You bring up some good points about EAB. However, to reduce the populations of deer, the only sex that really matter in the long term are the females (to a point, obviously a few bucks are needed). That is why EAB is the most effective method of reducing populations. You could still reduce populations and never kill one male.

Now, using that information, the only real, known way to reduce diseases in wild populations is to reduce the hosts themselves to a level where the disease transmission starts to decline, which is the method we have been trying to utilize, hence why we need EAB in CWD zones if we are to affect the disease. That said, we have not gotten anywhere near a low enough population to affect CWD, and may not be able to due to hunter access to lands, hunter willingness to shoot more deer, acceptance of lower deer numbers, or simply the inability of hunters to even find enough deer to harvest once they would start to get to those lower densities (law of diminishing returns). I for one am unwilling to accept that we have tried everything and that there is still a lot of misinformation and misconceptions about CWD out there that may (or may not) affect people’s attitudes.

There is one twist here though as to why EAB is not the perfect solution to CWD…male deer tend to have higher prevalences than females, and also tend to move farther, thus moving the disease farther, so the BEST solution would be to lower both sexes. As to if thee are more does than bucks: Since we don’t count deer by sexes in the CWD-MZ, only as deer, and EAB obviously skews the harvest to more does than bucks (almost 3:1 last year, also why you can’t use SAK in EAB areas (we use accounting models in the non-CWD EAB units)), and based upon what the majority of hunters tell me, in the CWD-MZ there are likely more bucks now than does. It is finding the doe to shoot to earn the buck that is the issue, not usually the bucks themselves. Now, that does not mean that is always the case or is the case in any given area, but it is what I hear the most. EAB creates a sex-ratio that eventually favors males, and also favors older males as their harvest rates are lower than in non-EAB areas.

Nope, EAB has not gotten rid of CWD, it has at best slowed it some, but see my answer above as to why it has not stopped it. IF we were able to get to some of those very low population densities found in far northern Wisconsin, we might have a much greater impact on the disease, but it is much harder to do in southern WI due to the habitat, carrying capacity, etc.

Thanks for your questions and comments, I appreciate them. Hope this helps at least explain our thought processes.

Spark, sorry for the long delay in my response..

Addressing your first question, you’re right, nobody knows for sure where or how CWD originated. Most theories revolve around CWD mutating from scrapie, a similar prion disease of sheep, where they (deer and sheep) comingled out west on pasture lands, but that is all conjecture. How it was introduced into Wisconsin is also uncertain. It could be via a carcass, a farmed deer, or a few other ways. One thing is almost certain though; it got here with human assistance.

I won’t go into a debate here about SAK and herd estimates for two reasons. First, it could take forever, and second, SAK is irrelevant to the CWD-MZ because we actually count deer in the zone via helicopter and plane, so we are fairly accurate in our herd estimates here. As to your second point we do still test deer in the CWD-MZ…about 9,000-10,000 a year. Admittedly, that is less than we used to test, all due to decreasing budgets. Testing is expensive, so we only test in areas where we feel we either need more surveillance (often on a rotating basis, i.e. not every year) or where we want a large amount of data to enhance our knowledge (the CWD monitoring areas in the western and eastern parts of the CWD-MZ where we have the highest prevalence rates) where we have been testing every year. Essentially we are trying to get the best information for our available money.

It looks like EAB may be gone for a long time outside of the CWD-MZ. I do hear you that it gets hard when the rules always change. It is inherent in any adaptive management process that involves so many people having input, but that does not make it any easier. We have tried in the CWD-MZ to now stick with a consistent season structure for five years starting last year, but that is also subject to change if the Natural Resources Board or Legislature chooses to make a change.

See the rest of my answers on the next post.....

Thanks for the honest intelligent words Davin.
What I don't understand is why people are so buck crazy. I'm an admitted meat hunter, in fact I'm par-boiling a set of venison brats from Swiss Family right now. I'll take a 2 1/2 year old nice doe any day over a buck. Now I understand the occasional 10 pointer, but since I'm not gonna hang it on the wall anyway, give me tender meat over antlers any day.

Davin. Thanks for responding. My question is, obviously nobody is really sure how a deer originally contracts CWD. They just know how it spreads. From direct contact, etc deer to deer. Obviously, completely eliminated the actual disease is impossible.

One can only hope to control it by maintaining deer herd numbers. I think what most people are getting frustrated with is the DNR's way of estimating deer herd numbers in the state. Everyone knew we had two harsh winters and especially after last years, the winter kill would have an effect. Now the DNR is estimating their numbers were way off, which many people assumed. This obviously has an impact on the decision to eliminate earn a buck in MOST of the state. I hunt in a CWD area and they don't even test deer anymore. So my question is, what is the point?

