Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. --(Ammoland.com)- Chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer has appeared for the first time in Buffalo, Custer and Holt counties, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

There were 1,565 lymph node samples collected from deer taken during the 2011 November firearm deer season, with 26 samples testing positive for CWD.

In addition, samples were taken from 37 culled deer that showed clinical symptoms for CWD, with one male mule deer from Garden County testing positive.

Those symptoms include a rough, emaciated appearance and a lack of fear of humans.

There were a record 51 positives from 3,645 samples in Nebraska in 2010. However, the surveillance effort was reduced in 2011 due to a lack of funds. The 2011 effort focused on central Nebraska, the leading edge of the disease as it spreads from west to east.

Game and Parks confirmed CWD in the state’s deer population in 2000. CWD is a disease that can affect deer and elk and always is fatal to the affected animal. Humans have never been known to contract CWD.

Texas Deer Association

SAN ANTONIO –-(Ammoland.com)- The Texas Deer Association (TDA) applauds the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for their commitment and continued vigilance in monitoring deer in Texas to minimize risk of disease transmission to both wild and breeder deer populations.

TDA notes the stepped up efforts are especially needed to preserve and protect the contributions of the breeder deer industry to the state’s struggling economy.

The TPWD reported that recent confirmation of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a farmed white-tailed deer in Missouri has caused the department to increase its surveillance efforts in Texas.

As part of their efforts, they plan to have state biologists at locker plants and processing facilities for deer hunters who may want to voluntarily donate harvested deer brain tissue samples for CWD testing, even though extensive testing since 2002 has not yielded a single positive test in Texas.

CWD is an infectious neurological disease known to occur only in white-tailed deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, moose, elk and sitka. The TPWD news report noted, “There is no indication that CWD in deer can lead to disease in native livestock or people. Wildlife officials regard prevention as the primary and most effective tool to combat CWD.”

The deer breeding industry continues to cooperate with both the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and TPWD as they have from the inception of the CWD surveillance program to develop standards and guidelines to minimize risk and to punish violators. Deer breeders are subjected to stringent testing and reporting requirements with operators keeping detailed records of every deer born, living or dying under their care. Texas deer breeders are required to test 20 percent of all deaths at their own expense, and many test 100 percent of all mortalities. Texas breeders have tested over 41% of all deer tested. At $100 per average total test cost, that amounts to an estimated $1,287,900, a significant and growing investment that deer breeders have spent to assure their industry remains secure. In addition, TDA has a strict internal code of ethics and standards to take steps against members who violate those standards. TDA’s internal ethics policies applicable to its members has been complimented by TPWD’s Scott Boruff, Deputy Executive Director for Operations.

Carter Smith, TPWD Executive Director, stated, “More than 1,200 permits are issued annually to deer breeders in Texas covering an estimated 80,000 whitetails held in captivity. The vast majority of deer breeders operate within guidelines designed to minimize risk of disease transmission.” He reported that TPWD has tested about 800 illegally-possessed deer from 32 violators, and that all deer tested were found to be free of CWD. Unfortunately, there is no available test for live animals at this time.

In 2005, TAHC and TPWD implemented a ban importation of deer into Texas. Since then, subsequent monitoring and testing of CWD has not shown the disease to be the health risk once feared, and everyone involved in the deer industry wants to keep it that way. According to information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, approximately 164,500 farmed cervids (both deer and elk) have been tested across the nation since 2002 and, of that number, only 171 farmed cervids tested positive for CWD. Of those, USDA reported CWD was detected in 13 farmed white-tailed deer herds and 39 farmed elk herds in 11 states: CO, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NY, OK, SD, WI. Out of approximately 775,000 free-ranging wild cervids tested since 2002, approximately 3,130 animals were found to be positive in 15 states: CO, IL, KS, MD, MN, ND, NE, NM, NY, SD, UT, VA, WI, WV, WY. According to this data, CWD is more prevalent in wild, or free-ranging, cervids than in farmed, or ‘ranch-raised’ cervids by a ratio of 4 to 1. TPWD reports that, from 2002 through 2010, a total of 31,325 ranch-raised and wild cervids have been tested for CWD, but CWD has never been found in Texas in white-tailed deer or any other cervids.

Dr. Don Davis, Associate Professor, Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, expressed his concern that other diseases that are known to exist in Texas, including Blue Tongue, Anthrax and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), have been especially devastating to both wild and farmed deer this year resulting in the loss of hundreds if not thousands of deer. He explained, “Anthrax always occurs at some level annually in the Southern Edwards Plateau generally in native and free-ranging ruminants.” In the summer of 2007, landowners in nine Texas counties lost as much as 34% of their free ranging white-tailed deer to an outbreak of common diseases, including Anthrax, which underscores the need for research on all diseases affecting white-tailed deer.

Dr. James Kroll, renowned expert on white-tailed deer, echoed Dr. Davis’ concern in previous legislative testimony. He reiterated, “Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine, stepped forward to help with deer disease research but received no public funds to do so in spite of a 2009 legislative request for such funding. The TDA has contributed to research on EHD and Blue Tongue, perhaps the most significant diseases of free-ranging and ranch raised whitetails.”

Dr. Kroll hopes the increased attention at this time on preventing CWD will help the state to also focus on the need for education, prevention and research on deer diseases confirmed to exist in Texas.

A Texas A&M Economic Study on Deer Breeding concluded the “industry is a growing and important segment of the Texas economy, contributing to the vitality of rural areas of the state.”

They reported the deer industry including hunting, deer breeding and tourism have an economic impact to the state of over $2.2 billion.

Earlier this year, Dr. Kroll spoke on the industry’s current status, “Texas has been a leader in deer management since the 1970s, and now enjoys a leadership role in deer breeding. Today, there are over 1,200 active deer breeders, most of which represent small landowners and family-run operations. Whereas, managing for trophy whitetails once was the purview of the wealthy landowner with thousands of acres, deer breeding allows the small family operation to compete. It is safe to say, deer breeding is contributing to saving the family farm or ranch in many cases.”

On a national level, individuals involved in the deer industry have been working for several years to secure funding for a research measure successfully included in the current U.S. Farm Bill. The North American Deer Farmers’ Association (NADeFA), with the assistance of Texas U. S. Congressman Michael Conaway, along with individuals representing the deer industry from across the nation, including TDA members, were able to secure a measure in the bill to include a Deer Research Initiative to focus on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious, parasitic and toxic diseases including research dedicated to developing vaccines for EHD and Blue Tongue disease in ranch-raised cervidae. Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples as well as U.S. Senator John Cornyn were also helpful in bringing initial attention to the need for the research effort. Funding for that measure has yet to be secured, but efforts will continue on this vitally needed project. Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine is regarded as a likely site for the program.

TDA’s president, Gilbert T. Adams, III, affirmed the goal of TDA co-founder Dr. James Kroll, “TDA will continue to advocate for a comprehensive, long-term plan to develop a healthy deer industry in our State. Such a plan will respect the philosophical differences of naturalists and alternative livestock operators while also requiring a cooperative effort between state agencies, the legislature and private landowner/operators; one that acknowledges the need for the management of game animals and respects the role of the private landowner whose stewardship is key to the continued existence of game animals.”

Headquartered in San Antonio, the Texas Deer Association is the only non-profit organization solely committed to improving the quality of Texas deer herds through improved habitat practices, modern harvest strategies and use of superior deer to enhance the deer herds. To learn more about the TDA or for membership information, visit www.texasdeerassociation.com or call (210) 767-8300. Office is located at 403 East Ramsey Ste 204, San Antonio, TX 78216.

N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission

RALEIGH, NC --(Ammoland.com)- The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is alerting hunters that they may encounter sick or diseased deer afflicted with hemorrhagic disease.

Two closely related viruses — epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) virus and bluetongue virus — cause hemorrhagic disease and both are spread by biting flies, called midges.

The Commission is asking hunters to report any sightings of the disease, which has no human health implications but is one of the most significant infectious diseases of white-tailed deer in North Carolina. Hemorrhagic disease should not be confused with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which is a distinctly different disease that occurs in members of the deer family. Extensive monitoring since 1999 has yielded no evidence of CWD in North Carolina and strict regulations are in place to prevent the introduction of this disease.

Symptoms of hemorrhagic disease in deer vary widely. Some diseased animals will exhibit no symptoms. Some may appear bloated, very thin and weak, while others suffering from the disease for longer duration may drastically lose weight.

They also may have foot, mouth and internal lesions. High fever associated with the disease can make deer thirsty, so dead and dying deer are often found near water. Hunters may observe cracked or sloughing hooves on harvested deer, which is another classic symptom of the disease.

Outbreaks of this deer disease are seen almost every year somewhere within the state and across the Southeast. The last major outbreak in North Carolina was in 2007, and other notable outbreaks occurred in 1939, 1955, 1961, 1971, 1976, 1988, 1994, 1999, 2000 and 2002. In years with severe hemorrhagic disease outbreaks, deer mortality in some localized areas can be as high as 30 percent. However, in most instances mortality is much lower.

This year, extremely dry conditions during the summer followed by heavy rainfall from Hurricane Irene created ideal conditions for the proliferation of midges, possibly causing the spread of the disease.

To report sightings of symptomatic deer, or dead and dying deer, contact the Division of Wildlife Management at (919) 707-0050 or wrccomments@ncwildlife.org.

When people report sightings, it allows Commission biologists to determine what areas of the state are experiencing outbreaks and the extent of those outbreaks. It also gives biologists opportunities to obtain tissue and blood samples for virus isolation by veterinarians at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) in Athens, Ga. Reported occurrences are summarized annually and sent to SCWDS where the occurrence and outbreak extent is monitored collectively for all states.

Commission biologists have observed outbreaks of the disease this year in deer across North Carolina — the most prevalent in the northeastern part of the state in and around Halifax, Edgecombe, Northampton, Bertie and Gates counties. Evidence of the disease also was documented in the western part of the state in Cherokee and Yancey counties.

Because the disease cannot spread to humans, hunters should not worry about dressing deer or eating venison. Deer that recover from an episode of hemorrhagic disease develop immunity to future outbreaks.

Learn more about hemorrhagic disease at www.ncwildlife.org.

About the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
Since 1947, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has been dedicated to the conservation and sustainability of the state’s fish and wildlife resources through research, scientific management, wise use, and public input. The Commission is the state regulatory agency responsible for the enforcement of fishing, hunting, trapping and boating laws and provides programs and opportunities for wildlife-related educational, recreational and sporting activities. To learn more, visit www.ncwildlife.org.

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ – -(Ammoland.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Department is requesting deer and elk hunters’ continued vigilance in monitoring for chronic wasting disease (CWD) by allowing biological samples of the animals’ lymph nodes to be collected for testing.

CWD has not yet been found in Arizona through regular annual testing since 1998. However, it is present in the neighboring states of Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. CWD is fatal to deer and elk; however, there is no evidence that it poses a risk to humans.

“As in past years, the participation of hunters, meat processors, and taxidermists is essential for the department’s CWD surveillance program,” said Clint Luedtke, wildlife disease biologist. “Collection of samples from elk and deer hunters in Game Management Unit 12B (which borders Utah), as well as Units 1 and 27 (which border New Mexico), is crucial in assuring CWD is not in these potential corridors near neighboring states that have detected the disease.”

For Kaibab and Arizona Strip hunters, the Jacob Lake check station will be open for collecting samples on Oct. 6-11 during the juniors-only deer hunt; on Oct. 20-31 for the general deer hunt; and on Nov. 17-28 for the late season hunt. The check station will be operational from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the following exception that the station will close early at noon on Oct. 11, 31 and Nov. 28.

Department biologists will also be collecting samples during the juniors-only elk hunt in Units 1 and 2C from Oct. 7-13. In addition, biologists will be working in the field from Oct. 27-31 in Unit 28, seeking successful hunters to provide samples for the CWD monitoring effort in this area.

