CWD conversations that are worth the time to watch

[356]

A couple of recent threads have demonstrated that CWD is a topic of interest and passion...and one that is respectfully discussed on this forum. Here are two recent resources that are well worth the time investment for those wanting to know how to respond to CWD (if it is in your area) or prepare for the disease to rears its ugly head in your neighborhood.

Deer University: Lessons from Arkansas Chronic Wasting Disease Deer Study
Driftwood Outdoors: The Fight for our Deer Herd

We as landowners are the key conservationists for deer and other wildlife. Therefore, it is good to be informed. I have small properties in three CWD zones, and one in a non-CWD zone. CWD has changed my management goals, and I am still enjoying good hunting. Please add other good research based resources.

 

[Bill]

I deleted my first response. Now own it. Report back to Lindsey we don’t believe it.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

 

[ksJoe]

I don't have the necessary knowledge to determine on my own with certainty the merits of various theories about CWD.

But as an engineer, I know the path to determining facts. It is simple: embrace potentially meaningful sources of information, scrutinize them based on their credibility and do not hide from or dismiss credible information because its undesirable.

In the opening of the DriftwoodOutdoors video they explained how they deliberately invited people with varying views. They encouraged people to be respectful and gave a clear impression that they are seeking to vigoursly seek clarity and truth rather than silence contrary views.

I also thought the Q&A was very well run. They had some presubmitted questions organized, which ensures they get the opportunity to address some important things (rather than risking the live questions go off the rails and becoming useless). But they still accepted a mix of questions live, demonstrating their oppenness and that they're not hiding from anything.

Some people take the opposite approach: when presented with evidence, simply dismiss it and refuse to consider evidence. People like this do not exist in my fact-based career industry because they are so often wrong.

I don't have all the answers, but the professionals in that video are following the right process to get to the answers.

Thanks for sharing @356

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

https://www.tn.gov/twra/news/2025/12/18/twra-detects-cwd-in-wayne-county.html

 

[SwampCat]

For those of you in a cwd management zone - did you change the way you managed your land?

 

[Bill]

For those of you in a cwd management zone - did you change the way you managed your land?

Yeah, shoot less deer because the state is taking them out like a bad neighbor

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

For those of you in a cwd management zone - did you change the way you managed your land?

The endless CWD deer tags and gun seasons make it important to have the best gun season cover on your land. I want the deer running towards my property when the shooting starts so they have a better chance of surviving. I logged my home place and I'd like to do the same thing on my other property.

When deer numbers drop, the does will be off limits.

 

[SwampCat]

My county just went into the cwd zone.

In AR, cwd was first detected in 2016. Since that time, 68,000 deer have been tested with about a 3% positive rate. Of course, most of those tested were in the areas of higher cwd concentrations - but it still makes you wonder how many of the 1,800,000 hunter harvested and checked deer that were not tested, had cwd and went home with the hunter to be eaten.

 

[BenA]

My county just went into the cwd zone.

In AR, cwd was first detected in 2016. Since that time, 68,000 deer have been tested with about a 3% positive rate. Of course, most of those tested were in the areas of higher cwd concentrations - but it still makes you wonder how many of the 1,800,000 hunter harvested and checked deer that were not tested, had cwd and went home with the hunter to be eaten.

Sorry to hear that. Will you have to stop your out of season feeding program?

 

[356]

My county just went into the cwd zone.

In AR, cwd was first detected in 2016. Since that time, 68,000 deer have been tested with about a 3% positive rate. Of course, most of those tested were in the areas of higher cwd concentrations - but it still makes you wonder how many of the 1,800,000 hunter harvested and checked deer that were not tested, had cwd and went home with the hunter to be eaten.

I’ve been testing the deer I harvest for three years. The venison gets shared with family and friends, so it’s the right thing to do. Fortunately, I have a drop off location about 8 miles from home. Being in a CWD zone has changed my harvest goals and added testing as another step before processing. I’m still out there enjoying the hunt, but with slightly different goals and expectations.

 

[SD51555]

The question that needs to be answered about Arkansas is: Why is CWD reducing herds there, and no place else?

It’s an important question. Is it a different disease there, or entirely something different killing the deer? It’s important because if it’s not properly answered, the failed theory of killing all the deer to save the deer will continue.

I would be asking if the state is feeding sterilizer chow to the deer if no other theory comes to light.


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[356]

The question that needs to be answered about Arkansas is: Why is CWD reducing herds there, and no place else?

