also the fact that it's been on the landscape for decades now and many CWD positive deer have been consumed, either knowingly or unknowingly, and no human cases.

I follow CDC guidance and feel perfectly comfortable with it. If I kill a deer in an area known to have CWD then I test it before I eat it. If it tests positive, I'll discard the meat. Could I possibly eat one that has CWD because the disease hasn't been discovered yet in the area I hunt? Sure, but that's a really slim chance and I'm okay with that level of risk.

Can’t imagine the thought of not being able to pursue and consume Whitetails anymore.

I truly wish Florida’s FWCC would go ahead and ban feeders and all captive deer farms and fenced hunting areas.

Alabama is only 10 mins away from one of my favorite WMAs here in the Panhandle.

Scary situation….

 

[Gator89]

Can’t imagine the thought of not being able to pursue and consume Whitetails anymore.

I truly wish Florida’s FWCC would go ahead and ban feeders and all captive deer farms and fenced hunting areas.

Alabama is only 10 mins away from one of my favorite WMAs here in the Panhandle.

Scary situation….

Since I cannot see myself paying by the inch to shoot a high fence buck, I don't see a need for high fence operations. Yet, I see a distinction between high fencing thousands of acres vs keeping a "herd" of deer confined to 40 or less acres.

 

[splatek]

My understanding was that feeders/bait doesn't cause CWD, but once detected in the population, feeders tend to concentrate deer thus increasing spread. That was what my comment was about.

 

[Gator89]

My understanding was that feeders/bait doesn't cause CWD, but once detected in the population, feeders tend to concentrate deer thus increasing spread. That was what my comment was about.

Correct.

The first time I encountered legal baiting was in Texas in 1990. I don't know when Texas began legalized baiting, but they have been baiting and high fencing a long time.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/

TX has CWD. In 2012 TX implemented carcass transport restrictions and appears to be controlling the spread.

I am on a lease that does not bait, we figure the deer get fed well enough eating corn, cotton, peanuts and an occasional soybean on the farm we hunt. No cell cams running either.

 

[Throwback]

Since I cannot see myself paying by the inch to shoot a high fence buck, I don't see a need for high fence operations. Yet, I see a distinction between high fencing thousands of acres vs keeping a "herd" of deer confined to 40 or less acres.

Exactly. A 10,000 acre high fence in Texas is quite different than a 40 acre multi paddock “farm”

 

[elfiii]

Per John Bowers CWD usually arrives in your state on a truck. I'm inclined to agree with him.

 

[GAoutdoor]

Keep in mind - this is far NW AL, across from the CWD hotspot in western TN. Alabama has been proactive in managing to prevent CWD. There has been ONE confirmed case of CWD in AL - in the West Central part of the NW most county. The immediate response was to establish the CWD management zone, remove bag limits, possession limits, and antler restrictions within this zone for the remainder of THIS season only (through Feb 10, 2022) and require testing for 100% of deer killed within the high risk zone.

Essentially, the response is to incentive increased deer harvest to get more sampling this season and see how widespread CWD is. That will allow a refined management plan going forward. AL has done a good job preparing for the inevitable, and is being proactive in containment efforts - which I feel confident have a high likelihood of success.

Also:
“CWD was first detected in Tennessee and Mississippi in 2018 and has been moving slowly toward Alabama. The department has implemented multiple proactive regulations to combat the spread into Alabama. Compliance from the public on those measures helped delay the spread into the state for several years,” aid ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship in a statement.

 

[lampern]

Correct me if I am wrong but it’s illegal to transport live deer across state lines?

 

[GAoutdoor]

Correct me if I am wrong but it’s illegal to transport live deer across state lines?

You're correct - but they can transport themselves. Deer don't know the state/county/WMA lines

 

[Glenn]

Since I cannot see myself paying by the inch to shoot a high fence buck, I don't see a need for high fence operations. Yet, I see a distinction between high fencing thousands of acres vs keeping a "herd" of deer confined to 40 or less acres.

I was speaking of the "Whitetail Grow Farms" that are scattered across the state. Not the large acre tracts of fenced property.

 

[Mr. Fishunt]

Just one more reason to ban baiting and feeding of deer.

Artificially forcing deer and other wildlife to congregate in a small area is never good for multiple reasons.

Regards,
Mr. Fishunt

 

[Gator89]

I was speaking of the "Whitetail Grow Farms" that are scattered across the state. Not the large acre tracts of fenced property.

The good news is Lauderdale county is a long ways from FL and likely not a large percentage of FL hunters travel that far north to deer hunt in Bama.

 

[cliffdweller]

I can't speak for Alabama, but in Georgia our plan is to substantially increase sampling and establish a disease management zone. Ideally hunters and landowners in the affected area would be permitted to shoot most of those deer for that sampling. The management zone would have restrictions on leaving the zone with whole carcasses, likely a feeding ban, and have multiple drop off sites for testing. The longer term management of the disease is highly targeted culling by removing only the deer that likely overlapped home ranges with any positive deer.

The scorched earth policies that other agencies tried 20 years ago to shoot out the deer population of the whole disease management zone failed to control the disease and drove a wedge between hunters and the wildlife agency. We learned from that and opted for the surgical approach that has been working well in other states at keeping disease prevalence down.

CK, I hunt some in Heard county and have been concerned about disease for a while after shooting a couple of odd looking deer with some type of wasting effects. Diminished muscle in the pelvic region up through the backstraps...not saying it's CWD but are there other diseases that cause wasting? Plus the herd seems severely reduced overall in the last 10 years. Tons of coyotes too, that I am sure is not helping at all. Any ideas? Is this something you're familiar with? Heard county of course borders alabama but not in the exact area of immediate concern...looking for answers, it may just be an overly hunted area of the county...fantastic terrain and cover though, looks like deer density would be through the stratosphere

 

[tonyrittenhouse]

Did the affected deer in Alabama come from a high fence operation or was it a free range deer ?

 

[Timberjack86]

What generally happens after this relevant to game management and impact on local herds?

Well here in Tn they want us to eradicate our deer herd. The sky is falling.

 

[lampern]

Well here in Tn they want us to eradicate our deer herd. The sky is falling.

Most states have wanted deer herd eradication regardless of CWD.

CWD just gives states "justified cover"

 

[Nicodemus]

Most states have wanted deer herd eradication regardless of CWD.

CWD just gives states "justified cover"

Which states want deer eradication?

Name them. Name one.