Arizona hunters hunting out-of-state
To help prevent CWD from entering the state, Game and Fish asks that all deer and elk hunters hunting outside of Arizona take the necessary precautions before bringing any harvested animals back into the state. Furthermore, hunters should contact the wildlife agency in the state they are hunting, as several states have restrictions on carcass transportation.

Here are some important things out-of-state deer and elk hunters need to know before coming back to Arizona with their deer or elk harvest:

• Do not cut into the spinal cord or remove the head.
• Do not quarter (or other method) the carcass with any of the spinal column or head attached.
• Do not bring the brain, intact skull, or spinal cord back into Arizona.

Successful out-of-state deer and elk hunters need to bone out the meat and package it (either commercially or privately). It is okay to bring back animal hides, as well as skull plates that have been cleaned of all tissue and washed in bleach. Heads from a taxidermist, sawed-off antlers, and ivory teeth are also OK to bring into Arizona.

Other ways to participate
All hunters are encouraged to assist the monitoring effort by bringing in the head of their recently harvested deer or elk to any Game and Fish Department office between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Place the head in a heavy plastic garbage bag for delivery, and keep it cool and out of the sun. If the weather is warm, it is best to either bring in the head within a day of harvest or keep it on ice in a cooler before delivery.

When submitting heads for sampling, please provide accurate, up-to-date hunter information (name, street address, city, state, zip code and phone number) as well as hunt information (hunt number, permit number, game management unit harvested in, county, state, and hunting license), as this information is crucial should a positive CWD sample occur. If this information is not provided, the department will be unable to test the sample.

Test results are now available online at www.azgfd.gov/cwd, by clicking the “Chronic Wasting Disease Test Results” link on the right side of the page.

CWD basics

Here are some guidelines for hunters when out in the field:

• Don’t harvest any animal that appears to be sick or behaves oddly. Call the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 1-800-352-0700 if you see an animal that is very thin, has a rough coat, drooping ears and is unafraid of humans.
• When field-dressing game, wear rubber gloves and minimize the use of a bone saw to cut through the brain or spinal cord (backbone). Bone out the meat. Minimize contact with and do not consume brain or spinal cord tissues, eyes, spleen, or lymph nodes.
• Always wash hands thoroughly after dressing and processing game meat.

The non-hunting public can also help prevent the potential spread of CWD. If you come across any deer fawn or elk calf in the wild, it should be left alone. Don’t assume it has been abandoned by the parent; in all likelihood, it hasn’t. Being a “good Samaritan” and bringing these wild animals into captivity poses a risk to the state’s wildlife resources.

CWD is a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to cervids, which include deer, elk and moose. Clinical symptoms include loss of body weight or emaciation, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, stumbling, trembling, and behavioral changes such as listlessness, lowering of the head, and repetitive walking in set patterns.

No evidence has been found to indicate that CWD affects humans, according to both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

The department also has had rules in place since 2002 restricting the movement of captive deer and elk into or within the state, and subjecting those animals to marking and reporting requirements.

For more information about chronic wasting disease, visit www.azgfd.gov/cwd or www.cwd-info.org.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Director’s Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director’s Office as listed above.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Pennsylvania --(Ammoland.com)- With thousands of Pennsylvania hunters heading off to hunt big game in other states and Canadian provinces, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminds hunters that, in an effort to prevent the introduction of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) into the Commonwealth, the agency prohibits hunters from importing specific carcass parts from members of the deer family – including mule deer, elk and moose – from 19 states and two Canadian provinces.

Roe noted that this importation ban is outlined in a recently revised executive order, and affects hunters heading to: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland (only from CWD Management Area), Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (only from Madison and Oneida counties), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia (only from CWD Containment Area), West Virginia (only from CWD Containment Area), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The executive order prohibits hunters from bringing back certain parts from any cervid from the listed states or provinces, whether the animal was taken from the wild or from a captive, high-fence operation. The specific carcass parts that cannot be brought back to Pennsylvania by hunters are the ones where the CWD prions (the causative agent) concentrate in cervids, and they are: the head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and any lymph nodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft tissue is present; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord tissue; unfinished taxidermy mounts; and brain-tanned hides.

“The most notable change this year in the list of states impacted by Pennsylvania’s Parts Ban is due to the detection of CWD in Maryland,” Roe said. “It is important for those Pennsylvania hunters heading to Maryland to become familiar with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources CWD Management Area, which includes a portion of Allegany County noted as Private Land Code 233 in Maryland’s annual Guide to Hunting and Trapping. This section, which includes Maryland’s Green Ridge State Forest east of Flintstone and Oldtown, is directly south of Pennsylvania’s Bedford and Fulton counties.”

In West Virginia, the CWD Containment Area also has been expanded as the disease has moved outside of Hampshire County. The new CWD Containment Area now includes all of Hampshire County and portions of Hardy and Morgan counties.

For details, hunters should contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources or the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

Roe noted that the prohibition does not limit the importation of: meat, without the backbone; cleaned skull plate with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; tanned hide or raw hide with no visible brain or spinal cord tissue present; cape, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft tissue is present; and finished taxidermy mounts.

Pennsylvania hunters heading to a state with a history of CWD should become familiar with that state’s wildlife regulations and guidelines for the transportation of harvested game animals.

Wildlife officials have suggested hunters in areas where CWD is known to exist follow these usual recommendations to prevent the possible spread of disease:

• - Do not shoot, handle or consume any animal that appears sick; contact the state wildlife agency if you see or harvest an animal that appears sick.
• - Wear rubber or latex gloves when field-dressing carcasses.
• - Bone out the meat from your animal.
• - Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues.
• - Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field-dressing is completed.
• - Request that your animal is processed individually, without meat from other animals being added to meat from your animal, or process your own meat if you have the tools and ability to do so.
• - Have your animal processed in the endemic area of the state where it was harvested, so that high-risk body parts can be properly disposed of there. Only bring permitted materials back to Pennsylvania.
• - Don’t consume the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils or lymph nodes of harvested animals. (Normal field-dressing, coupled with boning out a carcass, will remove most, if not all, of these body parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will help remove remaining lymph nodes.)
• - Consider not consuming the meat from any animal that tests positive for the disease.

Roe said hunters who harvest a deer, elk or moose in a state or province where CWD is known to exist should follow that state’s wildlife agency’s instructions on how and where to submit the appropriate samples to have their animal tested. If, after returning to Pennsylvania, a hunter is notified that his or her game tested positive for CWD, the hunter is encouraged to immediately contact the Game Commission region office that serves the county in which they reside for disposal recommendations and assistance.

A list of region offices and contact information appears on page 5 of the 2011-12 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest, which is presented to each Pennsylvania license buyer. The contact information also is available on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by putting your cursor on “About Us” in the menu bar under the banner, then selecting “Regional Information” in the drop-down menu and then clicking on the region of choice in the map.

The Game Commission, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of Agriculture, has conducted tests on more than 31,000 Pennsylvania deer and elk that have either died of unknown illnesses, were exhibiting abnormal behavior, or were killed by hunters. No evidence of CWD has been found in any of these samples.

The Game Commission will continue to monitor this disease and collect samples from deer and elk that appear sick or behave abnormally. The agency plans to test all hunter-killed elk and approximately 4,000 hunter-harvested wild deer for CWD again this year.

First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease of the nervous system. Scientists theorize CWD is caused by an unknown agent capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death. There is currently no scientific evidence that CWD has or can spread to humans, either through contact with infected animals or by eating meat of infected animals. The Center for Disease Control has investigated any connection between CWD and the human forms of TSEs and stated “the risk of infection with the CWD agent among hunters is extremely small, if it exists at all” and “it is extremely unlikely that CWD would be a food-borne hazard.”

“Hunters spend a lot of time in the woods, and are a valuable source of information to wildlife agencies across the United States,” Roe said. “If a hunter sees a deer or elk behaving abnormally, or dying from unknown causes, contact us and provide as much specific information as possible about where the animal was seen.”

In 2005, Pennsylvania CWD task force members completed the state’s response plan, which outlines ways to prevent CWD from entering our borders and, in the event CWD is found in Pennsylvania, how to detect it and contain it. The task force was comprised of representatives from several state and federal agencies, including the Game Commission, the state departments of Agriculture, Health and Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as representatives from stakeholder groups including hunters, deer farmers, deer processors and taxidermists. The plan is updated annually, and the current plan can be viewed on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by putting your cursor on “Wildlife” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then put your cursor on “Wildlife Diseases” from the drop-down menu, and then clicking on “Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).” This page also includes links to tips for taxidermists and meat processors, as well as the CWD Alliance’s website (www.cwd-info.org).

Information on CWD also is published on page 52 of the 2011-12 Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Digest, which is presented to each license buyer.

“We know that Pennsylvania hunters are just as concerned about keeping CWD out of Pennsylvania as we are, and we are confident that they will do all they can to protect the Commonwealth’s whitetail and elk populations,” Roe said.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- With Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) nearly 10 miles south of the Pennsylvania-Maryland line, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave preliminary approval to a revised set of emergency powers to enable the agency’s executive director to take actions to mitigate risk factors and to determine the prevalence and geographic distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

“For more than a decade, the Game Commission has been monitoring our CWD status and striving to prevent CWD from coming to our state,” said Carl G. Roe, agency executive director.

“While I hope that I never have to use these new tools, it is imperative that this agency’s executive director be properly empowered to contain the disease to one area and prevent, or at the very least, slow the spread of this disease.”

Under the emergency authority, if the executive director concludes the spread of CWD poses a threat within or adjacent to this Commonwealth, he will have the emergency authority to: prohibit the importation of high-risk cervid parts from areas that are known to harbor CWD; and define and designate Disease Management Areas (DMAs) in this Commonwealth.

Once a DMA is designated, the executive director will be able to use his emergency authority to take several actions, including: allowing the taking of cervids without regard to established seasons and bag limits and methods of take; requiring mandatory checking of hunter-killed cervids; prohibiting the removal of high-risk cervid parts; prohibiting the rehabilitation of cervids; prohibiting the use, collection, possession and exportation of cervid urine-based attractants; prohibiting the feeding of cervids; and prohibiting any new permits to possess or transport live cervids.

In such situations, it will be unlawful for any person to violate any provision of an Executive Order issued by the executive director.

First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease of the nervous system. Scientists theorize CWD is caused by an agent called a prion that is capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form, in turn causing the death of brain cells. Prions are present in and shed into the environment by infected animals through blood, urine, saliva and tissue of the central nervous system.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death. There is currently no scientific evidence that CWD has or can spread to humans, either through contact with infected animals or by eating meat of infected animals. The Center for Disease Control has investigated any connection between CWD and the human forms of TSEs and stated “the risk of infection with the CWD agent among hunters is extremely small, if it exists at all” and “it is extremely unlikely that CWD would be a food-borne hazard.”

As a preventative effort, the Game Commission prohibits hunters from importing specific carcass parts from members of the deer family – including mule deer, elk and moose – from a growing list of states and Canadian provinces. The importation ban applies to hunters heading to: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland (only from CWD containment area), Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (Oneida and Madison counties), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia (only from CWD containment area), West Virginia (only from the CWD containment area), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Details on the importation ban are available on the agency’s website and on page 52 of the 2011-12 Digest, which is provided free to each Pennsylvania hunting and furtaker license buyer.

For more information on CWD and the state’s CWD-prevention plan, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on “Wildlife” in the menu bar in the banner at the top of the page, then click on “Wildlife Diseases Home,” and choose “Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).” Additional information on CWD can be found on the CWD Alliance’s website (www.cwd-info.org).

U.S. Geological Survey

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Long-term impacts of the chronic wasting disease (CWD) epidemic in North American deer, elk and moose will depend on how the disease persists in the environment, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study.

The study examines how the persistence of CWD in the environment affects future deer populations using computer simulations.

Like other “prion” diseases, CWD is caused by unusual, infectious proteins called prions; it is a fatal neurological disease of deer, elk and moose. One of the best-known of these prion diseases is “mad cow” disease, a cattle disease that has infected humans. However, there is no evidence that CWD has infected humans.

