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| English: Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease April, 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Open house will be at New Cambria High School June 2 between 1-4 p.m.
JEFFERSON CITY Mo. –
The Missouri
Department of Conservation (MDC) will hold an informational open house
on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Macon County on June 2
at New Cambria High School, 501 S. Main St. The public is invited to stop by 1-4 p.m.
MDC
staff will provide information on five recently found cases of CWD in
free-ranging deer in northwest Macon County, explain disease management
actions the Department
is taking, answer questions and provide information on managing private land for deer.
MDC’s disease-management steps to help contain the spread of CWD include two regulation changes to the
Wildlife Code of Missouri, recommendations on transportation and
disposal of deer carcasses and continuing CWD sampling of deer harvested
in the area where CWD has been found.
Restriction on Feeding
The Conservation
Commission approved a regulation change at its May 25 meeting that
places a restriction on activities that are likely to unnaturally
concentrate white-tailed deer and promote the spread of
CWD. The ban on the placement of grain, salt products, minerals and
other consumable natural or manufactured products is limited to the area
where CWD has been found in Macon County and is
comprised of Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties.
The regulation
includes exceptions for backyard feeding of birds and other wildlife
within 100 feet of any residence or occupied building, or if feed is
placed in such a manner to reasonably exclude access
by deer. The regulation also includes exceptions for normal
agricultural, forest management, crop and wildlife food production
practices.
According to MDC
Deer Biologist Jason Sumners, the reason for the regulation change is
that activities such as feeding and placement of minerals/salts that
artificially concentrate deer greatly increase the
likelihood of disease transmission from animal to animal or from soil
to animal.
Removal of Antler-Point Restriction
The Conservation
Commission also approved a regulation change at its May 25 meeting for a
special harvest provision that rescinds the antler-point restriction
(four-point rule) in
Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties.
According to
Sumners, the reason for the regulation change is that management
strategies such as antler-point restrictions, which protect yearling
males and promote older bucks, have been found to increase
prevalence rates and further spread the disease.
Sumners explained
that yearling and adult male deer have been found to exhibit CWD at much
higher rates than yearling and adult females so a reduction in the
number of male deer can help reduce the spread
of CWD. He added that the movement of young male deer from their birth
range in search of territory and mates is also a way of expanding the
distribution of CWD.
Don’t Remove Carcasses from Area
MDC also encourages hunters who harvest deer in
Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph, and Sullivan counties
not to take whole deer carcasses or carcass parts out of the area where CWD has been found.
Exceptions to this include meat that is cut and wrapped, meat that has been boned out, quarters
or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached, hides or capes from which all excess tissue
has been removed,
antlers, antlers attached to skull plates or skulls
cleaned of all muscle and brain tissue, upper canine teeth and finished taxidermy products.
According
to Sumners, the reason for this regulation change is that CWD can be
transmitted from the environment to deer through soil and water that
contain infected waste and/or
infected carcasses. Deer can be infected with CWD but have no visible
signs or symptoms. Moving harvested deer that still have parts known to
concentrate CWD (brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, and lymph nodes)
from the area known to have CWD
can introduce the disease to other parts of the state through the
improper disposal of carcasses.
He explained that
hunters should make every attempt to avoid moving the head and spinal
cord from the area and properly dispose of potentially infected deer
carcasses, including bones and trimmings, to minimize
the risk of exposure to uninfected deer. MDC advises hunters
to double-bag carcass parts and take them directly to a landfill, or place them in trash cans for pick-up.
Burying carcass waste deep enough
to prevent scavengers from digging it up is another acceptable option.
As a last resort, and only on their own land, hunters can put carcass
waste back on the landscape. Carcasses should
be put as close as possible to where the deer was harvested so as to
not spread CWD-causing prions to new locations. If possible, put the
carcass in a location where it will be inaccessible to scavengers and
other deer.
Fall Harvest CWD Sampling
Sumners added that MDC will also continue to work with hunters who harvest deer this fall in
Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties
to collect samples for CWD
testing. Details on these efforts are being developed and will be shared
before the 2012 fall deer hunting season.
