MDC reminds public to not feed deer in CWD counties

Regulation banning feeding deer in 29 counties starts May 30.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds landowners, deer hunters, and others that a regulation banning the feeding of deer becomes effective on May 30 for 29 counties in north-central, central, and east-central Missouri.

Grain, salt products, minerals, and other consumable products used to attract deer are now prohibited year-round in the following 29 counties: Adair, Boone, Callaway, Carroll, Chariton, Crawford, Cole, Cooper, Franklin, Gasconade, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Louis, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan, Washington, and Warren.  

Exceptions to the regulation include feeding wildlife within 100 feet of any residence or occupied building, feed placed in a manner that excludes access by deer, and feed and minerals used solely for normal agricultural, forest management, or wildlife food-plot-production practices.

The feeding ban is one step MDC is taking to limit the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease that infects only deer and other members of the deer family. The disease has no vaccine or cure and is 100-percent fatal. CWD is spread from deer to deer and the potential for transmission increases when deer gather in larger, concentrated numbers, such as at feeding sites.

The 29 counties affected by the feeding ban comprise the Department’s CWD Management Zone. The zone consists of counties within or that touch a radius of approximately 25 miles from where CWD has been found. According to MDC, 33 free-ranging deer in Missouri have tested positive for the disease with 21 found in Macon County, 9 in Adair, one in Cole, one in Franklin, and one in Linn.

Other MDC actions to limit the spread of CWD

The ban on feeding deer is one of several actions MDC is taking to help limit the spread of CWD. MDC also collects tissue samples from several thousand harvested, sick, and road-killed wild deer around the state each year to test for CWD. The sampling efforts focus both on areas where CWD has been found and on broader, statewide testing.

The Department will increase its CWD sampling and testing efforts in north-central, central, and east-central Missouri this fall by requiring hunters who harvest deer in one of the 29 CWD-Management-Zone counties during the opening weekend of the fall firearms deer season (Nov. 12 and 13) to present their deer (or the head with at least six inches of the neck intact) for CWD testing at one of 75 MDC sampling locations on the day of harvest. The testing is free and hunters can also get free test results. Sampling locations will be listed in the Department’s 2016 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet and online at mdc.mo.gov.

MDC has also removed the antler-point restriction in all CWD-Management-Zone counties starting this fall so young bucks are no longer protected from harvest. Young bucks can potentially spread the disease to new areas as they search for territories and mates.

The Department has also increased the availability of firearms antlerless permits from 1 to 2 in all CWD-Management-Zone counties starting this fall to help prevent undesired population increases in local deer numbers.

MDC also strongly discourages the removal of deer carcasses from CWD-Management-Zone counties. Moving carcasses of potentially infected deer out of the immediate area where they were harvested and improperly disposing of them can also spread the disease. Certain carcass parts, such as boned out meat, are okay to move because the protein that causes CWD is not concentrated in these parts.

Learn more about CWD at mdc.mo.gov/CWD.

MDC limits firearm antlerless permits for upcoming deer season

Decrease in deer numbers and resulting hunter and landowner input prompt changes.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Conservation Commission approved regulation

changes at its meeting today (April 17) in Jefferson City that will reduce the availability of firearm antlerless deer hunting permits from “any number” in most of the state to one in most of the state.

Exceptions to this regulation change allow hunters to fill two firearm antlerless deer permits in Chariton, Randolph, Macon, Linn, Sullivan, and Adair counties, which surround the area where chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in a small number of deer in Macon County. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), continuing to maintain stable deer numbers in this “CWD Containment Zone” will help limit the spread of the disease to other deer and other areas.

Other areas where hunters can fill two firearm antlerless deer permits include urban zones around the state where deer numbers are typically higher than desired, and in Barton, Howell, and Oregon counties where local deer numbers are higher than deer management goals.

The regulation changes are scheduled to become effective for the 2014 fall deer hunting season.

Details on these changes and other information on deer hunting will be available in the Department's “2014 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information” booklet available beginning in July at locations where permits are sold, MDC offices and nature centers, and online at mdc.mo.gov.