Prions can be transmitted directly through animal-to-animal contact, and indirectly through animals that come into contact with infected feces, urine and carcasses. Most current analyses assume that prions are transmitted through direct contact. The new study, however, demonstrates that indirect transmission – through uninfected animals coming in contact with contaminated material – is likely much more important in controlling the disease than previously thought.

“If indirect transmission is as important as our simulations show, then the projected long-term outcomes of CWD epidemics will be very sensitive to how long prions remain infectious in the environment,” said lead study author Emily Almberg, a former employee of USGS, and a current PhD student at Pennsylvania State University. “Disease management will need to consider both indirect and direct transmission.”

Previous studies have found infectious CWD prions in the environment for at least two years, and closely related sheep scrapie prions, another type of prion disease, have caused infections after 16 years. “If these two examples represent norms rather than exceptions,” said Almberg, “then our simulations suggest that CWD will reach higher peak prevalences and result in more extreme deer population declines.” In addition, indirect transmission and long-lived prions could complicate disease-control efforts.

According to USGS scientist Paul Cross, co-author of the study, “Our results show how the importance of the environmental reservoir may increase during the course of an epidemic, which may help to explain some of the differences we see among different regions that are in different stages of the epidemic.”

Since current management tools do not target reducing environmental transmission, the best prospects for CWD control may be very early in the epidemic when the traditional tools of culling deer are likely to keep direct transmission and overall infection levels at bay, the authors wrote.

CWD has been detected in 19 states and two Canadian provinces. Disease-causing prions, responsible for some incurable neurological diseases of people and other diseases in animals, are notoriously difficult to decontaminate or kill. Prions are not killed by most detergents, cooking, freezing, or by autoclaving, a method used to sterilize medical instruments.

The USGS study, Modeling Routes of Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission: Environmental Prion Persistence Promotes Deer Population Decline and Extinction, is available from the public accesses journal PLoS ONE, online.

Contact Information:
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
Office of Communication
119 National Center
Reston, VA 20192 Leslie Allen 1-click interview
Phone: 406-994-7367

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was not found in samples taken from hunter-killed deer during the state’s 2010 hunting season, according to Dr. Walt Cottrell, Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife veterinarian.

In 2010, 3,882 samples from hunter-killed deer were tested, and CWD was not detected. This marked the ninth year for testing hunter-killed deer. In total, nearly 30,000 deer have been tested. CWD was not detected in any samples from previous years.

Results showing that the CWD tests of hunter-killed elk from 2010 were all negative were announced on Jan. 5.

“We are pleased to report that Pennsylvania continues to have no confirmed or suspected cases of CWD in wild deer or elk,” Cottrell said. “By conducting these tests from a random sample of hunter-killed deer and on all hunter-killed elk, we continue our efforts to find the disease in wild deer and elk in the state.”

The CWD tests on deer and elk samples were conducted by the New Bolton Center, which is the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Under a contract with Penn State University, the elk samples also were tested for brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis and found to be free of those diseases.

Heads from hunter-killed deer were collected from deer processors by deer aging teams during the two-week rifle deer season. Specific tissues were collected from these heads at Game Commission region offices by agency personnel and Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of agriculture animal health officials.

“The test results are good news,” Cottrell said. “Although CWD has not been found in Pennsylvania, we must continue to be vigilant in our CWD surveillance efforts. The surveillance work we are doing is important for the early detection of CWD. Let’s not forget that CWD has been found less than 10 miles away from our border in Maryland, which is likely to be part of the spread of the disease from West Virginia. There is no reason to expect that it will not eventually come into Pennsylvania.

“We already are planning to continue testing hunter-killed deer and elk during the 2011-12 seasons, and we are pleased that the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of agriculture will continue to play an important role in this disease surveillance program. However, we will also be increasing our surveillance by sampling road-killed deer adjacent to Maryland and investigating every clinically suspect deer that our time and budget allows.”

For more information on CWD and the state’s CWD-prevention plan, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on “Wildlife” in the menu bar in the banner at the top of the page, then click on “Wildlife Diseases Home,” and choose “Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).” Additional information on CWD can be found on the CWD Alliance’s website (www.cwd-info.org).

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Pennsylvania --(Ammoland.com)- While no confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, have been found in Pennsylvania’s wild deer and elk, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials continue to be concerned about not only “when” it arrives here, but also about how fast it could spread once it does reach the Commonwealth.

“In the past two years, confirmed cases of CWD have moved from 20 miles away from our southern border to just 10 miles away from the Mason-Dixon Line,” said Dr. Walter Cottrell, Game Commission wildlife veterinarian. “It no longer is a discussion about ‘if’ we find CWD within our state, but a matter of “when.’

“With that in mind, we are urging Pennsylvanians who engage in practices like supplemental wildlife feeding, placement of salt and the use of urine-based lures to consider voluntarily discontinuing these activities as they are known to increase the risk of introduction and spread of the disease. We also urge hunters who may hunt in Maryland, West Virginia or any other state that has the disease to become familiar with and observe our CWD Parts Ban, which is outlined in the annual hunting digest and on the agency’s website.”

Specifically, Cottrell said that feeding of wildlife, especially deer, along the Maryland/Pennsylvania border from Bedford to York counties should be discontinued or, at least, confined to bird feeding.

“Feeding wildlife, especially deer, causes a higher concentration of the animals in one area,” Cottrell said. “Since the disease can be spread from one animal to another through direct animal-to-animal contact or indirectly from animal-to-animal through a contaminated environment, feeding would make the spread of the disease easier should an infected animal come into a feeding area.

“We recognize that people enjoy viewing wildlife. However, if feeding is something that could contribute to the spread of this disease, we would hope that those who enjoy seeing wildlife will assist us in our efforts to prevent the introduction of CWD and contain it as best we can after it is found within our state’s borders.”

First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease of the nervous system. Scientists theorize CWD is caused by an agent called a prion that is capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form, in turn causing the death of brain cells.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death. There is currently no scientific evidence that CWD has or can spread to humans, either through contact with infected animals or by eating meat of infected animals. The Center for Disease Control has investigated any connection between CWD and the human forms of TSEs and stated “the risk of infection with the CWD agent among hunters is extremely small, if it exists at all” and “it is extremely unlikely that CWD would be a food-borne hazard.”

Cottrell noted that hunters, especially those who plan to head off to hunt big game in other states and Canadian provinces, can play a role in preventing the unintentional introduction or spread of CWD in Pennsylvania.

“The Game Commission prohibits the importation of specific carcass parts from members of the deer family – including mule deer, elk and moose – from a growing list of states and Canadian provinces,” Cottrell said. He noted that this importation ban applies to hunters heading to: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland (only from CWD containment area), Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (Oneida and Madison counties), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia (only from CWD containment area), West Virginia (only from the containment area), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

“Under an executive order, hunters are prohibited from bringing back the certain tissue below from any cervid from these states or provinces, whether the animal was taken from the wild or from a captive, high-fence operation,” Cottrell said.

The specific carcass parts that cannot be brought back to Pennsylvania by hunters are the ones where the CWD prions (the causative agent) concentrate in cervids, and they are: the head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and any lymph nodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft tissue is present; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord tissue; unfinished taxidermy mounts; and brain-tanned hides.

Cottrell noted that the prohibition does not limit the importation of: meat, without the backbone; cleaned skull plate with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; tanned hide or raw hide with no visible brain or spinal cord tissue present; cape, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft tissue is present; and finished taxidermy mounts.

Pennsylvania hunters heading to a state with a history of CWD should become familiar with that state’s wildlife regulations and guidelines for the transportation of harvested game animals.

Wildlife officials have suggested hunters in areas where CWD is known to exist follow these usual recommendations to prevent the possible spread of disease:

• Do not shoot, handle or consume any animal that appears sick; contact the state wildlife agency if you see or harvest an animal that appears sick.
• Wear rubber or latex gloves when field-dressing carcasses.
• Bone out the meat from your animal.
• Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues.
• Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field-dressing is completed.
• Request that your animal is processed individually, without meat from other animals being added to meat from your animal, or process your own meat if you have the tools and ability to do so.
• Have your animal processed in the endemic area of the state where it was harvested, so that high-risk body parts can be properly disposed of there. Only bring permitted materials back to Pennsylvania.
• Don’t consume the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils or lymph nodes of harvested animals. (Normal field-dressing, coupled with boning out a carcass, will remove most, if not all, of these body parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will help remove remaining lymph nodes.)
• Consider not consuming the meat from any animal that tests positive for the disease.

Cottrell urged hunters who harvest a deer, elk or moose in a state or province where CWD is known to exist should follow that state’s wildlife agency’s instructions on how and where to submit the appropriate samples to have their animal tested. If, after returning to Pennsylvania, a hunter is notified that his or her game tested positive for CWD, the hunter is encouraged to immediately contact the Game Commission for disposal recommendations and assistance.

In 2005, Pennsylvania CWD task force members completed the state’s response plan, which outlines ways to prevent CWD from entering our borders and, in the event CWD is found in Pennsylvania, how to detect it and contain it. The task force was comprised of representatives from several state and federal agencies, including the Game Commission, the state departments of Agriculture, Health and Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as representatives from stakeholder groups including hunters, deer farmers, deer processors and taxidermists. The plan is updated annually, and the current plan can be viewed on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by putting your cursor on “Wildlife” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then put your cursor on “Wildlife Diseases” from the drop-down menu, and then clicking on “Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).” This page also includes links to tips for taxidermists and meat processors, as well as the CWD Alliance’s website (www.cwd-info.org).

Information on CWD also was published on pages 49 and 52 of the 2010-11 Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Digest, which is presented to each license buyer. The agency plans to include this and new information about CWD in the 2011-12 digest, which will be available in mid-June.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

PRATT, KS --(Ammoland.com)- The number of positive cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD in Kansas appears to be stable for now. On March 2, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) announced that 10 deer from northwestern Kansas had tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the same number as last year although two of those deer were found in counties farther east than any previous confirmations.

These were animals taken by hunters in the 2010 hunting seasons.

Six confirmed cases of CWD deer were taken by hunters in Decatur County and one each from Graham, Norton, Sherman, and Smith counties. The Norton, Sherman, and Smith cases were firsts for those counties. The cases included nine white-tailed and one mule deer. This season’s testing results brings the total number of confirmed CWD cases in Kansas to 40 since testing began in 1996. In total, 2,503 animals were tested for CWD for the 2010 deer seasons. Although most testing is finished for the year, KDWP will continue testing some vehicle-killed and sick or suspect-looking deer, as well as deer taken with depredation permits, through July 31. If U.S. Department of Agriculture funding is available, and new surveillance period will begin Aug. 1.

Annual testing is part of ongoing effort by KDWP to monitor the prevalence and spread of CWD. The fatal disease was first detected in a wild deer taken in Cheyenne County in 2005. Three infected deer were taken in Decatur County in 2007 and 10 tested positive in 2008, all in northwest Kansas.

CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jacob disease in people. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that results in small holes developing in the brain, giving it a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. An animal may carry the disease without outward indication (only two of the 40 positive animals showed symptoms) but in the later stages, signs may include behavioral changes such as decreased interactions with other animals, listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of response to humans. Anyone who discovers a sick or suspect deer should contact the nearest KDWP office.

“It must be noted that many symptoms of CWD are indicative of other diseases,” says KDWP wildlife disease coordinator Shane Hesting. “Thus, a sick deer may or may not be infected with CWD. CWD is a serious deer disease but is still a rare disease in Kansas. There is no vaccine or other biological method that prevents the spread of CWD. However, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or livestock in the natural environment.”

Still, precautions should be taken. Hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected, and common sense precautions are advised when field dressing and processing meat from animals taken in areas where CWD is found. More information on CWD can be found on KDWP’s website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website, www.cwd-info.org.

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources will request permission from the Natural Resources Board to purchase a CWD-infected Portage County farm known as the Hall Farm to protect wild deer in the area from chronic wasting disease.

