Cwd

[gramps73]

Last question.

Why do FW not give you replacement tags for positive tested deer anymore.

[Kawibunga]

Originally Posted by gramps73

Last question.

Why do FW not give you replacement tags for positive tested deer anymore.

Basically they were noting an unfair advantage for those tagging out on nice bucks. The ability to tag a nice buck two or three years in a row in high CWD areas without having to get in line with everybody else and wait for their draw. At least that is my take from below......

Directly from the goverment website

"The original intent in offering replacement licences was to encourage hunters to return to areas of Alberta where CWD was first detected. However, hunter interest and harvest in the CWD area remains high and free replacement licences are no longer considered necessary.

Initially, very few harvested deer had CWD and thus very few replacement licences were offered. However, with increased prevalence and distribution of CWD, this is no longer the case.

Increasing numbers of hunters with a CWD replacement licence are creating a disproportionate harvest opportunity and advantage over those hunters who must build priority points to access a licence, particularly for antlered mule deer."

[Dean2]

The truly odd part of not providing replacement licenses is they aren't culling enough CWD deer. If the percentage of deer testing positive is starting to run that high and in some places is now north of 50% then it is clearly time to start getting some very large harvests done. Public won't accept the mass culls they used to use but taking them out from hunters still makes sense. At this rate the whole friggin province is going to become CWD positive. If that gets into domestic livestock it will become a real poop show.

[Lefty-Canuck]

The replacement tags were given right from the allocation pool... so it reduced other people’s chances of being drawn while letting another hunter double up on his opportunity.... that’s why, I had 2 bucks test positive and never accepted a replacement tag. Partially because they were general archery season harvests, and I would have had to return the antlers if got a replacement tag.

LC

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

The replacement tags were given right from the allocation pool... so it reduced other people’s chances of being drawn while letting another hunter double up on his opportunity.... that’s why, I had 2 bucks test positive and never accepted a replacement tag. Partially because they were general archery season harvests, and I would have had to return the antlers if got a replacement tag.

LC

That is partly my point. Every positive test animal should actually increase the number of tags issued by one for every positive test. That would knock the population down and that is currently the only way to control CWD.

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by Dean2

That is partly my point. Every positive test animal should actually increase the number of tags issued by one for every positive test. That would knock the population down and that is currently the only way to control CWD.

Like the mass kill they did in 234?
Ya, that really helped.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Battle Rat

Like the mass kill they did in 234?
Ya, that really helped.

That mass kill was almost 20 years ago and it did slow it down for a while. When 1 in 3 animals is testing positive and it is a communicable disease can u explain to me the upside of leaving those infected animals in the population. What solution do you recommend.

[saskbooknut]

In general, really high hunting pressure disperses CWD positive deer. Not a good result.
If you want to eliminate the disease you would need to drive deer using helicopters and fences. Not economically feasible, nor likely acceptable to the public.
There is no really good answer to CWD.
The genie is out of the bottle, and not going back ini.

[gramps73]

I can't see a right or wrong in any of this.

I do think that with not replacing the tag on a positive test it has taken meat away from a family that are hunting for meat not antlers.

I like the idea that you have to turn the antlers in if you want anther tag

[urban rednek]

Originally Posted by Kawibunga

Basically they were noting an unfair advantage for those tagging out on nice bucks. The ability to tag a nice buck two or three years in a row in high CWD areas without having to get in line with everybody else and wait for their draw. At least that is my take from below......

Directly from the goverment website

"The original intent in offering replacement licences was to encourage hunters to return to areas of Alberta where CWD was first detected. However, hunter interest and harvest in the CWD area remains high and free replacement licences are no longer considered necessary.

Initially, very few harvested deer had CWD and thus very few replacement licences were offered. However, with increased prevalence and distribution of CWD, this is no longer the case.

Increasing numbers of hunters with a CWD replacement licence are creating a disproportionate harvest opportunity and advantage over those hunters who must build priority points to access a licence, particularly for antlered mule deer."