According to MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners, the regulation changes are in response to lower overall deer numbers around much of the state as a result of long-term efforts to reduce the deer population through increased doe harvest. Previous regulations allowing the harvest of any number of antlerless deer have helped to decrease and stabilize deer numbers in many areas where deer numbers were too high.

Sumners added that the planned effort to reduce deer numbers in some areas was intensified by an unanticipated, extensive outbreak of hemorrhagic disease (HD) throughout most of the state related to the record-setting drought during summer and fall of 2012. With the resulting recent decrease in deer numbers in many areas of the state, some hunters and landowners have voiced their concerns about the level of doe harvest and the continuing need to offer hunters “any number” of antlerless permits.

“Our Regulations Committee considers the changing status of the deer herd across the state -- along with feedback from hunters, landowners, and others -- each year as it reviews recommendations for deer-hunting regulations,” Sumners said.

“Deer populations in Missouri vary regionally and county-by-county as habitat, hunting regulations, hunter numbers, and frequency and severity of disease outbreaks affect deer numbers,” he explained. “As these factors change over time, our deer management strategy is to be responsive to those changes.”

He added that MDC’s deer management strategy focuses on using science-based wildlife management practices, providing opportunities for all citizens to enjoy deer-related recreational activities such as deer hunting and watching, maintaining a healthy deer population, and providing related information to the public.   

The Department is planning public meetings throughout the state for this summer to share information and get public input on how and why it manages Missouri’s deer.

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MDC testing results show no new cases of chronic wasting disease

While promising news, the fatal disease for deer remains a significant threat.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Following the testing of 3,666 free-ranging deer harvested during and after the 2013 deer-hunting season, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has detected no additional cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Missouri free-ranging deer.

The total number of confirmed cases in Missouri free-ranging deer remains limited to 10 found in 2012 and early 2013. All were from a small area of northwest Macon County near where CWD was confirmed in 10 captive deer in 2012 at a private hunting preserve. Missouri’s first case of CWD was discovered in 2010 in a captive deer at private hunting facility in southeast Linn County owned by the same private hunting preserve.

“While I am cautiously optimistic that these latest test results suggest our efforts to limit the spread of CWD may be working, the threat of this infectious disease remains significant,” said MDC State Wildlife Veterinarian Kelly Straka. “Therefore, continued surveillance is important.”

Of the 3,666 deer tested, 1,520 were from Department’s CWD Containment Zone of Chariton, Randolph, Macon, Linn, Sullivan, and Adair counties. Of the 1,520, 206 were from the 30-square-mile CWD Core Area around the private hunting preserve in Macon County where cases of the disease were discovered in captive deer.

The remaining 2,146 test samples were gathered from deer harvested outside of the six-county Containment Zone as part of MDC’s ongoing statewide sampling effort.

As done in the past two years, MDC again worked with local landowners during January and February to harvest and test 147 free-ranging deer as part of 206 samples collected in the CWD Core Area. The effort was done to monitor infection rates and help limit the spread of the disease from deer to deer by reducing local deer numbers.

“More than 90 percent of Missouri land is privately owned, so landowners are vital to deer management and to our ongoing efforts to limit the spread of CWD,” Dr. Straka said. “We greatly appreciate the cooperation of local landowners in the CWD Core Area who participated in this effort. Their sacrifice in temporarily reducing local deer numbers is helping to protect the health of deer throughout the state.”

She added that MDC will continue working with hunters and landowners to test harvested free-ranging deer for CWD during future deer seasons.

Missouri offers some of the best deer hunting in the country, and deer hunting is an important part of many Missourians’ lives and family traditions. Infectious diseases such as CWD could reduce hunting and wildlife-watching opportunities for Missouri’s nearly 520,000 deer hunters and almost two million wildlife watchers.