The board meets March 23 in Madison. Citizens interested in testifying before the board on this matter must register with the Natural Resources Board Liaison, Laurie Ross, (608) 267-7420 Laurie.Ross@wisconsin.gov by 4:00 p.m. Friday Mar. 18.

Stan Hall operated but was not the owner of the farm. He operated the property as a whitetail deer farm until 2006 at which time it was closed down due to an outbreak of chronic wasting disease (CWD). Chronic wasting disease was first found in a deer harvested from the farm in 2002. Discovery of additional CWD positive deer followed. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Agriculture depopulated the farm’s deer herd in an agreement reached with the owner. At the time of depopulation, 60 of 76 animals euthanized tested positive for the fatal disease. In all, 80 CWD-positive animals were removed from the farm.

“To our knowledge this was the most heavily infected herd found anywhere in North America with 80% of the animals infected,” said Kurt Thiede, land administrator for DNR. “Science tells us CWD prions can survive for years in the soil and that healthy deer can become infected by contacting those prions. We believe that there is an unacceptable potential risk of wild deer being exposed to CWD-causing prions should the current fencing be damaged or removed. Purchasing this property is the best assurance we can give that deer-proof fences are maintained and the wild herd protected.”

The department’s recently adopted Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan 2010-2025 sets a goal to “minimize the area of Wisconsin where CWD occurs and the number of infected deer in the state.”

Since 2002, 1,200 Portage County wild deer have been tested for CWD with no positives.

With the current management agreement between the owner and the USDA due to expire in May 2011, DNR wildlife officials feel the only way the public can be assured the fences will be maintained is by purchasing the property. Stewardship funds will be used to purchase the property from Patricia Casey for $465,000. The department intends to allow access to the property for research purposes only.

Nature based outdoor activities including hunting, fishing, trapping, cross country skiing and hiking would be prohibited as part of the purchase approval. The primary purpose for this purchase is to create a permanent enclosure so that no wild deer may enter the property by any means and to ensure that no soil or sediments are removed from the property and transported to other locations unless authorized by the department, according to DNR officials. Additionally, DNR hopes to use the property to conduct research.

The department has determined that it is necessary to prohibit all public access to this site to accommodate the primary purpose. The authority to use this property as a place to conduct research and wildlife management is granted to the Department generally in s. 23.09 (2) Stats., and more specifically in s. 23.09 (2) (d) (15) and s. 23.09 (2) (k) Stats.

Full details on this action are available online at the DNR webpage, dnr.wi.gov. Select Natural Resources Board followed by Meeting Agendas and Materials

Written comments regarding this proposal and requests for additional information may be submitted to the attention of Richard Steffes, Bureau of Facilities and Lands, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 101 South Webster Street, Madison, WI 53707-7921. Ph (608) 266-0201. Comments will be received through March 30, 2011.

“Wisconsin’s whitetailed deer herd is one of our state’s most valuable natural resources providing recreational and economic value and is a foundation of family traditions,” said Thiede. “Sportsmen and women rely on us to protect the wild herd. We feel this action is necessary to do that.”

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ – -(Ammoland.com)- The Arizona Game and Fish Department reports no detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in any of the 1,417 testable samples from hunter-harvested or road-killed deer and elk during Arizona’s 2010-11 hunting season.

Game and Fish has tested nearly 16,000 deer and elk samples since beginning its surveillance program in 1998.

To date, none have tested positive for the disease.

Although CWD has not yet been found in Arizona, it is present in the three neighboring states of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.

“We remain steadfast in our sampling efforts in high-risk areas, nearly tripling the number of tested samples compared to last year in Game Management Units 1, 27 and unit 28 (areas bordering Utah and New Mexico),” said Anne Justice-Allen, DVM, wildlife health specialist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Another improvement to the program is easy access to test results. A web-based online system at www.azgfd.gov/cwd allows you to enter your name, phone number, permit and hunt number to obtain results, rather than waiting for a mailed post card with those results.

“The online system is a great improvement to get individual test results out as quickly as possible,” said Justice-Allen. “This monitoring program is made possible by Arizona’s hunters, meat processors, and taxidermists who continue to provide the samples we need and we hope this new tool will make the process easier for them too.”

Each year, hunters who are successful in the Game Management Units bordering Utah and New Mexico, particularly Units 1, 12B, 27, and 28, are encouraged to submit heads for sampling because these units are closest to CWD positive areas. Arizona deer and elk from these areas have the greatest potential to have contact with an infected animal from these neighboring states.

While it is only mandatory to bring animals harvested from Units 12A East and 12A West to the Kaibab check station, hunters may also bring animals harvested from other units to the check station for CWD sampling during the regular hours of operation.

About CWD
CWD is a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to cervids, which include deer, elk, and moose. Symptoms include loss of body weight or emaciation, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, stumbling, trembling, and behavioral changes such as listlessness, lowering of the head, and walking in circles or repetitive patterns.

No evidence has been found to indicate that CWD will cause disease in humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.

CWD was first identified in captive deer in Colorado in 1967 and has since spread to both captive and wild cervids in 18 states and two Canadian provinces. It is a naturally occurring prion disease belonging to a group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other TSEs are Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in domestic cattle and Scrapie in sheep and goats.

The department has had rules in place since 2002, which designate cervids as restricted wildlife and ban the importation of cervids in order to protect against the introduction of CWD to free-ranging or captive wildlife in the state (for details see R12-4-406 and R-4-430). Additionally, Game and Fish has a CWD Prevention, Detection, Response, and Management Plan that provides a logical process to manage issues related to CWD in Arizona.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department will continue to work in close coordination with other state and federal agencies to monitor for CWD.

For more information on CWD, visit these website resources:

* Arizona Game and Fish Department’s CWD program at www.azgfd.gov/cwd
* Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance at www.cwd-info.org
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/cwd

About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.

Ohio Department Natural Resources

COLUMBUS, OH --(Ammoland.com)- For the ninth straight year, testing of Ohio’s deer herd has found no evidence of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a degenerative brain disease that affects elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife, state and federal agriculture and wildlife officials collected 588 samples last year from hunter-harvested deer from 44 counties, primarily during the deer-gun season that ran November 29 – December 5.

All CWD testing is performed at the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). Additional CWD samples are being taken from road-killed deer, but those test results are not yet available. Sampling continues through April.

In addition to CWD, all 588 samples of the hunter-harvested deer samples were also tested for bovine tuberculosis. Results found no evidence of this disease in Ohio deer.

Since 2002, the Division of Wildlife, in conjunction with ODA’s Division of Animal Industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife and Veterinary Services, has been conducting surveillance throughout the state for CWD and bovine tuberculosis. While CWD has never been found in Ohio’s deer herd, it had been diagnosed in wild and captive deer, moose or elk in 16 other states and two Canadian provinces. Since CWD was discovered in the western United States in the late 1960s, there has been no evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans.

The Division of Wildlife continues to carefully monitor the health of Ohio’s wild deer herd throughout the year. For the latest information on CWD, visit wildohio.com or the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance at cwd-info.org . To view individual test results, visit the ODA’s Web site at www.agri.ohio.gov.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at ohiodnr.com.

West Virginia DNR

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – -(Ammoland.com)- Preliminary test results indicate the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) agent was present in 10 hunter-harvested deer collected during the 2010 deer firearms hunting season.

“As part of our agency’s ongoing CWD monitoring effort, samples were collected from 1,056 hunter-harvested deer brought to game checking stations in Hampshire County and one station near the southern Hampshire County line in Hardy County,” said Frank Jezioro, Director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR).

The 10 CWD-positive deer included two 2.5 year-old does, two 1.5 year-old bucks, five 2.5 year-old bucks, and one 3.5 year-old buck. Nine of the latest positive deer were harvested within the borders of Hampshire County.

However, one was harvested in Hardy County near the border with Hampshire County. The area in West Virginia from which CWD has been detected continues to expand, as evident with the latest CWD positive deer from northern Hardy County. The number of infected deer detected in West Virginia in 2010 now totals 22, two less than the number of infected deer detected in 2009.

CWD has now been detected in 83 deer in Hampshire County and one deer in Hardy County for a total of 84 CWD-positive deer in West Virginia. The DNR will continue to update management actions designed to control the spread of this disease, prevent further introduction of the disease, and possibly eliminate the disease from the state as information from deer testing within West Virginia is gathered and scientists across the country provide more information on how to combat CWD in white-tailed deer.

“The detection of the positive CWD deer in Hardy County is discouraging,” said Jezioro. “As we strive to meet this wildlife disease challenge and implement appropriate management strategies, the continued support and involvement of landowners and hunters will be essential.”

An expansion of the current ban on supplemental feeding and baiting of deer in Hampshire County is being considered with the occurrence of this CWD-positive deer in Hardy County. Current research indicates that supplemental feeding and baiting of deer increases the chance of disease transmission far above the normal clustering of deer on natural and agricultural feeding areas. The DNR remains committed to keeping the public informed and involved in wildlife disease management actions.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Samples taken from the 41 hunter-killed elk during the state’s 2010 hunting season have all tested negative for chronic wasting disease (CWD) and tuberculosis, according to Dr. Walt Cottrell, the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s wildlife veterinarian.

Cottrell noted that sample collection was greatly facilitated by the tremendous cooperation of the elk hunters and taxidermists. He added that the Game Commission still is awaiting the results of CWD testing for the hunter-killed deer samples collected during the 2010 rifle deer season, and will announce those results once received.

“Currently, there are no confirmed or suspected cases of CWD-infected deer or elk in Pennsylvania,” Cottrell said. “Conducting these tests on hunter-killed deer and elk is one part of the Game Commission’s ongoing efforts to monitor wild deer and elk populations for the presence of CWD.

“We obviously need to keep a watchful eye on our wild and captive deer and elk. Working closely with the state Department of Agriculture and other agency representatives on the state’s CWD Task Force, we hope to protect our state’s wild cervids from this fatal disease.”

CWD tests on the elk samples were conducted by the New Bolton Center, which is the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary diagnostics laboratory. Under a contract with Penn State University, the elk samples also were tested for brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis and found to be free from these diseases. New Bolton Center also is conducting the CWD tests on the deer samples. Results are expected later this spring.

To learn more about CWD, visit the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on the “Wildlife” in menu bar in the banner, then choose “Wildlife Diseases” and click on “Chronic Wasting Disease.”

Texas Deer Association

AUSTIN, TX --(Ammoland.com)- The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) implemented a monitored elk herd program on January 1, 2010, to aid in the rapid detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

The program in its inception was intended to allow elk producers to continue to move their animals intrastate while working to achieve a monitored “herd status” under TAHC oversight. In an effort to encourage more participation in the surveillance program, the TAHC is now extending the original enrollment process for another year, until January 1, 2012.

“The program is intended to help protect the exotic wildlife and cervid industry of Texas from the possible introduction of CWD, by developing an effective surveillance system”, stated Dr. Dee Ellis, TAHC State Veterinarian.

“Enrollment will allow elk producers to continue to move elk with minimal restrictions, while “status” is achieved in their herd”, Dr. Ellis further added. After the newly extended January 1, 2012 deadline, elk will only be allowed to move after all “herd status” regulations have been met, which will include mandatory testing of recently deceased elk from the herd.

CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy known to affect elk, moose, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer and mule deer. It is a fatal, degenerative brain wasting disease. The typical clinical signs of CWD are emaciation, behavioral changes and excessive salivation. CWD is not known to affect people, and has not been detected in Texas to date. Since it was first detected in Colorado in 1967 however, it has subsequently been diagnosed in 13 other states including New Mexico and Oklahoma , and continues to threaten the cervid industry in other parts of the US .

The TAHC enforces interstate movement requirements for elk and other cervids entering Texas . Out of state animals must originate from a herd which has participated for at least five years in a state-approved CWD herd certification program, and with no clinical signs of CWD in the herd. In today’s environment, the mobility and transportation of agricultural animals throughout the state and country has greatly increased the potential exposure to diseases.

Under the direction of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), all breeders of Texas white-tail deer are required to participate in a CWD Monitoring program through either TPWD or the TAHC.

