MADISON - "Extremely challenging" is the way the Department of Natural Resources describes attempts to control Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin's free-ranging white-tailed deer herd.
The draft of "Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin: The Next 10 Years." outlines the agency's attempt to minimize the area of Wisconsin where CWD occurs and the number of infected deer in the state. The agency concedes, however, some growth may occur in the size of the affected area and the intensity of the disease.
The plan also recognizes "a lack of political and social support necessary for the extent and duration of deer population reduction that likely would be needed to eliminate CWD. Financial limitations, societal unwillingness, and the magnitude of deer herd reductions required all combine to make the goal of eliminating CWD from Wisconsin unlikely."
The plan includes a number of specific management and monitoring actions:
• Continue the 2008 hunting season structure for the CWD-Management Zone through 2012
• Issue landowner hunting permits valid from the end of the hunting season through March 31.
• Resume sharpshooting on public and private lands.
• Continue testing for CWD.
• Continue providing options for donating deer within the CWD-MZ.
• Pursue a statewide ban on baiting and feeding.
• Conduct surveillance every five years throughout the state.
• Reduce the number of animals escaping from captive cervid farms while increasing compliance with monitoring, testing, record keeping and cervid movements.
• Depopulate cervid farms with CWD positive animals.
• Use survey data to enhance public support for CWD management.
• Maintain a registry (DHS) of persons known to have consumed venison from CWD positive deer.
• Continue research to better assess the risk posed to humans and livestock.
• Monitor trends in CWD prevalence and disease patterns.
So, what has changed?
In a nutshell, not much! Parts of the plan are laudable and warrant consideration. For example, continued support for deer donation programs is essential if those hunters who do not wish to consume the venison are to remain engaged in hunting.
Other positive steps are the continuation of testing for hunters who want to know if their deer are infected. In addition, continued research into the causes and risks involved with CWD merits support.
Other aspects of the plan might either perpetuate the disconnect between the DNR and the hunting community or are perhaps irrelevant. For example, sharpshooting has not gained public support in the past and will likely meet with similar opposition.
Issuing landowner permits through March 31 did not contribute substantially to an increased harvest. Moreover, since the discovery of CWD, farmer/landowners have had year-round access to Ag tags through the damage abatement program and could take advantage of that option at any time.
The attempt to ban baiting and feeding continues down the wrong trail. Baiting and feeding are two separate issues. Feeding attracts large numbers of deer over lengthy periods (sometimes all winter). Baiting is limited to small amounts of feed over a relatively short duration, i.e. a hunter baits, shoots one or more deer and quits for the year.
If the agency resumes sharpshooting activities, then allow hunters to use the same tactic to harvest deer. The hunting public and its government partners could succeed together in bringing down deer populations in the endemic areas.
While government sharpshooters alone might have some success, hunters in proximity to their efforts will be less motivated to hunt as the chances of harvesting a deer decline.
If feeding is a problem (many sportsmen and government officials would agree), then the widespread feeding of fenced-in cervids on game farms should be banned. The most recent discovery of CWD on a deer farm in Portage County revealed more than 150 deer behind fences on 120 acres of land - a feeding operation ripe for the spread of disease.
The plan requires a stronger approach to control deer farm operations. The DNR and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection divide responsibility for monitoring these farms, an unwieldy situation at best.
It took four years to obtain court permission to depopulate Buckhorn Flats in Portage County despite knowing early on that CWD was prevalent in the herd. In the end, 60 does and yearlings tested positive for the disease.
Unfortunately, the remaining bucks disappeared from the farm the night before government shooters planned to complete the depopulation effort. Buckhorn Flats owner Stan Hall speculated the deer escaped through a hole in the fence, but an investigation failed to find the animals.
Not surprising, since the intentional release of the animals into the wild seems unlikely based on the indemnification agreement reached between Hall and the government. However, the fact that the more mature bucks were worth more than the government payout should have prompted a broader and more intensive investigation.
The limited number of DATCP staff available to carry out such an investigation prevented such an effort and will continue to be a limiting factor in attempts to monitor game farms.
The public has until Dec. 13 to comment on the draft. Go to www.dnr.state.wi.us and click on "Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin" to review the draft and submit comments. Otherwise, contact the Customer Service Call Center at 1-888-936-7463 and ask for a contact.