Read the bolded section above, then read it again. Everything else they state about containing CWD is bull feces. Once they realized that hunters would continue buying licenses in problem WMU's, they no longer saw the need to replace tags for diseased animals. The money would continue to roll in.
Instead of dealing with the issue when it was first recognized, previous poor decisions have allowed it to escalate. Unrestricted revenue generation allows it to continue.

Collectively, hunters need to stop financially enabling bad decision making.

[Simplefarmer]

Originally Posted by Dean2

That is partly my point. Every positive test animal should actually increase the number of tags issued by one for every positive test. That would knock the population down and that is currently the only way to control CWD.

There really is no way to control CWD, it is here and will continue no matter what efforts humans employ.

[savageguy model 111]

Originally Posted by Simplefarmer

There really is no way to control CWD, it is here and will continue no matter what efforts humans employ.

agreed
Well said.

[slough shark]

Well for what it’s worth even without a cull cwd should crater the deer population if what we are told is true that animals die within 2 years. If 1/3 to 1/2 of the deer in a particular area have it before too long the deer population will be destroyed. Not culling may allow any deer that are resistant to cwd live and pass on their genes, if that doesn’t happen deer in many areas are gone soon.

[Simplefarmer]

Originally Posted by slough shark

Well for what it’s worth even without a cull cwd should crater the deer population if what we are told is true that animals die within 2 years. If 1/3 to 1/2 of the deer in a particular area have it before too long the deer population will be destroyed. Not culling may allow any deer that are resistant to cwd live and pass on their genes, if that doesn’t happen deer in many areas are gone soon.

What is interesting is a city in the hot zone such as Medicine Hat, the population of deer in that city is mind boggling... They flourish and certainly do not practice social distancing.

[slough shark]

Originally Posted by Simplefarmer

What is interesting is a city in the hot zone such as Medicine Hat, the population of deer in that city is mind boggling... They flourish and certainly do not practice social distancing.

What’s a little quizzical to me is I hunt in a hot zone, the cwd cases have been rising recently as has the population. From what we are told there should be a die off at some point, I haven’t heard of much of anything from the farmers about that, in fact about the only sign I’ve heard was a single deer that was in late stages that was put down. I’m curious how accurate the test is, my group has shot to date 4 cwd positive deer (no test results this year yet but with 9 mulies taken I expect a couple) , not one showed any sign of sickness, they all appeared in excellent health, nice fatty animals, we have yet to see any sign of sick dying or dead deer.

[Simplefarmer]

Originally Posted by slough shark

What’s a little quizzical to me is I hunt in a hot zone, the cwd cases have been rising recently as has the population. From what we are told there should be a die off at some point, I haven’t heard of much of anything from the farmers about that, in fact about the only sign I’ve heard was a single deer that was in late stages that was put down. I’m curious how accurate the test is, my group has shot to date 4 cwd positive deer (no test results this year yet but with 9 mulies taken I expect a couple) , not one showed any sign of sickness, they all appeared in excellent health, nice fatty animals, we have yet to see any sign of sick dying or dead deer.

From my personal experience, I have only seen one that I would call "sick", was a doe that just wouldn't leave the dugout... She struggled to stand, was very lethargic and lasted only a few days before the coyotes seized the opportunity to a easy meal.

I am sure the test is accurate, but is this disease as serious as what was originally portrayed to the outdoor community and general population ? I have my doubts as we still allow cross contamination in commercial butcher shops and have yet to address this elephant in the room...

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by Dean2

That mass kill was almost 20 years ago and it did slow it down for a while. When 1 in 3 animals is testing positive and it is a communicable disease can u explain to me the upside of leaving those infected animals in the population. What solution do you recommend.

What evidence is there that it "slowed it down for a while"?
They didn't test every deer killed. I not sure if any were tested that went in the pit.
So how many do you think should be killed?
80%, 90%?
After that the prions are still in the soil.
I don't have a solution but I know what hasn't worked so far.

[Penner]

Humic acid could be a wild card in fighting the disease.

[Springer]

At least there is still testing for CWD we can have done so we can decide if we want to eat the animal or not..
In Saskatchewan the testing program has ended to my knowledge, if your gonna shoot it and eat it, you accept the risks , if there is any when consuming it.