“Adequate and timely surveillance testing is critical to detect a newly introduced or emerging disease as quickly as possible, so that it can be eliminated before potential spread to other animals”, explained Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC State Epidemiologist.

“Fortunately, CWD has not been detected in captive or free-ranging deer or elk in Texas , but elk producers must continue to be mindful of the disease, and take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of exotic livestock. Maintaining surveillance for CWD in Texas is critical for effective animal disease response and future trade opportunities,” Dr. Schwartz added.

By keeping appropriate records and sufficient sampling of animals as required by the program, a herd can achieve a recognized “herd status” for CWD. This status is essential if herd owners intend to sell or move animals out of state, and in-state after January 1, 2012. Under the TAHC’s elk enrollment program, elk would be test- eligible at 16 months of age or older, and tests conducted in a herd would be valid for one year. Animals tested must be euthanized or harvested, allowing for the collection of brain tissues for laboratory examination. Unfortunately, there is no valid live animal test currently accepted for CWD diagnosis.

Participants from major wildlife and cervid associations, stakeholder groups, and affected governmental entities worked closely with the TAHC to develop the current mandatory surveillance program. Participation in the program is strongly recommended and encouraged. Elk owners can enroll their herds in the CWD monitoring program by contacting their local TAHC regional office. For the local TAHC region office contact information, visit www.tahc.state.tx.us or call the TAHC headquarters in Austin at 800-550-8242.

Founded in 1893, the Texas Animal Health Commission works to protect the health of all Texas livestock, including: cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, equine, exotic animals, and poultry.

The TDA is the only non-profit organization solely committed to improving the quality of Texas deer herds through better habitat practices, modern harvest strategies and use of superior deer to enhance the deer herds. We’re proud to bring you news for and about the deer industry.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission officials, joined by veterinarians and laboratory technicians from the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of Agriculture, will continue its efforts, starting Nov. 30, to sample thousands of hunter-killed deer in order to assess whether there are any known cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the Commonwealth.

“For nearly a decade, we have tested hunter-killed deer, and have not found, confirmed or suspected any cases of CWD-infected deer in Pennsylvania,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director.

“We are planning to collect samples from 4,000 hunter-killed deer to test for CWD in the upcoming firearms deer season. Last year, we tested samples from more than 4,000 deer. CWD was not detected in any of the samples.”

Game Commission deer aging teams will collect deer heads throughout the state beginning Tuesday, Nov. 30 – the second day of the state’s two-week rifle deer season. The heads will be taken to the six Game Commission Region Offices, where samples will be collected for testing.

The CWD tests on these deer samples will be conducted at the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary diagnostic laboratory at the New Bolton Center in Chester County. Results are expected in 2011.

The Game Commission collected lung and blood samples from the 41 elk harvested. The Game Commission also collected brain tissue and lymph node samples from elk that were not to be mounted, and requested that taxidermists submit the caped heads from elk provided by hunters seeking to have their trophies mounted. Elk hunters were provided pre-paid mailers for taxidermists to submit the samples. All elk samples will be tested for CWD at the New Bolton Center as well.

Under a contract with Penn State University, samples will be tested for bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis.

Dr. Walter Cottrell, Game Commission wildlife veterinarian, said the agency will release the elk and deer test results as soon as they are available.

The Game Commission, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of Agriculture, has conducted tests on more than 300 elk and more than 26,000 deer killed by hunters in Pennsylvania over the past seven years. Since 1998, more than 1,000 deer and elk that have died of unknown illness or were exhibiting abnormal behavior also have been tested. No evidence of CWD has been found in these samples. The Game Commission will continue to collect samples from deer and elk that appear sick or behave abnormally.

Even though CWD had not been detected in Pennsylvania, CWD testing of healthy appearing hunter-killed deer or elk is available through the New Bolton Center. Hunters who wish to have their deer tested may do so for a fee by making arrangements with the New Bolton Center Laboratory (610-444-5800).

First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease, which scientists believe is caused by an agent capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, and there is no vaccine to prevent an animal from contracting the disease. There is no cure for animals that become infected. There is no evidence of CWD being transmissible to humans or to other non-cervid livestock under normal conditions.

Deer harboring CWD may not show any symptoms in the disease’s early stages. The usual incubation period for CWD is between 12-24 months. Commonly observed signs of an infected animal include lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, weakness, and ultimately, death.

Hunters who see deer behaving oddly, that appear to be sick, or that are dying for unknown reasons are urged to contact the nearest Game Commission Region Office. Hunters should not kill or consume animals that appear to be sick.

“We count on hunters to be our eyes when they head out to hunt deer,” Roe said. “With the help of the nearly one million deer hunters who go afield, we can cover a lot of ground.

“Hunters should be mindful of wildlife health issues, even more so in recent years. At this point, we have no evidence that CWD is in Pennsylvania, or that it poses health problems for humans.”

Not only should hunters shoot only deer that appear to be healthy and behave normally, but the Game Commission also recommends that they use rubber or nitrile gloves for field dressing. These are simple precautions that hunters should follow to ensure their hunt remains a safe and pleasurable experience.

CWD is present in free-ranging or captive wildlife populations in 18 states and two Canadian provinces. The Game Commission has been working with other state agencies to protect the Commonwealth’s wild and captive deer and elk by emphasizing measures designed to prevent its introduction into the state.

In September of 2005, in order to prepare for a possible CWD occurrence, agency representatives of the Pennsylvania CWD task force finalized and signed the state’s response plan, which outlines ways to prevent CWD from entering the state’s borders and, if CWD is in Pennsylvania, how to detect if and work to limit its spread. The task force is comprised of representatives from the Game Commission, the state Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state Department of Health and the state Department of Environmental Protection. Also, representatives of important stakeholder groups – including hunters, deer and elk farmers, meat processors and taxidermists – helped shape the final draft of the plan. The plan is updated annually and can be viewed on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on “Wildlife,” then “Wildlife Diseases,” then “Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)” and then selecting “Pennsylvania CWD Response Plan.”

In December of 2005, recognizing the transmissible nature of the disease, the Game Commission issued an order banning the importation of specific carcass parts from states and Canadian provinces where CWD had been identified in free-ranging cervid populations. In May of 2009, Roe modified that order to include all states where CWD had been detected, whether in a captive or wild setting. This year, to reflect the spread of the disease to three previously unaffected states, the order was updated so now that hunters traveling to the following states must abide by the importation restrictions: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (only from CWD containment area), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia (only from CWD containment area), West Virginia (only from Hampshire County), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Specific carcass parts prohibited from being imported into Pennsylvania by hunters are: head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and lymph nodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord material is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord material is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft material is present; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord material; and brain-tanned hides.

The order does not limit the importation of the following animal parts originating from any cervid in the quarantined states, provinces or area: meat, without the backbone; skull plate with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord material is present; tanned hide or raw hide with no visible brain or spinal cord material present; cape, if no visible brain or spinal cord material is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft material is present; and taxidermy mounts.

To learn more about CWD, to go the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) put your cursor on “Wildlife” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, then put your cursor on “Wildlife Diseases” from the drop-down menu, and click on “Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).” This page also includes links to tips for taxidermists and meat processors, as well as the CWD Alliance’s website (www.cwd-info.org).

Information on CWD also is published on page 52 of the 2010-11 Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Digest, which is presented to each license buyer.

Chronic Wasting Disease In Deer

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Prohibiting chronic wasting disease from entering Georgia is an ongoing effort. Anyone interested in wildlife – hunters, wildlife watchers and processors, among others – are encouraged to help keep Georgia’s quality deer herd CWD-free.

CWD, a contagious neurological disease affecting deer, elk and moose, belongs to a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, the same group of diseases affecting some domestic animals, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy or “mad cow disease.”

Hunters can help reduce the risk of spreading CWD into Georgia by understanding current regulations that prohibit the importation of live cervids and restrict the importation of certain cervid carcass parts from known CWD-infected states.

“The potential introduction of CWD poses a serious threat to Georgia’s economically and culturally valuable white-tailed deer resource,” explains John W. Bowers, assistant chief of Game Management for the Wildlife Resources Division. “We encourage hunters to be knowledgeable of and to abide by current importation regulations and restrictions.”

According to current hunting regulations, importation of any live cervid is prohibited. In addition, importation of any whole cervid carcass or carcass parts from any state with a documented CWD case is prohibited with the following exceptions: boned-out meat, commercially processed meat, meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached, clean skull plates with antlers attached, clean antlers, finished taxidermy heads or clean upper canines (buglers, whistlers, ivories).

This fatal disease attacks the nervous system of cervids and to date has been detected in 18 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, including Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Virginia, Missouri and North Dakota discovered their first cases of CWD earlier this year.

Infected animals develop a characteristic spongy degeneration of the brain, which results in extreme weight loss, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions and eventually, death. Though scientific investigations are ongoing, current research suggests that the agent responsible for the disease may be spread both directly (animal to animal contact) and indirectly (soil or other surface to animal).

Currently, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk for humans.

Other Georgians can help by reporting any known illegal importation of deer species or carcasses to the department at 1-800-241-4113.

Residents also should avoid feeding deer as this unnaturally concentrates animals and increases the likelihood of disease and parasite transmission.

Since 1998, the division has been testing suspect and hunter-harvested deer for evidence of CWD. To date, more than 5,500 deer have been tested with no confirmed positives. The states nearest to Georgia with a confirmed case of CWD are Illinois, West Virginia and Virginia.

For more information about CWD in Georgia or for general information regarding deer hunting in Georgia, visit the division’s Web site at www.gohuntgeorgia.com and search under “Hunting” and “Game Management.” For more information about CWD in general, visit the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance’s Web site at www.cwd-info.org .

Any hunter who observes or harvests a deer in Georgia that exhibits CWD symptoms should immediately call a local Wildlife Resources Division office or call 1-800-241-4113.

Chronic Wasting Disease In Deer

West Virginia DNR

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, W.Va. –-(Ammoland.com)- With the cooperation of local landowners, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) tested 152 deer collected from within one to two miles of previously known locations of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) infected deer.

Testing detected the CWD agent in a total of 12 white-tailed deer sampled during the 2010 spring collections in Hampshire County, according to the DNR.

The detection of 15 CWD positive deer during the fall 2009 hunting season, combined with this spring’s testing results, has required the expansion of the CWD Containment Area to include all of Hampshire County.

Within the CWD Containment Area, supplemental feeding and baiting of deer is prohibited and there are transport restrictions for deer carcasses leaving the county.

The spring CWD monitoring of deer provides an incidence rate of infected CWD deer in the area of established infection and removes CWD positive deer from the landscape. In addition, wildlife biologists also use the information to monitor changes in age structure and reproduction in the deer herd within the established CWD infected area.

The first case of CWD in West Virginia was confirmed on September 2, 2005. Since that time, the DNR has been fully engaged in activities guided by its CWD Incident Response Plan, which is designed to accomplish the following objectives:

• Determine the distribution and prevalence of CWD through enhanced surveillance efforts.
• Communicate and coordinate with the public and other appropriate agencies on issues relating to CWD and the steps being taken to respond to this disease.
• Initiate appropriate management actions necessary to control the spread of this disease and prevent further introduction of the disease.

To date, CWD surveillance efforts conducted by the DNR have resulted in a total of 74 deer being confirmed positive for CWD in Hampshire County. Ongoing and extensive surveillance efforts being conducted by Wildlife Resources Section personnel throughout West Virginia has not detected CWD outside of Hampshire County.

CWD is a neurological disease found in deer and elk and belongs to a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The disease is currently accepted as being caused by abnormal, proteinaceous particles called prions that slowly attack the brain of infected deer and elk. Animals progressively become emaciated, display abnormal behavior and invariably die as a result of the disease. There is no known treatment for CWD and it is fatal for the infected deer or elk. It is important to note that currently, there is no evidence to suggest CWD poses a risk for humans or domestic animals.

“Landowner and hunter cooperation throughout this entire CWD response effort in Hampshire County continues to be excellent,” noted DNR Director Frank Jezioro.

