Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is, as we've previously covered here at NRA Family, a prion that's similar to Mad Cow Disease. Part of what makes CWD so scary is that infected deer won't show symptoms for up to two years. Furthermore, there are currently no tests for CWD that can be performed on living animals. It's only possible to diagnose CWD with the animal's remains. That's a formula to spread the disease. (We hate to use the word "pandemic," but ... )
That said, not all is doom and gloom, because there are things that we hunters, conservationists, and citizens can do to help curtail the spread. This great video from our friends at the National Deer Association lays out a simple, easy-to-follow five-point plan.
First, we need to remember how CWD became such a problem in the first place: Moving live, infected animals. That's something that we can oppose from the soapbox and the ballot box. Secondly, should we successfully take a deer, we should dispose of the "high-risk parts" right where we harvested the animal, rather than transporting them. Third, we should be submitting our harvest for CWD testing (especially before we eat the meat). We should report sick-looking deer if we see them.
Finally, we should be harvesting antlerless deer if our state biologists are asking us to, because reducing herd density also reduces disease transmission. It's a plan we can all agree on, and a way to keep our herds healthy for generations to come.