- Lee Fahrney is the Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
The draft of "Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin: The Next 10 Years." outlines the agency's attempt to minimize the area of Wisconsin where CWD occurs and the number of infected deer in the state. The agency concedes, however, some growth may occur in the size of the affected area and the intensity of the disease.
The plan also recognizes "a lack of political and social support necessary for the extent and duration of deer population reduction that likely would be needed to eliminate CWD. Financial limitations, societal unwillingness, and the magnitude of deer herd reductions required all combine to make the goal of eliminating CWD from Wisconsin unlikely."
The plan includes a number of specific management and monitoring actions:
• Continue the 2008 hunting season structure for the CWD-Management Zone through 2012
• Issue landowner hunting permits valid from the end of the hunting season through March 31.
• Resume sharpshooting on public and private lands.
• Continue testing for CWD.
• Continue providing options for donating deer within the CWD-MZ.
• Pursue a statewide ban on baiting and feeding.
• Conduct surveillance every five years throughout the state.
• Reduce the number of animals escaping from captive cervid farms while increasing compliance with monitoring, testing, record keeping and cervid movements.
• Depopulate cervid farms with CWD positive animals.
• Use survey data to enhance public support for CWD management.
• Maintain a registry (DHS) of persons known to have consumed venison from CWD positive deer.
• Continue research to better assess the risk posed to humans and livestock.
• Monitor trends in CWD prevalence and disease patterns.
So, what has changed?
In a nutshell, not much! Parts of the plan are laudable and warrant consideration. For example, continued support for deer donation programs is essential if those hunters who do not wish to consume the venison are to remain engaged in hunting.
Other positive steps are the continuation of testing for hunters who want to know if their deer are infected. In addition, continued research into the causes and risks involved with CWD merits support.
Other aspects of the plan might either perpetuate the disconnect between the DNR and the hunting community or are perhaps irrelevant. For example, sharpshooting has not gained public support in the past and will likely meet with similar opposition.
Issuing landowner permits through March 31 did not contribute substantially to an increased harvest. Moreover, since the discovery of CWD, farmer/landowners have had year-round access to Ag tags through the damage abatement program and could take advantage of that option at any time.
The attempt to ban baiting and feeding continues down the wrong trail. Baiting and feeding are two separate issues. Feeding attracts large numbers of deer over lengthy periods (sometimes all winter). Baiting is limited to small amounts of feed over a relatively short duration, i.e. a hunter baits, shoots one or more deer and quits for the year.
If the agency resumes sharpshooting activities, then allow hunters to use the same tactic to harvest deer. The hunting public and its government partners could succeed together in bringing down deer populations in the endemic areas.
While government sharpshooters alone might have some success, hunters in proximity to their efforts will be less motivated to hunt as the chances of harvesting a deer decline.
If feeding is a problem (many sportsmen and government officials would agree), then the widespread feeding of fenced-in cervids on game farms should be banned. The most recent discovery of CWD on a deer farm in Portage County revealed more than 150 deer behind fences on 120 acres of land - a feeding operation ripe for the spread of disease.
The plan requires a stronger approach to control deer farm operations. The DNR and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection divide responsibility for monitoring these farms, an unwieldy situation at best.
It took four years to obtain court permission to depopulate Buckhorn Flats in Portage County despite knowing early on that CWD was prevalent in the herd. In the end, 60 does and yearlings tested positive for the disease.
Unfortunately, the remaining bucks disappeared from the farm the night before government shooters planned to complete the depopulation effort. Buckhorn Flats owner Stan Hall speculated the deer escaped through a hole in the fence, but an investigation failed to find the animals.
Not surprising, since the intentional release of the animals into the wild seems unlikely based on the indemnification agreement reached between Hall and the government. However, the fact that the more mature bucks were worth more than the government payout should have prompted a broader and more intensive investigation.
The limited number of DATCP staff available to carry out such an investigation prevented such an effort and will continue to be a limiting factor in attempts to monitor game farms.
The public has until Dec. 13 to comment on the draft. Go to www.dnr.state.wi.us and click on "Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin" to review the draft and submit comments. Otherwise, contact the Customer Service Call Center at 1-888-936-7463 and ask for a contact.
- Lee Fahrney is the Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