“As we strive to meet this wildlife disease challenge and implement appropriate management strategies, the support and involvement of landowners and hunters remains essential. The DNR is committed to keeping the public informed and involved in these wildlife disease management actions.”

Chronic Wasting Disease In Deer

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- Nearly 600 brain and lymph node tissue samples taken from white-tailed deer in all three counties of Delaware in 2009 showed no evidence of chronic wasting disease (CWD), the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife announced today.

The samples were submitted to the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center for testing. Final test results just received showed all the 2009 samples to be negative for the disease for the seventh straight year. This latest sampling brings the total number of Delaware deer tested since 2003 to nearly 3,500, and none so far have been positive for CWD.

During the October muzzleloader and November shotgun deer seasons last fall, 592 tissue samples were collected at meat processors across the state from deer harvested by hunters. The Division’s goal is to test and sample 200 deer within each county. Last year, the Division achieved this goal in Kent and Sussex Counties but despite collecting samples from two deer processors, it came up a little short in New Castle County.

“A full 600 samples would have provided us a 99 percent probability of detecting the disease if it existed in one percent or more of the deer population. The only way to be certain that every deer in Delaware is free of CWD would be to test every deer, and that would not be practical. While this doesn’t provide 100 percent assurance of no disease, we are encouraged by these results,” said DNREC Game Mammal Biologist Joe Rogerson.

CWD is a neurological condition found in deer and elk in which an abnormal protein material called a prion invades and gradually destroys the animal’s brain. It is thought to be 100 percent fatal and believed to be transmitted from close contact with infected deer. The disease wasn’t known until the 1960s. In the 1970s, CWD was identified as a transmittable neurological disease. Extensive research has found no evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans.

Surveillance programs such as Delaware’s have been established in all eastern states and monitoring will continue in future years. So far, most eastern herds seem to be disease free. The closest state to Delaware in which CWD has been detected is West Virginia, while the most recent states to detect the disease are Missouri and Virginia, which found CWD in their state’s deer herd this past year. DNREC will continue monitoring in Delaware for the disease with plans for more tissue sampling this fall.

Several years ago, the Division passed two regulations in an attempt to ensure that Delaware remains CWD free. The first regulation bans the importation of high risk parts such as the brain, spine and lymph nodes from deer harvested in areas where CWD has been detected. A second regulation requires mandatory notification to the Division by a hunter if a deer harvested out of state by a Delaware resident tests positive for CWD.

Hunters should be aware that more news regarding CWD will likely be available as more information is learned about this disease. In the event a deer does test positive for CWD in Delaware, or a surrounding state (Maryland or Pennsylvania), the Division is in the process of finalizing a CWD Response Plan so that action can be taken immediately. Under the plan, additional regulations also may be created in an attempt to keep Delaware free of CWD.

More information can be found in the 2010-2011 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide (available soon), on the Division’s CWD Awareness Page at

http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Pages/CWD%20not%20in%20Delaware.aspx

or the CWD Alliance’s website, www.cwd-info.org/.

For more information about CWD in Delaware or any other deer related issue, please contact Wildlife Biologist Joe Rogerson at 302-735-3600.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

PRATT, KS --(AmmoLand.com)- On March 2, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) announced that 10 white-tailed deer from northwestern Kansas had tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD).

These were animals taken by hunters in the 2009 hunting seasons. The agency is still awaiting the result from another deer sample that was presumed to be positive after preliminary testing at the K-State Diagnostic Veterinary Lab in Manhattan.

That “presumptive positive” has been sent to the National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa, for confirmation.

The one presumptive positive deer was taken by a hunter in Decatur County, and another four deer from that county have been confirmed positive. The other confirmed positives include two from Rawlins County and one each from Sheridan, Graham, Logan, and Thomas counties. One deer each from Sheridan and Thomas counties were exhibiting clinical symptoms of CWD.

In total, 2,702 animals were tested for CWD, including 16 elk, 278 mule deer, and 2,408 white-tailed deer. Although the agency has completed testing of its target sample for this hunting season, biologists are still collecting heads from road-killed deer in northwest Kansas. In addition, the agency is collecting road-killed deer in Harper County, near an area where a captive elk herd had to be destroyed in 2001 because of CWD.

Annual testing is part of ongoing effort by KDWP to monitor the prevalence and spread of CWD. The fatal disease was first detected in a wild deer taken in Cheyenne County in 2005. Three infected deer were taken in Decatur County in 2007 and 10 tested positive in 2008, all in northwest Kansas.

CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jacob disease in people. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that results in small holes developing in the brain, giving it a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. An animal may carry the disease without outward indication but in the later stages, signs may include behavioral changes such as decreased interactions with other animals, listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of response to humans. Anyone who discovers a sick or suspect deer should contact the nearest KDWP office.

There is no vaccine or other biological method that prevents the spread of CWD. However, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or livestock. Still, precautions should be taken. Hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected, and common sense precautions are advised when field dressing and processing meat from animals taken in areas where CWD is found. More information on CWD can be found on KDWP’s website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website, www.cwd-info.org

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- Samples taken from the 43 hunter-killed elk during the state’s 2009 hunting season have all tested negative for chronic wasting disease (CWD), according to Dr. Walt Cottrell, the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s wildlife veterinarian. Samples also tested negative for brucellosis and tuberculosis.

Cottrell noted that the Game Commission still is awaiting the results of CWD testing for the hunter-killed deer samples collected during the 2009 rifle deer season.

“Currently, there are no confirmed or suspected cases of CWD-infected deer or elk in Pennsylvania,” Cottrell said. “Conducting these tests on hunter-killed deer and elk is one part of the Game Commission’s ongoing efforts to monitor wild deer and elk populations for the presence of CWD.

“We obviously need to keep a watchful eye on our wild and captive deer and elk. Working closely with the state Department of Agriculture and other agency representatives on the state’s CWD Task Force, we hope to protect our state’s wild cervids from this fatal disease.”

CWD tests on the elk samples were conducted by the New Bolton Center, which is the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary diagnostics laboratory. Under a contract with Penn State University, the elk samples also were tested for brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis and found to be free from these diseases. New Bolton Center also is conducting the CWD tests on the deer samples. Results are expected later this spring.

To learn more about CWD, visit the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on the “Wildlife” in menu bar in the banner, then choose “Wildlife Diseases” and click on “Chronic Wasting Disease.”

West Virginia DNR

Hampshire County, West Virginia – -(Ammoland.com)- Preliminary test results indicate the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) agent was present in 16 hunter-harvested deer collected in Hampshire County during the 2009 deer firearms hunting season.

“As part of our agency’s ongoing CWD monitoring effort, samples were collected from 1,091 hunter-harvested deer brought to game checking stations in Hampshire County and one station near the southern Hampshire County line in Hardy County,” noted Frank Jezioro, Director for the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR).

The 16 CWD positive deer included one 4.5 year-old doe, one 2.5 year-old doe, one 1.5 year-old buck, 10 2.5 year-old bucks, and three 3.5 year-old bucks. Thirteen of the latest positive deer were harvested within the Hampshire County CWD Containment Area (i.e., that portion of Hampshire County located North of U.S. Route 50). However, three were located outside the containment area but still within Hampshire County. The area in Hampshire County from which CWD has been detected continues to expand, and the number of infected deer detected this year is 2.5 times more than last year.

CWD has now been detected in a total of 62 deer in Hampshire County (i.e., two road-killed deer, one in 2005 and one in 2008; four deer collected by the WVDNR in 2005; five deer collected by the WVDNR in 2006; one hunter-harvest deer taken during the 2006 deer season; three deer collected by the WVDNR in 2007; six hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2007 deer season; 11 deer collected by the WVDNR in 2008; six hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2008 deer season; eight deer collected by the WVDNR in 2009; and 16 hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2009 deer season).

“The WVDNR will continue to update management actions designed to control the spread of this disease, prevent further introduction of the disease, and possibly eliminate the disease from the state as information from deer testing within West Virginia is gathered and scientists across the country provide more information on how to combat CWD in white-tailed deer,” Jezioro said.

So far, the following disease management actions have been placed into operation by the WVDNR within Hampshire County:

• Implemented CWD testing efforts designed to determine the prevalence and distribution of the disease;
• Established antlerless deer hunting regulations designed to increase hunter opportunity to harvest female deer, adjust deer populations to desired levels and reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer;
• Established deer carcass transport restrictions designed to lower the risk of moving the disease to other locations;
• Established regulations designed to prohibit the feeding and baiting of deer within the affected area and reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer.

“Despite our agency’s best efforts, we continue to struggle with CWD in Hampshire County,” said Jezioro. “I am particularly concerned that some individuals are not complying with regulations prohibiting the feeding and baiting of deer within the Hampshire County CWD Containment Area.”

The WVDNR intends to renew its outreach efforts with the public on the critical need for compliance with this regulation. In addition, appropriate enforcement actions will be taken if these problems are not resolved.

“As we strive to meet this wildlife disease challenge and implement appropriate management strategies, the continued support and involvement of landowners and hunters will be essential,” Jezioro said. “The WVDNR remains committed to keeping the public informed and involved in these wildlife disease management actions as we go forward.”

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

PRATT, KS —-(AmmoLand.com)- It’s likely that four more deer taken in northwest Kansas will be confirmed to have had chronic wasting disease (CWD).

So far, a total of 10 samples taken from deer killed by hunters this fall have shown presumptive positive results for CWD at the K-State Diagnostic Veterinary Lab in Manhattan.

Those presumptive positives have been sent to the National Veterinary Services Lab (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa for confirmation. Six samples that showed presumptive positive results in December were recently confirmed positive by the NVSL.

The four recent presumptive positive samples came from deer taken in Rawlins, Decatur, and Logan counties. If confirmed, this would be the first case of CWD in Logan County.

More than 1,000 samples still wait to be tested in an ongoing effort by KDWP to monitor the prevalence and spread of CWD. The fatal disease was first detected in a deer taken in Cheyenne County in 2005. Three infected deer were taken in Decatur County in 2007 and 10 tested positive in 2008, from Cheyenne, Decatur, Rawlins and Sheridan counties. This year, about 2,300 samples will be collected, with emphasis in northwest Kansas.

CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jacob disease in people. CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that results in small holes developing in the brain, giving it a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. An animal may carry the disease without outward indication but in the later stages, signs may include behavioral changes such as decreased interactions with other animals, listlessness, lowering of the head, weight loss, repetitive walking in set patterns, and a lack of response to humans.

There is no vaccine or other biological method that prevents the spread of CWD. There is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or livestock, but precautions are advised. Hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected and common sense precautions are advised when field dressing and processing meat from animals taken in areas where CWD is found.

More information on CWD can be found on KDWP’s website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us or at the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website, www.cwd-info.org

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG. PA –-(AmmoLand.com)- While there are no known cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the Commonwealth, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, joined by veterinarians and laboratory technicians from the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of Agriculture, will continue its efforts tomorrow to sample thousands of hunter-killed deer to test for CWD.

“Currently, there are no confirmed or suspected cases of CWD-infected deer or elk in Pennsylvania, and we are doing what we can to ensure that it stays that way,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “We are planning to collect samples from 4,000 hunter-killed deer to test for CWD in the upcoming firearms deer season. Last year, we tested samples from more than 4,200 deer. CWD was not detected in any of the samples.”

Game Commission deer aging teams will collect deer heads throughout the state beginning Tuesday, Dec. 1 – the second day of the state’s two-week rifle deer season. The heads will be taken to the six Game Commission Region Offices, where samples will be collected for testing.

The CWD tests on these deer samples will be conducted at the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary diagnostic laboratory at the New Bolton Center in Chester County. Results are expected in 2010.

The Game Commission collected liver, lung and blood samples from the 43 elk harvested. The Game Commission also collected brain tissue and lymph node samples from elk that were not to be mounted, and requested that taxidermists submit the caped heads from elk provided by hunters seeking to have their trophies mounted. Elk hunters were provided pre-paid mailers for taxidermists to submit the samples. All elk samples will be tested for CWD at the New Bolton Center as well.