Eliminate the earn a buck in the state for an every other year basis and try it out. It's getting very difficult when the rules change every year. If the goal is maintain deer populations and people are having to pass up deer, it seems rather counter productive. I realize there are more doe's than bucks, but if the real problem is CWD and not the population problem, the rules of earn a buck, don't seem to match.

The earn a buck program has obviously decreased the herd in the state since it's existence. Has it stopped CWD?

Well, my name is not Mr. DNR Employee...it is Davin, but good point, thanks, and sorry!

Mr. DNR employee, if you hit enter, then the spacebar then enter, you can make things called paragraphs. They are for several things, one of the things paragraphs do is make the post easier to read. Thank you, Mr. DNR employee.

To correct a few posts here, there is absolutely NO evidence that CWD has "always" been here. We would NOT see the epidemiological pattern we are seeing if it had been. If it was always here it would now be everywhere. You may not agree with what we do, how we do it, or why we do it, but we DO NOT LIE to people. We have about a 90% confidence in our knowledge of where CWD is within Wisconsin. It is in the CWD-MZ, was likely introduced 2X in separate locations, and has been around for around 30-40 years by all evidence. The reason that EAB was not eliminated in the CWD-MZ was for disease management and has nothing to do with car-collisions, sustainable ecological systems, or hunter satisfaction used in the rest of the state. EAB is simply the best method available to manage CWD. You can say we can’t control CWD, that we have not been effective, that it won't hurt the herd (that point I disagree with, 50 years down the road it will likely significantly hurt the herd, that it is unfair for sacrifices now for an unknown future.....those arguments are fair and that is what you should base your criticisms on. Bu do not throw out pseudo-facts like it has always been there, or it was an excuse to reduce deer, or that the DNR planted it there, because they are simply untrue myths, lies, and propaganda. We at the DNR would love nothing more to NOT have CWD, I GUARANTEE IT. How do I now, I am the CWD Project Leader for Wisconsin and I would love nothing more than to not have this job and do something else for wildlife. But we do have it, I think it is a threat, and I WANT to try to do all that I can. If it is solely up to us, Wildlife Management has always and will continue to follow the best available science on how to manage the disease. We have done the only thing that has a shot at helping with this sort of disease given our current knowledge...reduce the hosts....just like every other state that has had it has done to some degree. Some have given up (read CO, WY), but we don't have the same scope of problem they do. Once we have tried everything, and if we do not get the desired results, then we may to accept it, but as far as I am concerned, we have NOT tried everything. You can argue THOSE points all you want, argue against EAB in the CWD-MZ, but use facts and opinions, not false statements. We all want a healthy herd, but the definition of what a healthy herd is and how we get to it are what is up to debate. Bottom line....we do not lie....we do the best we can with the available resources. We are not always right, we make mistakes, we can do better as we continue to learn. Is everything we always say true, no, but only because we were wrong, not because we lie. I value everyone's interest and passion, but I have a hard time listening to misconceptions, false rumors, and outright lies. Have questions, comments, concerns...email me anytime at Davin.Lopez@wisconsin.gov. Thanks.....Davin

Now all the DNR needs to do is end it in CWD zones. I can't tell you how many bucks passed by my 13yr old son and I during deer gun season and not one doe. And the DNR wants to encourage our youth to hunt?! Last season was just depressing...for my son to not fill his tag, and for me seeing him unable to fill his tag.

I'm still not convinced that the DNR numbers may not be correct. The herd has been moving toward the southern part of the State for years and can be found more on private land and in subdivisions where there is no hunting pressure. Take a look at the massive destruction at Rotary Gardens or better yet take a look at the browsing in my back yard. So many trees eaten and will not re-grow.

Right on spark I agree with you 100% You are exactly right.

janesvillean-You're right, herd management is important for a deer herd. However, there are proper ways to handle it. Any experienced hunter knows that taking doe's out of the herd is very important and any good hunter will have no problem doing so without being told they have to. Complaining about earn a buck doesn't make hunters whiners, it makes them concerned hunters. Concerned that false population numbers are being given, which this year massively proved true. Concerned that terminating herds in certain locations is going to take away a time honored tradition for hunters and younger generations to come. Concerned for inconsistencies with rules that change on a yearly basis for a disease that is a microscopic percentage of a problem that has existed for many, many years in other states.

You know, hunters always brag about how important herd management is as a reason to justify their hobby, but the moment anyone actually proposes they comply with a herd management strategy, it's whine whine whine.

Read the story closer. No earn a buck EXCEPT in the CWD zones. The DNR still hasn't woken up. Most of the people complaining about earn a buck hunt in the CWD area. Eliminate it in the WHOLE STATE!

its about time the dnr wakes up. its a few years now that the hunters have been complaining about no deer in the woods. im guessing that the whole cwd thing was just a good excuse to get the hunters to help thin the heard like they wanted. the disease has always been there.