IOWA DNR TO CONTINUE SURVEILLANCE FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease April, 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

DNR wildlife staff will again be in the field during Iowa’s shotgun deer seasons, collecting samples to test for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Iowa’s wild deer herd. The effort will concentrate on portions of Northeast Iowa near Wisconsin and Illinois as well as in Wapello, Davis, Pottawattamie and Cerro Gordo counties, following positive tests from captive facilities in or near those counties last year.

Many of the samples will be collected during the first half of December, as more than 120,000 hunters take part in Iowa’s shotgun deer seasons and deer harvested during those seasons are major sources of samples. Sampling—which involves removing and testing the brain stem and lymph nodes--has been done on free ranging deer across Iowa for years. Many hunters voluntarily contribute samples of their harvested deer for these testing efforts.  Most samples are obtained by wildlife staff, checking with hunters in the field or at home processing points.

DNR has historically focused its sampling efforts heaviest in northeast Iowa, after Wisconsin and Illinois yielded positive cases in recent years.  After the positive findings in captive herds in 2012, DNR focused additional testing in those counties identified above. Sampling in northeast Iowa for the 2013-2014 seasons will continue at a slightly lower intensity in order to accommodate the additional testing in Davis, Wapello, Pottawattamie and Cerro Gordo Counties.

Since 2002, more than 47 thousand wild deer in Iowa have been tested, with no positive CWD result in the wild herd detected to date. “We are hopeful CWD has not spread into Iowa’s deer herd. The only way to know this is to continue to collect samples and do the testing. We will work through all hunting seasons, with the peak being the shotgun seasons in December,” said Dr. Dale Garner, Wildlife Bureau Chief.

Iowa DNR’s website provides information about CWD and other information on infectious disease at:  http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting/CWDEHDInformation.aspx

Michigan DNR finds 2013 firearm deer hunters faced challenges, but persistence pays off

Michigan's Upper Peninsula (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Michigan’s 2013 firearm deer season wrapped up last weekend, and challenging conditions and lower deer numbers in some areas have likely led to fewer deer being taken this year, the Department of Natural Resources announced today. Firearm season deer check-station activity declined in all regions of the state compared to 2012.
Each year the DNR generates preliminary estimates of the firearm deer harvest shortly after the season closes on Nov. 30. Those estimates are replaced by a rigorous assessment of harvest and participation over all deer seasons using an annual hunter mail survey.
The 2013 firearm deer season harvest appears to have decreased in all regions this year, but particularly in the Upper Peninsula and southern Lower Peninsula. Experiences can differ widely within regions; DNR biologists estimate the harvest (compared to 2012) was down perhaps 15 to 20 percent across the Upper Peninsula, decreased only slightly in the northern Lower Peninsula, and declined perhaps 10 percent in the southern Lower Peninsula.
“Deer populations in the Upper Peninsula are feeling the effects of late and heavy snowfall last winter, and in some areas of southern Michigan are still recovering from an extensive outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease two summers ago,” said Brent Rudolph, DNR Wildlife Division Deer and Elk Program leader.
“A new antler point restriction in 12 counties of the northern Lower Peninsula has added protection for young bucks,” noted Ashley Autenrieth, Wildlife Division deer biologist for the northern regions, “so we expected buck harvest in that region to be lower for at least a year.”
Severe weather conditions, warmer-than-average temperatures and concentrations of standing corn that provide secure cover for deer also contributed to adverse hunting conditions in some locations. A recent national survey highlighted that persistence pays off, particularly when conditions are not ideal. Successful deer hunters hunted an average of 18 days, which is longer than the entire duration of Michigan’s firearm season.
Rudolph stressed the importance of cooperation with Michigan’s hunter harvest survey, which he called “a vital tool for Michigan’s deer program, and an important way in which data provided by hunters contributes to our information base.”
Hunters that do not receive a survey in the mail but wish to provide their hunting and harvest information may visitwww.michigan.gov/deer and select the Deer Harvest Reporting Form link. Hunters should only provide this information once they have completed all of their 2013 hunting activities, including seasons open through as late as Jan. 1, 2014.
For more information about hunting opportunities or deer management in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/hunting orwww.michigan.gov/deer.. 

North Dakota Mule Deer from 3F2 Tests Positive for CWD

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A mule deer taken from unit 3F2 during the deer gun season has tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

Dr. Dan Grove, North Dakota Game and Fish Department wildlife veterinarian, said a hunter shot the adult buck in western Grant County and submitted the head for testing as part of the hunter-harvested surveillance program. Testing was performed at Michigan State University. Game and Fish is awaiting verification of initial tests results from a national lab in Ames, Iowa. The MSU lab still has some 3F2 samples to test, as well as all samples from the eastern third of the state.

Grove said according to the hunter, the animal looked healthy, with no visible signs of having any health issues.

This is the fourth deer, and first buck, to test positive for CWD since 2009, and all were from taken from unit 3F2 in southwestern North Dakota. All four were within the same general area.

The hunter-harvested surveillance program annually collects samples taken from hunter-harvested deer in specific regions of the state. In addition to unit 3F2, samples during the 2013 deer gun season were collected from units in the eastern third of the state.

CWD affects the nervous system of members of the deer family and is always fatal. Scientists have found no evidence that CWD can be transmitted naturally to humans or livestock.