Under a contract with Penn State University, samples also will be tested for bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis. With funding from the state’s Animal Health Diagnostic Commission, the Game Commission and Penn State also are examining liver samples for nutritional mineral and heavy metal content, as elk frequently graze on reclaimed strip mines.

Dr. Walter Cottrell, Game Commission wildlife veterinarian, said the agency will release the elk and deer test results as soon as they are available.

The Game Commission, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of Agriculture, has conducted tests on more than 300 elk and more than 22,000 deer killed by hunters in Pennsylvania over the past six years. Since 1998, more than 600 deer and elk that have died of unknown illness or were exhibiting abnormal behavior also have been tested. No evidence of CWD has been found in these samples. The Game Commission will continue to collect samples from deer and elk that appear sick or behave abnormally.

Even though CWD had not been detected in Pennsylvania, CWD testing of healthy appearing hunter-killed deer or elk is available through the New Bolton Center. Hunters who wish to have their deer tested may do so for a fee by making arrangements with the New Bolton Center Laboratory (610-444-5800).

First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease, which scientists believe is caused by an agent capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, and there is no vaccine to prevent an animal from contracting the disease. There is no cure for animals that become infected. There is no evidence of CWD being transmissible to humans or to other non-cervid livestock under normal conditions.

Deer harboring CWD may not show any symptoms in the disease’s early stages. The usual incubation period for CWD is between 12-24 months. Commonly observed signs of an infected animal include lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, weakness, and ultimately, death.

Hunters who see deer behaving oddly, that appear to be sick, or that are dying for unknown reasons are urged to contact the nearest Game Commission Region Office. Hunters should not kill or consume animals that appear to be sick.

“We count on hunters to be our eyes when they head out to hunt deer,” Roe said. “With the help of the nearly one million deer hunters who go afield, we can cover a lot of ground.

“Hunters should be mindful of wildlife health issues, even more so in recent years. At this point, we have no evidence that CWD is in Pennsylvania, or that it poses health problems for humans.”

Not only should hunters shoot only deer that appear to be healthy and behave normally, but the Game Commission also recommends that they use rubber gloves for field dressing. These are simple precautions that hunters can follow to ensure their hunt remains a safe and pleasurable experience.

CWD is present in free-ranging or captive wildlife populations in 15 states and two Canadian provinces. The Game Commission has been working with other state agencies to protect the Commonwealth’s wild and captive deer and elk by emphasizing measures designed to prevent its introduction into the state.

In September of 2005, in order to prepare for a possible CWD occurrence, Gov. Edward G. Rendell and agency representatives of the Pennsylvania CWD task force finalized and signed the state’s response plan, which outlines ways to prevent CWD from entering the state’s borders and, if CWD is in Pennsylvania, how to detect, contain and work to eradicate it. The task force was comprised of representatives from the Governor’s Office, the Game Commission, the state Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state Department of Health, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Also, representatives of important stakeholder groups – including hunters, deer and elk farmers, meat processors and taxidermists – helped shape the final draft of the plan. A copy of the final plan can be viewed on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on “Reports/Minutes” and then selecting “Pennsylvania CWD Response Plan.”

In December of 2005, recognizing the transmissible nature of the disease, the Game Commission issued an order banning the importation of specific carcass parts from states and Canadian provinces where CWD had been identified in free-ranging cervid populations. In May of 2009, Roe modified that order to include all states where CWD had been detected, whether in a captive or wild setting. Now hunters traveling to the following states must abide by the importation restrictions: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (CWD containment area only), Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia (Hampshire County only), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Specific carcass parts prohibited from being imported into Pennsylvania by hunters are: head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and lymph nodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord material is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord material is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft material is present; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord material; and brain-tanned hides.

The order does not limit the importation of the following animal parts originating from any cervid in the quarantined states, provinces or area: meat, without the backbone; skull plate with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord material is present; tanned hide or raw hide with no visible brain or spinal cord material present; cape, if no visible brain or spinal cord material is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft material is present; and taxidermy mounts.

To learn more about CWD, visit the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and click on the “CWD Update” section in the “Quick Clicks” box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga --(AmmoLand.com)- Prohibiting chronic wasting disease from entering Georgia is an ongoing effort. Anyone interested in wildlife – hunters, wildlife watchers and processors, among others – are encouraged to help keep Georgia’s quality deer herd CWD-free.

CWD, a contagious neurological disease affecting deer, elk and moose, belongs to a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, the same group of diseases affecting some domestic animals, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy or “mad cow disease.”

Hunters can help reduce the risk of spreading CWD into Georgia by understanding current regulations that prohibit the importation of live cervids and restrict the importation of certain cervid carcass parts from known CWD-infected states.

“The potential introduction of CWD poses a serious threat to Georgia’s economically and culturally valuable white-tailed deer resource,” explains John Bowers, assistant chief of Game Management for the Wildlife Resources Division. “We encourage hunters to be knowledgeable of and to abide by current importation regulations and restrictions.”

According to current hunting regulations, importation of any live cervid is prohibited. In addition, importation of any whole cervid carcass or carcass parts from any state with a documented CWD case is prohibited with the following exceptions: boned-out meat, commercially processed meat, meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached, clean skull plates with antlers attached, clean antlers, finished taxidermy heads or clean upper canines (buglers, whistlers, ivories).

This fatal disease attacks the nervous system of cervids and to date has been detected in 15 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, including Michigan, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Infected animals develop a characteristic spongy degeneration of the brain, which results in extreme weight loss, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions and eventually, death. Though scientific investigations are ongoing, current research suggests that the agent responsible for the disease may be spread both directly (animal to animal contact) and indirectly (soil or other surface to animal).

Currently, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk for humans.

Other Georgians can help by reporting any known illegal importation of deer species or carcasses to the department at 1-800-241-4113.

Residents also should avoid feeding deer as this unnaturally concentrates animals and increases the likelihood of disease and parasite transmission.

Since 1998, the division has been testing suspect and hunter-harvested deer for evidence of CWD. To date, more than 3,000 deer have been tested with no confirmed positives. The states nearest to Georgia with a confirmed case of CWD are Illinois and West Virginia.

For more information about CWD in Georgia or for general information regarding deer hunting in Georgia, visit the division’s Web site at www.gohuntgeorgia.com and search under “Hunting” and “Game Management.” For more information about CWD in general, visit the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance’s Web site at www.cwd-info.org .

Any hunter who observes or harvests a deer in Georgia that exhibits CWD symptoms should immediately call a local Wildlife Resources Division office or call 1-800-241-4113.

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

RAPID CITY, S.D.—-(AmmoLand.com)-As South Dakota hunters get ready for deer and elk hunting seasons, the state Game, Fish and Parks Department is preparing for another round of chronic wasting disease testing.

CWD surveillance is done in counties where the disease has been verified in elk and deer. Those areas include the Black Hills, and Fall River, Custer and Pennington counties.

“We are monitoring prevalence of the disease in these areas to see if CWD is becoming more common,” says Steve Griffin, GFP big-game biologist. “There are no known human health risks involved with this disease, so we focus on determining the consequences for wildlife populations.”

Hunters receiving licenses for CWD surveillance areas will be advised by mail by GFP with details about participation, drop-off points and testing procedures. Hunters who submit deer or elk heads will be notified about test results.

“Hunter participation is the key to success of such a large-scale surveillance project,” Griffin says “Their efforts show that hunters are concerned about protecting the natural resources in South Dakota.”

During last year’s surveillance, 21 deer and 14 elk were found with the disease. Since 1997, 75 deer and 37 elk have tested positive for CWD in South Dakota. During that time, more than 19,600 animals were tested.

CWD is a fatal brain disease found in both captive and free-ranging elk and deer. In the disease’s late stages, infected animals become emaciated, behave abnormally, lose control of muscles and other bodily functions, and die.

Those who spot elk or deer showing symptoms of CWD should report them.

“If you see an animal displaying signs of CWD, please contact the Game, Fish and Parks Department,” Griffin says. “It doesn’t matter what time of year it is or where in the state the animal is located. If it’s displaying signs of CWD, we’ll try to get it tested.”

For more information about the CWD surveillance program, contact the GFP Regional Office in Rapid City at 605-394-2391 or visit the department’s Web site at http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/hunting/BigGame/CWD.htm

South Dakota’s efforts are part of the National CWD Surveillance Program, with testing for the disease at the South Dakota State University diagnostic laboratory in Brookings. Hunters who want deer tested from outside the surveillance areas should directly contact the diagnostic lab

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, Pa –-(AmmoLand.com)- With thousands of Pennsylvania hunters heading off to hunt big game in other states and Canadian provinces, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminds hunters that, in an effort to prevent the introduction of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) into the Commonwealth, the agency prohibits hunters from importing specific carcass parts from members of the deer family – including mule deer, elk and moose – from 14 states and two Canadian provinces.

Roe noted that this importation ban is a revised executive order signed into effect in May, and affects hunters heading to: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (only from CWD containment area), Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia (only from Hampshire County), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Roe emphasized that the new executive order prohibits hunters from bringing back the tissue described below from any cervid from these states or provinces, whether the animal was taken from the wild or from a captive, high-fence operation.

The specific carcass parts, where the CWD prions (the causative agent) concentrates in cervids, that cannot be brought back to Pennsylvania by hunters are:

• the head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and lymph nodes)
• spinal cord/backbone
• spleen
• skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present
• cape, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present
• upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft tissue is present
• any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord tissue
• unfinished taxidermy mounts; and brain-tanned hides.

Roe noted that the prohibition does not limit the importation of: meat, without the backbone; cleaned skull plate with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; tanned hide or raw hide with no visible brain or spinal cord tissue present; cape, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft tissue is present; and finished taxidermy mounts.

Pennsylvania hunters heading to a state with a history of CWD should become familiar with that state’s wildlife regulations and guidelines for the transportation of harvested game animals. Wildlife officials have suggested hunters in areas where CWD is known to exist follow these recommendations to prevent the possible spread of the disease:

• - Do not shoot, handle or consume any animal that appears sick; contact the state wildlife agency if you see or harvest an animal that appears sick.
• - Wear rubber or latex gloves when field-dressing carcasses.
• - Bone out the meat from your animal.
• - Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues.
• - Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field-dressing is completed.
• - Request that your animal is processed individually, without meat from other animals being added to meat from your animal, or process your own meat if you have the tools and ability to do so.
• - Have your animal processed in the endemic area of the state where it was harvested, so that high-risk body parts can be properly disposed of there. Only bring permitted materials back to Pennsylvania.
• - Don’t consume the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils or lymph nodes of harvested animals. (Normal field-dressing, coupled with boning out a carcass, will remove most, if not all, of these body parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will help remove remaining lymph nodes.)
• - Consider not consuming the meat from any animal that tests positive for the disease.

Roe said hunters who harvest a deer, elk or moose in a state or province where CWD is known to exist should follow that state’s wildlife agency’s instructions on how and where to submit the appropriate samples to have their animal tested. If, after returning to Pennsylvania, a hunter is notified that his or her game tested positive for CWD, the hunter is encouraged to contact the Game Commission for disposal recommendations and assistance.

The Game Commission, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of Agriculture, has conducted tests on more than 18,000 deer and elk that have either died of unknown illnesses, were exhibiting abnormal behavior, or were killed by hunters. No evidence of CWD has been found in any of these samples.

The Game Commission will continue to monitor this disease and collect samples from deer and elk that appear sick or behave abnormally. The agency plans to test all hunter-killed elk and approximately 4,000 hunter-harvested wild deer for CWD again this year.

First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease of the nervous system. Scientists theorize CWD is caused by an unknown agent capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form.

There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death. There is currently no scientific evidence that CWD has or can spread to humans, either through contact with infected animals or by eating meat of infected animals. The Center for Disease Control has investigated any connection between CWD and the human forms of TSEs and stated

“the risk of infection with the CWD agent among hunters is extremely small, if it exists at all” and “it is extremely unlikely that CWD would be a food-borne hazard.”