Deer hunting is also an important economic driver in Missouri and gives a $1 billion annual boost to state and local economies. Lower deer numbers from infectious diseases such as CWD could hurt 12,000 Missouri jobs and many businesses that rely on deer hunting as a significant source of revenue, such as meat processors, taxidermists, hotels, restaurants, sporting goods stores, and others. CWD also threatens the investments of thousands of private landowners who manage their land for deer and deer hunting, and who rely on deer and deer hunting to maintain property values.

Chronic wasting disease infects only deer and other members of the deer family by causing degeneration of the brain. The disease has no vaccine or cure and is 100-percent fatal. CWD is spread both directly from deer to deer and indirectly to deer from infected soil and other surfaces. Deer and other cervids can have CWD for several years without showing any symptoms. Once symptoms are visible, infected animals typically die within one or two months. Once well established in an area, CWD has been shown to be impossible to eradicate.

For more information on CWD, including what MDC is doing to limit the spread, and what hunters and others can do to help, go online to mdc.mo.gov/node/16478.

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Finding Public Hunting Land in Kansas

You will find a new resource for locating public land on which to hunt in Kansas.  The idea behind this resource came about as the result of my research efforts in finding public land hunting in Missouri.

The MDC had done a great job of putting together information on conservation areas, but the structure was cumbersome.  So several years ago, I essentially put together the information in a way that at least for me made more sense.  That resource has received more traffic at family-outdoors.com than any other by quite a bit.

The same idea came to me when researching public land hunting opportunities in Kansas.  The public land options in Kansas are much more limited than Missouri, so you want to know every option available and have it in a handy format.  I came to the realization that a hunter using the KDWPT site as is would miss many opportunities due to "dead links" and other structural issues.

This resource has KDWPT wildlife areas as well as federally managed properties.  It is organized in a manner where the hunter can get all his or her preliminary research done on one page. The resource is at Kansas Public Land Hunting

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Time to get Managed Deer Hunt Application in for Missouri Hunters - July 1

Nearly 6,000 deer hunters will have a chance to participate in more than 100 managed hunts through the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) from mid-September through January. Hunters can apply online for these managed deer

hunts beginning July 1 through Aug. 15.

MDC holds an electronic drawing to determine who gets to participate in managed deer hunts at conservation areas, state parks, national wildlife refuges and urban parks. The hunts are open to Missouri residents and nonresidents, and help achieve MDC’s deer-management goals for the state while also providing additional hunting opportunities.

Types of hunts include archery, crossbow, muzzleloader, historic methods and modern firearms, plus youth hunts and hunts for people with disabilities.

Hunt dates, locations and other details will be listed on the managed hunt application page on the MDC website starting July 1 at mdc.mo.gov/node/8712. Details about managed hunts will also soon be available in the 2013 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations & Information booklet available at MDC offices, online at mdc.mo.gov, and from permit vendors around the state.

Hunters may apply individually or as groups of up to six, except for youth hunts. Youths 11 years of age or older who are hunter education certified may apply singly or with one other youth for youth hunts and must be accompanied on the hunt by a qualified adult mentor.

Applicants will need a nine-digit Conservation ID number for each hunter to complete the application process. Conservation ID numbers are listed on all hunting and fishing permits, and on Missouri Conservation Heritage Cards.

MDC will post drawing results at the same website address from Sept. 14 to Dec. 31. Successful applicants will receive area maps and other information regarding their hunts by mail.

Resident or nonresident managed deer hunting permits are required to participate in managed hunts. These permits will be available to successful applicants after Sept. 14 from any permit vendor statewide, or through MDC’s e-Permits at mdc.mo.gov.

MDC implemented a weighted preference point system in 2007 to give unsuccessful applicants for managed deer hunts an advantage in future drawings. Hunters who apply for the first time or who were drawn for hunts the previous year are statistically less likely to be drawn than those who entered but were not drawn in previous years.

Beginning in 2014, the managed deer hunt application timeframe will be shortened, and run July 1-31. This change is being made to allow more time for hunters to be notified of their selection for early-season managed hunts.

For more information on MDC managed deer hunts, visit mdc.mo.gov/node/3867.

Hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, and who are 16 or older, must successfully complete an approved hunter education course to qualify to buy firearms hunting permits and participate in managed hunts. Youth 6 through 15 may hunt without hunter education certification when accompanied by a qualified adult mentor during managed hunts open to all. Mentors also are required to be hunter-education certified, unless exempt by age.

Hunter education classes fill up quickly as hunting seasons approach. Enrolling early will ensure against the disappointment of not getting into a class and not getting to hunt.

The MDC hunter education curriculum has been recently revised to enhance student convenience and emphasize mentorship and hands-on training. The new, more flexible version is divided into two parts. The first part provides necessary knowledge about hunting equipment, safety, and ethics through either an online course, a self-paced student manual, or through a four-hour classroom session. The second part consists of a mandatory four-hour hands-on skills session and a 35-question multiple-choice exam. For more information on hunter education, visit mdc.mo.gov/node/3095.

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Bowhunters of Missouri choose Henry as Agent of the Year

Written by Candice Davis, MDC

WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Douglas County Conservation Agent Mark Henry has received the prestigious United Bowhunters of Missouri Agent of the Year Award for 2012. Henry was presented the award at the recent United Missouri Bowhunters banquet held in Jefferson City.

Henry’s supervisor, Protection Regional Supervisor Gary Cravens, said Agent Henry is known for making unique and quality wildlife arrests.

This year he took advantage of the Telecheck system, had excellent public cooperation, and utilized Operation Game Thief to assist in investigating possible archery violations, Cravens said.

“Without a doubt, he had an outstanding archery season with many exceptional wildlife violation cases,” Cravens said.

MDC Douglas County Conservation Agent Mark Henry received the prestigious
 United Bowhunters of Missouri Agent of the Year Award for 2012.

Henry is an avid archery hunter and enjoys sharing his archery knowledge with the public. Henry was a pivotal member in the formation of the city of Ava’s first Mother/Son Outdoor Adventure event. He helped organize the seventh annual National Wild Turkey Federation Jakes event in Douglas County with an emphasis on a youth archery station. He assisted Ava school administration in setting up the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program (MONASP) at the Ava Middle School. He worked at the popular “Hootin’ and Hollerin” archery event in Ozark County, and conducted archery programs for events that reached those who might not otherwise be introduced to the sport of archery. Henry spent valuable hours this year in his local schools teaching youth the importance of firearms and archery techniques and safety, Cravens said.

According to Cravens, Henry’s resourceful law enforcement and effective balance of program responsibilities contributed to his selection of this honor. “Henry has developed a tremendous wildlife law enforcement and public relations program in Douglas County,” Cravens said. “He represents the MDC and his division well.”

Agent Henry’s home town is Fordland, Mo. He earned a degree in Animal Science from College of the Ozarks and joined the Department of Conservation in 2002. He held jobs with Wildlife and Forestry Divisions prior to being accepted into the conservation agent training class in 2005. After six months of intensive training, Henry was assigned to Douglas County.

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Missouri Archery deer, turkey harvests up from last year

Scarce acorns helped deer hunters, while Missouri’s turkey flock

continues to rebound from several years of poor nesting success.

JEFFERSON CITY–Bowhunters posted increases in both deer and turkey harvests during Missouri’s 2012-2013 archery deer and turkey hunting season, topping the previous year’s figures for the second year in a row.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that hunters checked 53,997 deer during the four-month archery season. That is a 2.5-percent increase from the previous year, which was a record. Archers checked 3,217 turkeys, a 10-percent increase from the previous year.

Top archery deer-harvest counties were Jefferson with 1,211 deer checked, St. Louis with 1,098, and Camden with 1,062. Top archery turkey-harvest counties were Jefferson with 95 turkeys checked, Laclede with 79, and Greene with 76.

Adding the archery harvest to the number of deer taken during the six portions of firearms deer season brings Missouri’s 2012-2013 deer harvest to 311,304, up 6.8 percent from the previous year. The total 2012-2013 turkey harvest, including the youth and regular spring seasons, the fall firearms season, and the archery season, is 56,511.