Related articles

• Fall Mule Deer Survey Completed (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)

Ohio's deer-gun season opens with 22,620 deer harvested

Hunters checked 22,620 white-tailed deer on Monday, the opening day of Ohio’s deer-gun hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The deer-gun season remains open through Sunday, Dec. 8. Hunters are encouraged to take to the field to enjoy the six days remaining in the deer-gun season. Hunting is the best and most effective management tool for maintaining Ohio’s healthy deer population. About 420,000 hunters are expected to participate in this year’s season. Find more information about deer hunting in the Ohio 2013-2014 Hunting and Trapping Regulations or at wildohio.com.

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Ohio Deer-Gun Season Opens Monday, Dec. 2, with More Hunting Time after Sunset

COLUMBUS, OH - Deer-gun season, one of Ohio’s most revered hunting traditions, begins Monday, Dec. 2, with 30 more minutes of prime hunting time each day, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Ohio’s deer-gun season is open through Sunday, Dec. 8.

Hunting time is extended 30 minutes for all deer-gun seasons. Hunters were already allowed to hunt deer 30 minutes before sunrise, and this year an additional 30 minutes has been added after sunset for gun seasons.

“We are eager to increase opportunities for Ohio’s sportsmen and women,” said ODNR Director James Zehringer. “Ohio is a top 10 whitetail hunting destination, and the extra half-hour after sunset will give hunters more opportunities to bag a deer.”

Deer hunting in Ohio continues to be a popular activity for many who enjoy the outdoors. The ODNR Division of Wildlife anticipates 80,000-90,000 deer will be harvested during the weeklong hunt. Approximately 420,000 hunters are expected to participate in this year's season, including many out-of-state hunters. Hunters checked 86,964 deer in the 2012 weeklong deer-gun season.

Deer can be hunted with a plugged shotgun capable of holding no more than three slugs, a muzzleloader .38 caliber or larger, a handgun .357 caliber or larger and bows during deer-gun week.

“Hunters are reminded to use safety precautions while hunting, including wearing required hunter orange clothing, using a safety harness while in a tree stand and safe handling of firearms,” said Scott Zody, chief of the ODNR Division of Wildlife.

Deer bag limits are now determined by county. The statewide bag limit is nine deer, but a hunter cannot exceed an individual county bag limit. Hunters may harvest only one antlered deer, regardless of hunting method or season. A valid deer permit is required in addition to a valid Ohio hunting license. Hunters must purchase an additional deer permit to hunt more than one deer. Antlerless deer permits will not be sold after Sunday, Dec. 1, and these permits are not valid after that date unless used for an ODNR Division of

Wildlife authorized controlled hunt.

A new tagging procedure administered by the ODNR Division of Wildlife requires hunters to make their own game tag to attach to a deer. Game tags can be made of any material (cardboard, plastic, paper, etc.) as long as it contains the hunter’s name, date, time and county of kill. Go to the Deer Hunting Resources page at wildohio.com for more information on changes to the game check process.

More deer hunting information can be found in the 2013-14 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and at wildohio.com. Hunters can share photos by clicking on the Photo Gallery tab online.

Hunters are encouraged to harvest more antlerless deer in some areas of Ohio this season to help the needy in their area and also manage deer populations. The ODNR Division of Wildlife is working with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) to help pay for the processing of donated venison. Hunters who donate a deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as funding for the effort is available. More information about this program can be found online at fhfh.org. Hunters can also donate venison through Safari Club International’s Sportsmen Against Hunger program by learning more at safariclubfoundation.org. Whitetails Unlimited chapters also use local funds for programs such as venison donation. Go to whitetailsunlimited.com to find a local chapter and make a donation.

Ohio ranks fifth nationally in resident hunters and 11th in the number of jobs associated with hunting-related industries. Hunting has a more than $853 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation publication.

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Young Ohio Hunters Harvest more than 6,000 Deer during Youth-Gun Season

Young hunters checked 6,645 white-tailed deer during Ohio’s two-day youth gun season, Nov. 23-24, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Young hunters were challenged by below-average temperatures and windy conditions during the two-day season.

“Congratulations to all the young hunters who participated and enjoyed Ohio’s youth deer hunting weekend,” said ODNR Director James Zehringer. “I want to thank the parents and adults who took the time to make the weekend a memorable one for the next generation of hunters.”

The Ohio counties that reported the most checked deer during the 2013 youth gun season: Coshocton (248), Tuscarawas (220), Muskingum (212), Holmes (196), Knox (189), Licking (189), Guernsey (183), Belmont (165), Harrison (165) and Carroll (161).

Youth hunters could pursue deer with a legal shotgun, muzzleloader or handgun and were required to be accompanied by a non-hunting adult during the two-day season. The youth deer-gun season is one of four special youth-only hunting seasons designed to offer a safe and early hunting experience for young hunters. Youth hunting seasons are also set aside for small game, wild turkey and waterfowl.

Youth hunters can commemorate their hunt with a First Harvest certificate, available at wildohio.com. Participants can upload a photo and type in their information to personalize the certificate. Hunters can also share photos by clicking on the Photo Gallery tab online.

Ohio offers many more opportunities for young hunters to pursue deer. The deer-gun season is Monday, Dec. 2, through Sunday, Dec. 8. Deer-muzzleloader season is Saturday, Jan. 4, through Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Deer-archery season is open now through Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014. Find complete details in the 2013-2014 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations or online at wildohio.com.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.

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