Chronic wasting disease spreading among deer: DNR
Photo
Positive CWD tests
The number of deer that tested positive for chronic wasting disease in 2009 includes:
-- Rock County: 18
-- Walworth County: 4
-- Green County: 0
-- Jefferson County: 1
JANESVILLE — Deadly chronic wasting disease continues to spread, threatening the state's deer population and hunting culture.
The percentage of deer testing positive for CWD in 2009 continued to increase statewide, but fewer deer tested positive in Rock and Walworth counties, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
More than 7,100 deer were tested for CWD in 2009 in the CWD management zone, with 175 testing positive, the DNR reported.
In Rock County, 18 deer tested positive in 2009 compared to 21 in 2008, the DNR reported. In Walworth County, four deer tested positive in 2009 compared to seven in 2008.
The DNR has no easy way to manage CWD, but the agency believes the disease poses a threat to the long-term health of Wisconsin's deer herd, said Davin Lopez, CWD coordinator for the DNR.
The DNR is currently creating a new CWD management plan, which could be done in the fall, he said.
The DNR's goal is to minimize CWD's spread until someday a vaccine or other solutions help fight the disease, Lopez said. CWD threatens the state's hunting heritage, he said.
"I think we're going to have to think outside the box and be adaptive," he said. "We want to limit it to where it is in preparation for the day we have more tools."
In eight years, adult male deer testing positive for CWD has increased from 10 to 12 percent, according to the DNR. Adult female deer testing positive has increased from 4 to 6 percent.
Yearlings also have seen an increase.
In Wyoming, CWD slowly spread in deer over time, eventually infecting about 40 percent of deer in some herds, Lopez said.
The DNR doesn't want Wisconsin to follow that trend, fearing it could wipe out hunting completely, he said.
"We're trying to protect the deer for generations down the road," Lopez said.
CWD was discovered in southern Wisconsin in February 2002. About 159,000 deer have been tested for the disease, with about 1,350 testing positive.
The DNR created a CWD management zone to minimize the disease's spread. The zone includes all or parts of 16 counties in south central Wisconsin including Rock, Walworth, Jefferson and Green counties.
Mar 29, 2010 at 1:09 p.m.
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Hi,
You all are free and welcome to ask me whatever you would like at any time. My direct number is 608-267-2948. I would LOVE to address some of the misconceptions being perpetuated on this board. As an example....herds out west that have had CWD for a longer time that WI are not doing fine. They have prevalence levels of over 40% in areas of 4000+ sq. mi and biologists are saying they are seeing declines in populations likely because of CWD. So not fine, and CWD is not doing NOTHIING. The fact that people are unaware of this points, in my opinion, to our failure to get you accurate information efficiently and effectively.
So I ask any of you to please call me if you have any questions. It is not efficient to try to address many of the misconceptions that have been put on this message board, and attempts to do so in the past have not proven useful.
Another good place to start to get the basics is the DNR site below or the CWD Alliance website.
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/whea...
Davin
Mar 27, 2010 at 9:31 a.m.
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mcufa968- When does were all over like rats in the 80's, the DNR protected them like they were gold and LET them overpopulate and create the problems we have now....Typical gov't agency: Create problems so you've got a job to solve them.
Mar 27, 2010 at 9:05 a.m.
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OK. I'm getting sick of people complaining about the deer population and how the DNR is screwing them over. There are to many deer in the state we were over the carrying capacity. I you went into a woods 15-20 years ago there was hardly any understory from over browsing. There is more in the state than deer. Timber is a huge industry between saw mills and paper mills. With a high deer population these places would go out of business because tree regeneration is greatly suppressed. It's called hunting for a reason its not killing season its hunting season. No matter what you people read or think the people in the offices have the degrees and certifications to be making the decisions wiht this not you. I'm not saying they have gone about it the right way but if it is spreading the more agressivly we atack it the better.
Mar 27, 2010 at 8:37 a.m.
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someone please ask Mr Lopez how they dealt with this CWD out west 40yrs ago...what he is failing to tell us all is that they recovered just fine out there and they protected the herds for generations without totally slaughtering them all off. the fox is guarding the hen house here and lining his pockets at the same time...pathetic! PLEASE, join SENATOR Russ Decker's fight AGAINST THE DNR! he says we should fire them all and start over...HE'S RIGHT YOU KNOW...
Mar 26, 2010 at 10:05 p.m.
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Must be the new herd control plan the DNR was talking about, when they said they were suspending Earn a Buck.
Mar 26, 2010 at 9:52 p.m.
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I'm waaaay past the point of ever buying a license that says "DNR" on it ever again anyway....Let some more wolves loose, idiots.
Mar 26, 2010 at 7:31 p.m.
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So all the money spent and all the B.S. we have been told they still can't stop this.
SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE!!!!!
What A Joke.
Mar 26, 2010 at 7:11 p.m.
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I cant hardly type because I am so bored YAWN and Goodnight!
Mar 26, 2010 at 5:45 p.m.
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Not again
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