Hunting
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Posted on Sep 23, 2023
Oregon hunters advised to test deer, elk meat for disease
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Oregon wildlife officials are increasing the number of places where hunters can have deer and elk meat tested for a disease that could devastate big game herds if it makes its way to the state.
Chronic wasting disease was detected in northern Idaho in 2021, just 30 miles from the Oregon border. It has yet to be found in Oregon, though officials are concerned it could appear soon.
“There is no cure, no treatment, or vaccine for the disease, and it is fatal to all animals that become infected,” said Dr. Colin Gillin, state wildlife veterinarian, in a press release. “But if we catch it early, we will have the best chance of minimizing its spread and impact on Oregon’s big game herds.”
Hunters are required by law to stop at a check station if they pass one along a highway or interstate while transporting deer or elk, otherwise they risk getting a citation. The meat can also be tested at participating taxidermists and meat processing facilities. A list of check stations and participating businesses is located on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website.
It usually takes about 10 minutes for officials to test the meat at check stations. Samples are gathered from a collection of lymph nodes in an animal’s head.
Chronic wasting disease affects cervid animals, including deer, elk and moose. It’s spread through nose-to-nose contact, as well as through feces, blood and saliva. Infected animals can also shed the disease-causing proteins called prions in the soil for years, potentially infecting other animals.
Chronic wasting disease was detected in northern Idaho in 2021, just 30 miles from the Oregon border. It has yet to be found in Oregon, though officials are concerned it could appear soon.
“There is no cure, no treatment, or vaccine for the disease, and it is fatal to all animals that become infected,” said Dr. Colin Gillin, state wildlife veterinarian, in a press release. “But if we catch it early, we will have the best chance of minimizing its spread and impact on Oregon’s big game herds.”
Hunters are required by law to stop at a check station if they pass one along a highway or interstate while transporting deer or elk, otherwise they risk getting a citation. The meat can also be tested at participating taxidermists and meat processing facilities. A list of check stations and participating businesses is located on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website.
It usually takes about 10 minutes for officials to test the meat at check stations. Samples are gathered from a collection of lymph nodes in an animal’s head.
Chronic wasting disease affects cervid animals, including deer, elk and moose. It’s spread through nose-to-nose contact, as well as through feces, blood and saliva. Infected animals can also shed the disease-causing proteins called prions in the soil for years, potentially infecting other animals.
Oregon hunters advised to test deer, elk meat for disease
Posted from opb.org
Hunting
Deer Hunting
Posted 7 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel As a guy who plays a taxidermist (!), I have done a lot of reading and I'm very concerned about CWD. They say humans are immune to it but how do they really know we are? CWD has the potential to destroy massive numbers of cervids and the prions can live in the soil for years.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
Cpl Vic Burk Sound Like You have a Better Inside Track on this Disease than I Do. I Do Know about some of the Hazards of "Prions" since I am excluded from Donating Blood from Exposure to Mad Cow Disease.
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Maj Robert Thornton
One of the reasons Georgia has laws regarding not being able to bring a deer carcass into the state from other states. So far, it hasn’t appeared in GA, to my knowledge.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."SALEM, Ore.—Big game hunters who tag a deer or elk early in the season should stop by one of ODFW's Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) check stations the opening weekend of major rifle seasons. ODFW staff will be sampling animals for this deadly disease recently detected in Idaho near Oregon's northeast border.
Hunters can also contact their local ODFW office to arrange for district staff to get a sample or ask their meat processor or taxidermist.Find a list of participating ODFW offices and businesses at https://myodfw.com/articles/other-ways-get-your-animal-tested-cwd
New this year, hunters transporting deer, elk or other wildlife parts who encounter a CWD check station are required to stop to have their animal sampled (per HB 3152 passed by Oregon's legislature last year). Hunters or vehicles that are not transporting wildlife carcasses or parts do not need to stop. Hunters are also not required to go out of their way to drive by a check station, though ODFW encourages every hunter transporting a deer or elk to stop by if they are in the area.
