If feeding wild deer contributed significantly to CWD all the deer in OK and TX would have CWD. i've done considerable research on CWD.
Similar things have been said from folks in other states too. Until it shows up that is. Hard to pass along a disease that ain't there yet. Very easy to pass it along once it is, by concentrating deer in a small area where they are exposed to the saliva and feces of other animals. Your considerable research should have told you that. Along with the info on how the disease spreads, your research should have told you there is no cure or immunization for it. Even if there was, there's no practical way to apply it to wild deer. The only way to defend your deer herd is to prevent the spread, by trying to not concentrate animals over a period of time, in a small area. Three thousand acres means nuttin' iffin one keeps a feeder in the same spot for years. Prions live indefinitely in the soil. Only takes one sick deer.
Deer farms and hunting ranches are major contributors to CWD in the US deer herd. CWD infected deer have been shipped to deer farms in other states. There is big money involved here and it's a hot button issue. Yep, "hunters" pay big money to shoot a semi-domesticated buck deer with huge antlers inside a rather small enclosure.
This is true. The disease was first identified in captive mule deer in Colorado back in the 60s. Science believes the disease may have been present in free-ranging populations of mule deer for more than 40 years prior. One of the theories is it is a mutated form of Scrapie, a TSE of domestic sheep. It is possible, though never proven, that deer came into contact with scrapie-infected sheep either on shared pastures or in captivity somewhere along the front range of the Rocky Mountains, where high levels of sheep grazing occurred in the early 1900s.
Deer/elk farms and hunting ranches are big business in Wisconsin and elsewhere. Wisconsin pays for every animal they shoot on CWD infected deer/elk farms.
Wisconsin pays for every domestic deer killed because deer at captive cervid facilities are considered livestock, they are covered under "Condemnation of Diseased Animals," Chapter 95.31 of Wisconsin statutes.
The statute reads: "(DATCP) may condemn animals that are affected with or exposed to a contagious or infectious disease if the department determines that it is necessary to do so to prevent or control the spread of the disease. Condemned animals shall be slaughtered or destroyed as directed by the department."
Further "the department shall pay indemnities on livestock condemned and slaughtered or destroyed."
State Law and applies to all livestock. Still, most deer, especially those "Trophy Bucks" are worth more than the $1300 a piece, paid to the farmer in the first linked article, that had 228 animals destroyed. Not really a money maker for him.
As for Deer/Elk Farms being big business in Wisconsin, the majority used to be sold out of state to ranches in other states where High Fence hunting is more the norm.....like Texas, where the genetics for Wisconsisn's big bodied, big antlered bucks is desired.. Shooting preserves/high fence ranches for hunting deer here in Wisconsin is a pretty limited cottage industry. Just too much quality hunting on private and public land in the state for it to be the "big business" you claim. Another reason for captive deer is for the collection of urine and other body fluids used in hunting scents and attractants. This too is "big business".
If you are a deer hunter, you need to be concerned about CWD. It is even theorized, that it may be possible that CWD is a spontaneous TSE that arose in deer in the wild or in captivity and has biological features promoting transmission to other deer and elk. This means even tho it ain't there yet and all the new rules and regs for the transportation and interstate commerce of live deer are now in place, it could still happen. Nobody really knows. All we know is that it is readily transmitted thru close contact. It does not matter if that close contact happens behind a fence or out in the wild. When you have the unnaturally high numbers of deer like we do now, and are supplement feeding them in the same area over a period of time, you are asking for problems, even when CWD is not present. Other diseases like Bovine TB and others also proliferate when these conditions are around.