Permit sales also increased. MDC issued 202,421 archery deer and turkey hunting permits for the 2012-2013 season, 4.9 percent more than the previous year.

MDC Resource Scientist Jason Sumners says the continued growth of bowhunting’s popularity is partly responsible for the strong archery harvest, but weather also played an important role.

“With more people taking up bowhunting each year, you would expect to see a corresponding growth in the number of deer taken,” says Sumners. “This year hunters also got a boost from weather events that reduced the availability of acorns. Deer rely heavily on acorns for fall food, and when that food item is scarce they have to move around more to meet their nutritional needs. That makes them more visible to hunters.”

According to Sumners, acorn availability is a greater factor in determining hunter success in the southern half of the state, where forest land dominates the landscape. So he was not surprised to learn that the 2012-2013 deer harvest increased by approximately 22 percent in the Ozark and Southeast regions. He says deer numbers in southern Missouri have grown steadily over the past decade. Also, acorns were abundant in the previous two hunting seasons, keeping the deer harvest fairly modest. This combination was bound to produce a substantial deer harvest.

In contrast, deer numbers have been declining slowly in northern Missouri, leading to a decrease of approximately 6 percent in the Kansas City, Northeast, and Northwest regions. Reduced deer numbers in many parts of north Missouri is a result of increased harvest pressure on does that has resulted from liberalization of antlerless harvest opportunities and, in the Kansas City Region, a reduction in buck harvest as a result of the antler-point restriction. 

Hunters in the Central and Southwest regions checked approximately 12 percent more deer, and St. Louis Region hunters checked approximately 18 percent more deer than they did in 2011-2012. These trends reflect slowly increasing deer numbers on average in these areas.

“Deer numbers vary from county to county in those regions,” says Sumners. “The causes of those variations include varying levels of harvest pressure on does, an outbreak of hemorrhagic disease in 2007 and, in southwest Missouri, reduced availability of antlerless permits.”

Before the 2012-2013 hunting season, Sumners predicted that the statewide deer harvest totals would not be affected significantly by the increased incidence of hemorrhagic disease that accompanied last year’s drought. That turned out to be correct.

“We know that to varying degrees, hemorrhagic mortality affected deer populations across much of Missouri,” says Sumners, “but it is still too early to tell if the decrease in harvest in some areas is the direct result of disease or a combination of recent trends of declining deer numbers as a result of a deliberate effort to reduce deer numbers in much of northern Missouri by harvesting more does. In many parts of central, northern, and western Missouri it is no longer necessary to continue high doe harvest to reduce or stabilize deer numbers.”

Sumners says MDC will consider reducing the availability of antlerless-deer permits where deer numbers seem to be near or below target levels. However, he notes that hunters and landowners also must take an active role in decisions about how many does to shoot.

“Restricting doe harvest can help when deer numbers are down in big areas,” says Sumners, “but it takes a valuable tool away from Missourians who want to manage deer populations locally. We have reached a point in Missouri’s history where hunters and landowners must begin to work together to make localized harvest decisions based on local deer populations. However, in some areas regulation changes may be necessary to curb undesirable declines in deer numbers. ”

MDC Resource Scientist Jason Isabelle notes that the 2012-2013 archery turkey harvest was up more than 20 percent from the previous five-year average and was second only to the 2009-2010 harvest of 3,298.

“The increase in the archery turkey harvest is largely a reflection of the improved hatches we’ve had the past couple years,” says Isabelle, “in addition to the increase in the number of archery hunters.”

Isabelle says regional harvest totals were 542 in the southwest, 511 in central Missouri, 425 in the Southeast, 418 in the Ozarks, 383 in the St. Louis area, 319 in the northwest, 318 in the northeast, and 301 in the Kansas City area.

MDC recorded 10 firearms-related deer-hunting incidents during the 2012-2013 hunting season. Three were fatal.