ODFW has sampled more than 24,000 deer and elk for CWD over the past 20 year as the disease began to spread from Colorado and Wyoming to other states due to animal migrations and movements of live animals and carcasses by people. Oregon's surveillance effort has not detected CWD in free-ranging deer, elk or moose within our borders. Unfortunately, it was found in mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk and white-tailed deer in NW Idaho, just 30 miles from the Oregon border, late last year.
"With the disease detected in multiple species so close to Oregon, we are concerned it could already be here," said Dr. Colin Gillin, ODFW state wildlife veterinarian. "That's why we are asking successful hunters to please get their animal tested this year."
The more animals the state tests, the more certain ODFW can be that the disease is not in the state. If it is detected, ODFW can implement its response plan to contain the spread of the disease.
"There is no cure, no treatment, or vaccine for the disease and it is fatal to all animals that become infected," continued Gillin. "But if we catch it early, we will have the best chance of minimizing its spread and impact on Oregon's big game herds."
Once an animal is infected, it can take several years for symptoms to appear, so in most cases deer and elk that test positive for the disease will appear normal and healthy. That's why ODFW tests as many animals as it can, including both hunter-harvested and roadkilled deer and elk. Oregon's captive elk facilities are also assisting in the state's surveillance by testing all of their captive animals that die beyond the age of 6 months."...
..."SALEM, Ore.—Big game hunters who tag a deer or elk early in the season should stop by one of ODFW's Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) check stations the opening weekend of major rifle seasons. ODFW staff will be sampling animals for this deadly disease recently detected in Idaho near Oregon's northeast border.
Hunters can also contact their local ODFW office to arrange for district staff to get a sample or ask their meat processor or taxidermist.Find a list of participating ODFW offices and businesses at https://myodfw.com/articles/other-ways-get-your-animal-tested-cwd
New this year, hunters transporting deer, elk or other wildlife parts who encounter a CWD check station are required to stop to have their animal sampled (per HB 3152 passed by Oregon's legislature last year). Hunters or vehicles that are not transporting wildlife carcasses or parts do not need to stop. Hunters are also not required to go out of their way to drive by a check station, though ODFW encourages every hunter transporting a deer or elk to stop by if they are in the area.
ODFW has sampled more than 24,000 deer and elk for CWD over the past 20 year as the disease began to spread from Colorado and Wyoming to other states due to animal migrations and movements of live animals and carcasses by people. Oregon's surveillance effort has not detected CWD in free-ranging deer, elk or moose within our borders. Unfortunately, it was found in mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk and white-tailed deer in NW Idaho, just 30 miles from the Oregon border, late last year.
"With the disease detected in multiple species so close to Oregon, we are concerned it could already be here," said Dr. Colin Gillin, ODFW state wildlife veterinarian. "That's why we are asking successful hunters to please get their animal tested this year."
The more animals the state tests, the more certain ODFW can be that the disease is not in the state. If it is detected, ODFW can implement its response plan to contain the spread of the disease.
"There is no cure, no treatment, or vaccine for the disease and it is fatal to all animals that become infected," continued Gillin. "But if we catch it early, we will have the best chance of minimizing its spread and impact on Oregon's big game herds."
Once an animal is infected, it can take several years for symptoms to appear, so in most cases deer and elk that test positive for the disease will appear normal and healthy. That's why ODFW tests as many animals as it can, including both hunter-harvested and roadkilled deer and elk. Oregon's captive elk facilities are also assisting in the state's surveillance by testing all of their captive animals that die beyond the age of 6 months."...
Other ways to get your animal tested for CWD | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
In addition to roadside check stations, there are other ways to get you animal tested for CWD. But remember, if you have a harvested animal and do encounter a check station, you are legally required to stop. Learn more about CWD and check station locations.
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