More CWD Positives

[Hardwoodmaterials]

Which high fence operation is everyone referring to and where is it located?

The high fence place is "The Zoo" and it's in the south west corner of Hardeman Co. just about surrounded by positive CWD tested deer. I have no idea if they import any deer but I would bet the TWRA will be going over everything there if they have imported any.

 

[Remington700]

I have a good friend that is good friends with a West TN game warden (not the same county as the CWD deer, but neighboring). He said he was told that they are pretty sure this originated at a facility that brought deer in for hunting. Apparently deer were brought in from Michigan a few years back. It was later found out that the deer came from a part of Michigan that has now been pinpointed as a hot spot for CWD.
Sounds very plausible to me at this point. Also, that they just happened to test deer in this portion of the state. I believe it was known a while before the public release.
This could all be a conspiracy theory of others as well.

 

[DaveB]

The large number of positives would tend to evoke such conspiracy theories.

What I think is MUCH more likely:
That something at Ames (or the Zoo) caught the attention of someone...who reported those suspicions...and they were acted upon......and now we have 20+ confirmed cases all in the general area.

Doesn't matter if illegal import at this point unless there exists proof positive of skullduggery by someone and they would have to be an idiot not to have totally destroyed all evidence by now.

What we really need is for a number of animals from surrounding counties to come in clean. And with no season the burden is going to fall heavy on the TWRA folks.

Lord have mercy on us.

 

[MickThompson]

For the conspiracy theorists- what would TWRA possibly stand to gain from being CWD positive?


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[DRSJ35]

I don't know what they would gain exactly. I will guess at it though. More Money from the public.And possibly more money for CWD research from the state or the Feds.which can be spent at their discretion. Of course I'm not really sure I bye into a conspiracy. Just look up online called the CWD cash cow. Either way however it got here. It was most likely human intervention.

 

[MickThompson]

More money from the public? They get none from the state. Deer hunting is a revenue generator for TWRA and pretty much every other state with whitetails, and local economies. It's the most popular game animal in the country-why anyone would jeopardize that is beyond me.

There's a bill that's been introduced that would make funds available to states, but read the bill- as written, it prioritizes states with the most history of CWD and that have spent the most on CWD- 26th in line out of 26 isn't a good place to be though.


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[DaveB]

Human intervention would require more than one person keeping their mouth wired shut.

If you could prove someone intentionally broke the law and killed off the property of the State, how much do you think that would cost when the judicial system finished cutting your privates off?

The reward for a conspirator coming forward and rolling on his soon-to-be-enemies would be substantial.

Could be an ignorant or careless or uncaring landowner trying to improve his herd OR decimate the local herds. Maybe its a guy who lost his wife and kids in a deer/car crash and he is getting even.

If nothing turns up outside of the 3 counties then I would suspect a lot of attention is going to be focused on the Fayette/Hardeman county line area.

 

[MickThompson]

And the high fence right in the middle? I don't know if it had any history of importing deer or not but it will certainly be under scrutiny.

I doubt it was an intentional release by someone "wronged by deer", most likely someone who just didn't care.


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[MickThompson]

In the grand scheme of things, however, it doesn't matter how it got here, just that we do what we can to keep it out of the other 93 counties in the state.


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[Doskil]

Is Alabama testing for it?

 

[Omega]

While I'm skeptical of an intentional CWD import, I would not doubt that imported deer were the cause of the outbreak. There are way too many positives all of a sudden. If the deer were cleared, it may be an honest mistake. Now, if someone imported "healthy" deer and later discovered an issue and released them, that then becomes a huge problem.

 

[Andy S.]

In the grand scheme of things, however, it doesn't matter how it got here, just that we do what we can to keep it out of the other 93 counties in the state.

Exactly! The faster the hunters come to grips with this, the better off they will be. This is the long term goal of TWRA, regardless of what you want to believe.

 

[megalomaniac]

You can do genetic testing of the affected positives and determine whether they were imported or related to imported deer as opposed to purely local deer. I suspect TWRA and the ag dept are currently doing so. IF someone illegally brought a deer into TN and it is discovered as the source of the outbreak, they will be in a world of hurt financially.


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[wmd]

Is Alabama testing for it?

Yes.

 

[MickThompson]

You can do genetic testing of the affected positives and determine whether they were imported or related to imported deer as opposed to purely local deer. I suspect TWRA and the ag dept are currently doing so. IF someone illegally brought a deer into TN and it is discovered as the source of the outbreak, they will be in a world of hurt financially.


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Assuming you can prove that live deer were imported into TN, you still have to prove 1) those deer were the source of CWD, and 2) who imported the deer.

I hope TWRA can find out the source eventually but the top priority still has to be keeping it from moving.


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[Omega]

You can do genetic testing of the affected positives and determine whether they were imported or related to imported deer as opposed to purely local deer. I suspect TWRA and the ag dept are currently doing so. IF someone illegally brought a deer into TN and it is discovered as the source of the outbreak, they will be in a world of hurt financially.


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Assuming you can prove that live deer were imported into TN, you still have to prove 1) those deer were the source of CWD, and 2) who imported the deer.

I hope TWRA can find out the source eventually but the top priority still has to be keeping it from moving.


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One does not exclude the other. A plan is in place, testing is being done, so the investigation into a possible crime can concurrently be accomplished.

 

[poorhunter]

My guess is that the high fence place in Hardeman had a chance to get deer cheaply from this place in Michigan because they had CWD and both places didn't really care about spreading it to another state. You can't not know where those deer came from and that it was a hot zone.

 

[BigAl]

Which high fence operation is everyone referring to and where is it located?

The high fence place is "The Zoo" and it's in the south west corner of Hardeman Co. just about surrounded by positive CWD tested deer. I have no idea if they import any deer but I would bet the TWRA will be going over everything there if they have imported any.

It is my understanding the Zoo does not import deer (I could be wrong about this). I think having the zoo in place could provide a great test case for CWD inside and outside an enclosure and when/how/where it spreads.

I heard on the TWRA replay there is another high fenced area in the hot zone. They also mentioned one in Toone. Not sure if they are referring to the Goodman Ranch, which is on the other side of Chickasaw. But it for sure imports Cervids.

 

[Andy S.]

^^^^ Per the 2018 TWRA CWD Response Plan, there are 3 documented "cervid facilities" in Hardeman County.

See page 22.

 

[Andy S.]

Not sure if they are referring to the Goodman Ranch, which is on the other side of Chickasaw. But it for sure imports Cervids.

Goodman Ranch is in Chester County, correct?