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Bowhunters needed for MDC wildlife observation survey

Survey is easy and valuable way for bowhunters to get involved in helping MDC manage Missouri’s wildlife resources.

By Joanie Straub, MDC

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages all bowhunters to participate in its annual bowhunter observation survey. This survey provides valuable information that assists MDC in gauging the health of wildlife populations, such as deer and turkey, and helps staff make harvest management decisions.

“This is an easy and very valuable way for bowhunters to get involved in helping MDC manage Missouri’s wildlife resources,” says MDC Resource Scientist Jeff Beringer. “Information provided by the survey helps us assess trends in animal populations and determine if numbers are increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable. This information also has important implications on the establishment of harvest regulations.”

Courtesy MDC

MDC mails surveys to participating bowhunters in early September. From Sept. 15 through Nov. 9, participants record the date, county, number of hours spent bowhunting, and the number of deer, wild turkeys and furbearers observed during their hunts. After Nov. 9, participants mail the postage-paid surveys back to MDC so the information can be analyzed.

To participate in the 2012 survey, email Paul.Rogers@mdc.mo.gov and write “Bowhunter Observation Survey” in the subject line. Participation requests must be received by Sept. 1. Include name and mailing address in the body of the email. Bowhunters can also send their name and address to: Bowhunter Observation Survey, Missouri Department of Conservation, 3500 E. Gans Road, Columbia, MO 65201.

MDC began conducting its bowhunter observation survey in 1983. Beringer said more than 190,000 bowhunting permits were distributed in 2011 but only approximately 7,000 bowhunters participated in last year’s survey.

“To maintain the high quality of information we receive from these surveys, it is very important more bowhunters participate,” says Beringer. “I encourage all Missouri bowhunters help keep Missouri a great place to hunt by participating in the survey.”

For more information about deer and turkey archery hunting regulations, visit mdc.mo.gov and search “archery hunting.”

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MDC offers free workshops on managing private land for deer

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Missouri is a great place to hunt deer and private landowners are key.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering free workshops in August and September to help landowners, hunters and others manage private land for deer. Workshop topics will include: creating or improving habitat for deer and other wildlife; developing a deer-management plan; estimating deer numbers, ages and how many deer land can support; using camera surveys and other data; deer biology, antler growth and breeding behavior; MDC cost-share opportunities, and more.

“Missouri is a great place to hunt deer and private landowners are the key,” says MDC Resource Scientist and Deer Biologist Emily Flinn. “More than 90 percent of land in Missouri is privately owned, so we work with and for private landowners to help them create and manage their land for deer. Managing private land for deer also benefits a variety of other wildlife.”

Flinn adds that deer hunting contributes approximately $1.1 billion annually to the state and local economies and supports more than 12,000 jobs in Missouri.

She urges landowners, hunters and others to attend one of the following free deer management workshops:

SPRINGFIELD -- Aug. 11, 8 a.m. - noon

MDC Springfield Conservation Nature Center, 4601 S. Nature Center Way

To register, call 417-895-6880.

COLUMBIA -- Aug. 18, 8 a.m. - noon

University of Missouri Bradford Research & Extension Center, 4968 Rangeline Road

To register, call 573-875-5540 ext. 3.

ST. JOSEPH -- Sept. 8, noon - 4 p.m.

Missouri Western State University Kemper Recital Hall in Spratt Hall, 4525 Downs Drive

To register, call 816-271-3100.

ST. LOUIS -- Sept. 22, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. (lunch provided)

MDC Powder Valley Nature Center, 11715 Cragwold Road in Kirkwood.

To register, call 636-528-4877 x3.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Sept. 12, 6 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

MDC Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, 2289 County Park Drive

To register, call 573-290-5218.

For more information on managing private land for deer and other wildlife, vist mdc.mo.gov and search “deer management” or contact a local MDC office.

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MDC to hold open house on CWD next steps June 2 in Macon County

 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.