It’s an important question. Is it a different disease there, or entirely something different killing the deer? It’s important because if it’s not properly answered, the failed theory of killing all the deer to save the deer will continue.

I would be asking if the state is feeding sterilizer chow to the deer if no other theory comes to light.


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Here is the Deer University podcast that will answer the first question. I don't believe anyone is trying to kill all the deer. The biologists and researchers I know her in Missouri are passionate deer hunters and landowners who are seeking to ensure the best for our deer populations generations, not just the next season. What didn't happen in Arkansas was adequate testing....once the herd is 3% positive, it's hard to manage without massive efforts. Testing allows adjustment of bag limits and the introduction of targeted culling to keep prevalence low. That, along with no minerals/no baiting are the best tools in the toolbox so far.

 

[SwampCat]

Sorry to hear that. Will you have to stop your out of season feeding program?

Yes. We can bait from Sept 1-Dec 30. No supplemental feeding outside of season. I wish they would have just shut down all baiting/supplemental feeding. One positive Cwd test in our county, 40 miles away. I was feeling pretty decent about being awhile before cwd got here - because the next closest positive was over 100 miles away. Jumped several counties to get to the county I live it.

We are not going to do anything different at this stage of the game. APR’s went away, but I dont see any of the locals doing much different. The larger landowners will still be selective and the smaller land owner will still fill their freezer.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

The question that needs to be answered about Arkansas is: Why is CWD reducing herds there, and no place else?

It’s an important question. Is it a different disease there, or entirely something different killing the deer? It’s important because if it’s not properly answered, the failed theory of killing all the deer to save the deer will continue.

I would be asking if the state is feeding sterilizer chow to the deer if no other theory comes to light.


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There’s a higher positive rate in nw Arkansas than anywhere else. It appears that deer numbers start to drop around 30% positive and when it exceeds 50% like nw Arkansas the deer numbers drop fast.

Perhaps something in the soil or environment makes it spread faster. Or perhaps fawn recruitment there is lower and that causes the high cwd rate to drop deer numbers faster. It is not good though.

 

[SwampCat]

Here is the Deer University podcast that will answer the first question. I don't believe anyone is trying to kill all the deer. The biologists and researchers I know her in Missouri are passionate deer hunters and landowners who are seeking to ensure the best for our deer populations generations, not just the next season. What didn't happen in Arkansas was adequate testing....once the herd is 3% positive, it's hard to manage without massive efforts. Testing allows adjustment of bag limits and the introduction of targeted culling to keep prevalence low. That, along with no minerals/no baiting are the best tools in the toolbox so far.

I dont know if it is still the case, but when cwd was first detected in AR, there were several less than one year old deer included in the detections, which was supposedly fairly uncommon in other areas.

 

[SwampCat]

There’s a higher positive rate in nw Arkansas than anywhere else. It appears that deer numbers start to drop around 30% positive and when it exceeds 50% like nw Arkansas the deer numbers drop fast.

Perhaps something in the soil or environment makes it spread faster. Or perhaps fawn recruitment there is lower and that causes the high cwd rate to drop deer numbers faster. It is not good though.

Fawn recruitment in AR is usually in the bottom five of all states - usually around .4 per doe

 

[Bill]

I'm amazed after covid how easily some people just follow what the government has to say about any infectious disease. But I guess there are some folks still getting their Myocarditis booster...

I'm curious if anyone knows how many deer were killed in NW AR to "slow the spread". Take out enough deer in a low fawn recruitment area and numbers would be low for a long time. Keep letting hunters shoot deer in that same area and the numbers keep going down.

Don't forget the people telling you the % of positives are the same people doing the testing. It's not like anyone ever died in a motorcycle crash with the cause of death listed as covid. (Yes I'm a cynical and don't believe much of what someone in authority has to say)

 

[356]

I dont know if it is still the case, but when cwd was first detected in AR, there were several less than one year old deer included in the detections, which was supposedly fairly uncommon in other areas.

When CWD was first detected in AR, it has been around for likely eight to ten years. As in Missouri, it was likely brought into the state. In Missouri, testing of fawns was not done until the data in Arkansas (and other locations) showed that it is able to be transmitted from doe to fawn prior to birth. Now all age classes are tested.

 

[SwampCat]

When CWD was first detected in AR, it has been around for likely eight to ten years. As in Missouri, it was likely brought into the state. In Missouri, testing of fawns was not done until the data in Arkansas (and other locations) showed that it is able to be transmitted from doe to fawn prior to birth. Now all age classes are tested.

General concensus, cwd came into the state with the elk stocking program