“Hunters spend a lot of time in the woods, and are a valuable source of information to wildlife agencies across the United States,” Roe said. “If a hunter sees a deer or elk behaving abnormally, or dying from unknown causes, contact the state wildlife agency and provide as much specific information as possible about where the animal was seen.”

In 2005, Pennsylvania CWD task force members completed the state’s response plan, which outlines ways to prevent CWD from entering our borders and, in the event CWD is found in Pennsylvania, how to detect it, contain it and work to eradicate it. The task force was comprised of representatives from the Governor’s Office, the Game Commission, the state Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state Department of Health, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, as well as representatives from stakeholder groups including hunters, deer farmers, deer processors and taxidermists. Initiated in 2003, a copy of the final plan can be viewed on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on “CWD Update” in the “Quick Clicks” box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.

“We know that Pennsylvania hunters are just as concerned about keeping CWD out of Pennsylvania as we are, and we are confident that they will do all they can to protect the Commonwealth’s whitetail and elk populations,” Roe said.

Other information, including tips for taxidermists and meat processors, can be found on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) in the CWD Update.

Websites for all 50 state wildlife agencies can be accessed via the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Click on the “Related Links” section at the bottom of the homepage, then select “Wildlife Agencies,” and then choose the state of interest from the map.

Additional information on CWD can be found on the CWD Alliance’s website (www.cwd-info.org).

West Virginia DNR

Hampshire County, West Virginia – -(AmmoLand.com)-Test results have detected the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) agent in a total of seven white-tailed deer sampled during the 2009 spring collections in Hampshire County, according to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR).

These most recent deer testing positive for CWD were collected by Wildlife Resources Section personnel working in cooperation with local landowners, and they were all located within the Hampshire County CWD Containment Area (i.e., that portion of Hampshire County located North of U.S. Route 50). The CWD agent previously has been detected outside the containment area in the adjacent portion of Hampshire County, and the area of known infected deer does continue to slowly expand.

These collections have been designed to investigate and determine the prevalence and distribution of the disease in Hampshire County. In addition, wildlife biologists are carefully monitoring changes in the structure of the deer herd within the CWD containment area.

The first case of CWD in West Virginia was confirmed on September 2, 2005. Since then, DNR has been fully engaged in activities guided by its CWD Incident Response Plan, which is designed to accomplish the following objectives.

Determine the distribution and prevalence of CWD through enhanced surveillance efforts.

Communicate and coordinate with the public and other appropriate agencies on issues relating to CWD and the steps being taken to respond to this disease.

Initiate appropriate management actions necessary to control the spread of this disease and prevent further introduction of the disease.

To date, CWD surveillance efforts conducted by the DNR have resulted in a total of 45 deer being confirmed positive for CWD in Hampshire County. Ongoing and extensive surveillance efforts being conducted by Wildlife Resources Section personnel throughout West Virginia have not detected CWD outside of Hampshire County.

CWD is a neurological disease found in deer and elk, and it belongs to a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The disease is thought to be caused by abnormal, proteinaceous particles called prions that slowly attack the brain of infected deer and elk, causing the animals to progressively become emaciated, display abnormal behavior and invariably results in the death of the infected animal. There is no known treatment for CWD, and it is fatal for the infected deer or elk. It is important to note that currently there is no evidence to suggest CWD poses a risk for humans or domestic animals.

“Landowner and hunter cooperation throughout this entire CWD surveillance effort in Hampshire County continues to be excellent,” noted DNR Director Frank Jezioro. “As we strive to meet this wildlife disease challenge and implement appropriate management strategies, the support and involvement of landowners and hunters remains essential. DNR is committed to keeping the public informed and involved in these wildlife disease management actions.

“Our well trained and professional wildlife biologists, wildlife managers and conservation officers are working diligently to effectively address this wildlife disease threat, and we are collaborating with nationally recognized wildlife disease experts at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study in Athens, Georgia,” said Jezioro.

West Virginia DNR

West Virginia - -(AmmoLand.com)- The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ (WVDNR’s) Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Response Team has received a prestigious Certificate of Recognition Award from the Northeast Section of The Wildlife Society. The award was presented during the 65th Annual Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference, which was held April 26-28, 2009, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The CWD Response Team comprises the following WVDNR employees: District Wildlife Biologist Richard E. Rogers, Deer Project Leader and Wildlife Disease Specialist Dr. James M. Crum, Assistant District Wildlife Biologist Allan J. Niederberger and Wildlife Manager Travis A. Metcalf. In accepting the award, Rogers noted the outstanding assistance that other wildlife managers and wildlife biologists from across the state have made in WVDNR’s efforts to manage CWD. He was especially appreciative of the contributions made by Wildlife Resources Section and Law Enforcement Section personnel stationed in District 2 in the Eastern Panhandle.

The discovery of CWD in Hampshire County represents a significant threat to the state’s white-tailed deer. While the disease does not cause an immediate widespread die-off of deer, if allowed to spread the CWD could cause long-term damage to the herd. Those who have tried to predict the outcome of the disease on a deer population have described the disease as a 30 to 50 year epizootic. Due to the uncertain ramifications that CWD may have on the state’s white-tailed deer resource, WVDNR implemented appropriate actions as described in its CWD – Incident Response Plan.

Rich Rogers, Jim Crum, Al Niederberger and Travis Metcalf have been the primary wildlife professionals responsible for implementing this plan. While there are many scientific uncertainties regarding the basic biology and ecology of CWD that may hinder development of efficient strategies for combating this disease in free-ranging deer, the actions outlined in this plan are designed to accomplish the following goals:

Determine the prevalence and the distribution of CWD through enhanced surveillance efforts.

Communicate and coordinate with the public and other appropriate agencies on issues relating to CWD and the steps being taken to respond to this disease.

Initiate appropriate management actions necessary to control the spread of this disease, prevent further introductions of the disease, and possibly eliminate the disease from the state.

“Without question, the outstanding, professional efforts of the CWD Response Team have contributed significantly to the success of our agency’s surveillance and management programs,” noted Paul Johansen, Assistant Chief in Charge of Game Management for WVDNR. “Their dedication, commitment and just plain hard work have allowed our agency to effectively address this serious wildlife disease threat.”

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ - The Arizona Game and Fish Department reports lab tests found no detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in any of the 2,343 testable samples from hunter-harvested or road-killed deer and elk during Arizona’s 2008-09 hunting season.

The department has tested approximately 12,500 deer and elk samples since beginning its surveillance program in 1998. None have tested positive for the disease. Although CWD has not yet been found in Arizona, it is present in three neighboring states: Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.

“We nearly doubled our surveillance and collection of samples in areas of concern where neighboring states have detected CWD, which makes announcing another season with no detection in Arizona very encouraging,” said Clint Luedtke, interim wildlife health specialist for the department. “However, we are going to continue to focus heavily in areas that border Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico during the 2009-10 season.”

Another improvement to the surveillance effort this year includes a professional cooperation with the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife. The samples they collected were also included for testing. All of those samples came back negative.

As in past hunting seasons, Game and Fish will be asking for hunters’ assistance this season in submitting deer or elk heads for free CWD testing. Heads can be brought to any Game and Fish Department office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Luedtke added, “Arizona’s hunters, meat processors and taxidermists continue to play a crucial role in our surveillance program, and we cannot thank them enough in assisting this effort.”

Hunters who are successful in Game Management Units 12B and 27 are especially encouraged to submit heads for sampling because these units border states that have positively detected CWD. Deer and elk from these areas of the state have the greatest potential for initial detection of CWD. Additionally, because the Kaibab check station is only mandatory for Units 12AE and 12AW, it is typically more difficult to obtain samples from Unit 12B.

CWD is a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to cervids, which include deer, elk and moose. Clinical symptoms include loss of body weight or emaciation, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, stumbling, trembling, and behavioral changes such as listlessness, lowering of the head, and repetitive walking in set patterns.

No evidence has been found to indicate that CWD affects humans, according to both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

CWD was first identified in captive deer in Colorado in 1967 and has since spread to both captive and wild cervids in 15 states and two Canadian provinces. It is a naturally occurring prion disease belonging to a group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other TSEs are bovine spongiform encephalopathy (also called “mad cow disease”) in domestic cattle, and scrapie in domestic sheep and goats.

The department has had rules in place since 2002 banning the importation of cervids designated as restricted live wildlife under commission rule R12-4-406(A)(9)(b), to protect against the introduction of CWD to free-ranging or captive wildlife.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department will continue to work in close coordination with other state and federal agencies to monitor for CWD.

For more information on CWD, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/cwd; the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance Web site at www.cwd-info.org; or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at www.cdc.gov (use the search feature for chronic wasting disease).

The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.

Kansas - -(AmmoLand.com)- KDWP awaiting lab results on more samples from 2008 deer season.

Five more Kansas white-tailed deer have been confirmed positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), bringing to eight the total number of CWD incidents from the 2008 Kansas deer seasons.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is still awaiting final lab results on about 100 more tissue samples from hunter-killed deer during the past deer season, according to Shane Hesting, KDWP wildlife disease coordinator. More than 1,300 deer tissue samples were collected from hunters around the state during the past deer season, as KDWP continued annual sampling begun in 1996 to help track the occurrence of CWD in the state’s wild deer. More than 10,000 tissue samples have undergone lab analysis since annual sampling began.

All eight deer confirmed as CWD-positive were taken by hunters in northwest Kansas. Of the five additional CWD-positive deer confirmed by KDWP this week, two came from Sheridan County, two from Rawlins County, and one from Cheyenne County.
The five newly-reported incidents are in addition to three Decatur County CWD-positive deer documented in early January by KDWP.

CWD has been detected previously in Kansas. During the 2007 season, three Decatur County whitetails were confirmed as CWD-positive. The first occurrence in a wild Kansas deer was a white-tailed doe killed by a Kansas hunter in 2005 in Cheyenne County.

Although research is underway, there is currently no vaccine or other biological method of preventing CWD. The only tool is to prevent the spread of CWD to new areas, because once the infective particle (an abnormal prion) is deposited into the environment — either through an infected carcass or from a live animal — it may exist for a decade or more, capable of infecting a healthy deer.

Despite the recent occurrences, the likelihood of finding CWD in a wild deer harvested in Kansas is small. That small likelihood decreases even more the farther from northwestern Kansas the deer lived. In recent years, numerous cases of CWD have been documented in neighboring areas of Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming.

While CWD is fatal to infected deer and elk, humans have never been known to contract the disease. CWD is a member of the group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other diseases in this group include scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) in cattle, and Cruetzfeldt-Jacob disease in people. None of the 8 CWD-positive deer from the 2008 seasons exhibited any outward sign of CWD symptoms.

CWD is a progressive, fatal disease that results in small holes developing in the brain, giving it a sponge-like appearance under the microscope. Decreased brain function causes the animal to display neurological symptoms such as depression, droopy head, staggering, loss of appetite, and a lack of response to man. The continuing deterioration of the brain leads to other symptoms such as weight loss, drooling, and excessive thirst. Caution is advised because of unknown factors associated with prion diseases, but no human health risks have been discovered where CWD occurs.

The symptoms of CWD include loss of body weight, stumbling, holding the head at an odd angle, circling, non-responsiveness to people, and pneumonia. Any sick deer or elk should be reported it to the nearest KDWP office or the Emporia Research Office, 620-342-0658.

Hunters can help protect the health of the Kansas deer herd by taking the following steps to avoid accidentally introducing CWD to a new area in Kansas:

* do not transport deer carcasses far from the area where the deer lived, especially from areas where CWD has been detected, such as northwestern Kansas; and

* if a carcass is transported, the hunter should make sure that carcass waste is not dumped into the environment where local deer or elk can come into contact with it. Carcass waste can be disposed of by double-bagging it and taking it to a landfill.

The Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance maintains an online clearinghouse of information about the disease. More information is also available on the KDWP website. Contact Bob Mathews at KDWP’s Pratt office (620/672-5911) for more information.