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Three more cases of CWD found in free-ranging deer in Macon County, Missouri

A white-tailed deer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MDC testing of free-ranging deer results in five total cases of CWD with all found in same area.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) received final test results today from 656 tissue samples taken from free-ranging deer harvested earlier this year.Results included three CWD-positives with two from adult does and one from an adult buck.The testing was conducted by MDC staff and area landowners in a 163-square mile area in northeast Linn and northwest Macon counties specifically for CWD sampling.

Missouri’s first two cases of CWD in free-ranging deer were detected in two adult bucks harvested in northwest Macon County during the 2011 fall firearms deer season. The three most recent CWD positives were harvested within two miles of the two original cases of CWD.

MDC conducted its 2011 fall tissue-sampling effort in response to two cases of CWD found in captive white-tailed deer at two private, captive-hunting preserves in Macon and Linn counties. Since October 2011, three more captive deer at the Macon County preserve have tested positive for CWD. Depopulation, quarantine and other management activities at the private preserve are being coordinated by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The five cases of CWD in free-ranging deer have been found within two miles of the Macon County preserve.

While MDC identified the first case of CWD in free-ranging deer in Missouri in January, the Department has been testing for it for years. With the help of hunters, MDC has tested more than 34,000 free-ranging deer for CWD from all parts of the state since 2002.

MDC staff are further analyzing recent test results, continuing to evaluate efforts and lessons learned from other states with CWD, and consulting with various other wildlife experts around the country. The Department’s main objectives are to limit the prevalence and restrict the spread of CWD in Missouri.

According to MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners, there are several main factors associated with the management of free-ranging deer that will influence the future prevalence and distribution of CWD in Missouri: local deer density, deer concentration, the movement of deer and the movement of deer carcasses.

“Yearling and adult male deer have been found to exhibit CWD at a much higher rate than yearling and adult females,” Sumners said. “Of the 10 cases of CWD identified in both captive and free-ranging deer in Missouri, eight have been in adult bucks. Additionally, dispersal of yearling males from the range where they were born is one of the most likely means of expanding the distribution of CWD. The movement of infectious materials in the form of hunter-harvested deer carcasses that contain heads and spinal columns, where the disease concentrates, may also serve as a means of introducing CWD to other regions of the state.”

Sumners added that CWD has been found in only one small pocket of the state. “Our management efforts will focus on minimizing the prevalence and preventing the further spread of the disease from the area. We will keep the public informed as we develop those efforts.”

CWD is a neurological disease that is limited to deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family, known as “cervids.” CWD can only be confirmed in deer by laboratory testing of the brain stem or lymph tissue. CWD is transmitted through prions, which are abnormal proteins that attack the nervous systems of these species. These prions accumulate in the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, and lymph nodes of infected animals. CWD is spread by animal-to-animal contact or by animal contact with soil that contains prions from urine, feces or the decomposition of an infected animal.

Deer and other cervids with signs of CWD show changes in natural behavior and can exhibit extreme weight loss, excessive salivation, stumbling and tremors. CWD can be present in and transmitted by infected animals for up to several years before symptoms of the disease appear.

“Most deer that test positive for CWD appear to be healthy,” Sumners said. “Although one of the free-ranging does that tested positive for CWD did exhibit clinical signs of the disease.”

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) says there is no evidence from existing research that CWD can spread to domestic livestock, such as sheep or cattle. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) says there is no scientific evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans through contact with or the consumption of deer meat.

The disease was first recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado. CWD has been documented in both captive and free-ranging deer in Missouri, along with neighboring Kansas and Nebraska. It has been documented in free-ranging deer in neighboring Illinois, and in captive elk in neighboring Oklahoma. CWD has also been documented in both captive and free-ranging members of the deer-family in Colorado, Minnesota, New York, South Dakota, Wisconsin and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Maryland, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming also have documented cases of CWD in free-ranging members of the deer family. Michigan and Montana have documented cases of CWD in captive members of the deer family.

Related articles

• CWD found in two free-ranging deer from Macon County
• Chronic Wasting Disease Not Detected in Ohio Deer
• North Dakota:Remaining Deer Samples Negative for CWD
• No additional CWD positive deer detected in southeastern Minnesota
• Three Kansas Deer Confirmed Positive in Early Stages of Cwd Testing

CWD found in two free-ranging deer from Macon County

Image via Wikipedia

Two positive results for Chronic Wasting Disease are first for free-ranging deer in Missouri.

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) received two positive test results for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from 1,077 tissue samples taken from free-ranging deer harvested by hunters in north-central Missouri during the 2011 fall firearms deer season. Both positive test results were from adult bucks harvested by Missouri hunters in Macon County, and are the first CWD-positive results for free-ranging deer in Missouri.

MDC plans to obtain more tissue samples for CWD testing by harvesting additional deer in the immediate area where the two infected deer were harvested.

“Teamwork among landowners, hunters and MDC staff allowed us to detect this infection early,” said MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners. “We will be working with local landowners to harvest additional deer for tissue sampling. This is a first step and one of our best hopes for containing, and perhaps even eliminating, what we believe to be a recent localized event.”

MDC staff have contacted the two Missouri hunters who harvested the CWD-positive bucks to inform them of the situation and answer questions.

CWD is a neurological disease that is limited to deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family, known as “cervids.” CWD is spread by animal-to-animal contact or by animal contact with soil that contains prions from urine, feces or the decomposition of an infected animal. Deer and other cervids with signs of CWD show changes in natural behavior and can exhibit extreme weight loss, excessive salivation, stumbling and tremors. CWD can spread through natural movements of infected animals, transportation of infected live captive animals, or the transportation of infected carcasses.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) says there is no evidence from existing research that CWD can spread to domestic livestock, such as sheep or cattle. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) says there is no scientific evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans through contact with or the consumption of deer meat.

MDC conducted its tissue-sampling effort during the fall firearms season in November in response to two cases of CWD found in captive white-tailed deer at two private, captive-hunting preserves in Linn and Macon counties. A third captive deer at one of the preserves tested positive for CWD in December. The two earlier cases of CWD found at the private hunting preserves were detected in February 2010 and October 2011. The two free-ranging bucks that tested positive were harvested within two miles of the Macon County preserve.

CWD in deer can only be confirmed by laboratory testing of the brain stem or lymph tissue.  Tissue samples collected by MDC were tested by the Southeast Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study Laboratory of the University of Georgia, Athens, with confirmation by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.

The disease was first recognized in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado. CWD has also been documented in both captive and free-ranging deer in neighboring Kansas and Nebraska. It has been documented in free-ranging deer in neighboring Illinois.  CWD has also been documented in both captive and free-ranging members of the deer-family in Colorado, Minnesota, New York, South Dakota, Wisconsin and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Maryland, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming also have documented cases of CWD in free-ranging members of the deer family. Michigan and Montana have documented cases of CWD in captive members of the deer family.

CWD is transmitted through prions, which are abnormal proteins that attack the nervous systems of these species. These prions accumulate in the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, and lymph nodes of infected animals. While there is no scientific evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans or animals other than deer and other cervids, health officials caution that consumption of these parts is not recommended. They also advise people to not eat meat from animals known to be infected with CWD or that exhibit signs of any disease.

While CWD is new to free-ranging deer in Missouri, MDC has been testing for it for years.  With the help of hunters, MDC has tested more than 34,000 free-ranging deer for CWD from all parts of the state since 2002.

Missouri also has a Cervid Health Committee to address the threat of CWD to Missouri’s free-ranging and captive cervids. The Committee is composed of wildlife biologists, veterinarians and other animal-health experts from MDC, MDA, MDHSS and the USDA.

Related articles

• No additional CWD positive deer detected in southeastern Minnesota (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• MDC needs hunter help with CWD sampling of harvested deer (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Sampling of 1,300 deer shows no sign of CWD so far (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin: Antlerless gun deer hunt in CWD zone October 13-16 (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
• Iowa DNR COLLECTING TISSUE SAMPLES DURING SHOTGUN DEER SEASONS (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)