More CWD Positives

[BigAl]

Another point of interest was there is an ideal deer density which maintains the population while keeping the disease from growing rapidly. It wasn't stated what that was however and it may depend on other factors. If the population is very high like 50 deer per square mile, it could be beneficial to reduce that to minimize interactions. Too few deer could cause a vacuum and deer from other areas will migrate in. The ideal deer density is a balancing act. One conclusion stated over and over is to expect a younger deer herd as time goes on with this disease.

So i guess the question is "what is the ideal density" and can it be obtained, quickly, using normal hunting methods?

 

[Mike Belt]

Supposing there is a vacuum created in certain areas. What priorities dictate deer filling those voids? Available food sources? Available and adequate cover for fawning and security? Natural and normal dispersal? Deer don't move that far from where they're born and it seems that areas adjoining highly infected areas would also be suspect to CWD. Since eliminating CWD once it's here is unlikely is the object to keep the infected areas available to more deer in an attempt to keep the disease contained to this given area? To keep drawing deer from the outside inside and centralizing the infected area?

 

[KBotta]

Up to 62 now? Wonder if other counties will begin to show positive?

 

[TJS209]

Up to 62 now? Wonder if other counties will begin to show positive?

Over 90 now with more counties to be included in the zone

 

[Andy S.]

My friend got the dreaded call last night, he was #94 as of that call. TWRA is getting test results in daily/weekly, so that number could increase in short order.

 

[Big Gun]

My 3 from Fayette all came back negative.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[BULL MOOSE]

So did Madison hunter just choose to have deer tested on thier own or take it to a CWD county to be tested? Buck or doe?

Exactly how was the random testing different this year than last?

 

[Andy S.]

So did Madison hunter just choose to have deer tested on thier own or take it to a CWD county to be tested? Buck or doe?

Doe. The processor he used was in Fayette county (CWD Zone), thus the deer was tested by TWRA. If he had used a processor in Madison county, or any other non CWD Zone processor, or processed it himself, it would not have made the radar, and remained undetected in Madison county for the time being.

Exactly how was the random testing different this year than last?

More focused based on risked based surveillance. Reference Appendix A of TWRA CWD Response Plan.

https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/ ... e_Plan.pdf

 

[BULL MOOSE]

So did Madison hunter just choose to have deer tested on thier own or take it to a CWD county to be tested? Buck or doe?

Doe. The processor he used was in Fayette county (CWD Zone), thus the deer was tested by TWRA. If he had used a processor in Madison county, or any other non CWD Zone processor, or processed it himself, it would not have made the radar, and remained undetected in Madison county for the time being.

Exactly how was the random testing different this year than last?

More focused based on risked based surveillance. Reference Appendix A of TWRA CWD Response Plan.

https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/ ... e_Plan.pdf

Wow! What are the odds of even discovering it that way.. I was hoping it was a buck that dispersed.

Convenience test and no confidence is what I read. Makes sense to test more based on risk level. Do you know if the actual testing method is different/better?

 

[prstide]

I feel like this is a dumb question but one I've been very interested in trying to get the answer to:
Has anyone witnessed how the sampling is taken from these deer at the processors? Is there a risk of cross contamination in the methods used to sample?
I'm in no way doubting the ability/methods used by the agency but just had the thought cross my mind that it wouldn't be very hard to cause a lot of false positives if there was an unsanitized instrument/unchanged gloves used on more than one animal at these same processors over and over.

 

[poorhunter]

I feel like this is a dumb question but one I've been very interested in trying to get the answer to:
Has anyone witnessed how the sampling is taken from these deer at the processors? Is there a risk of cross contamination in the methods used to sample?
I'm in no way doubting the ability/methods used by the agency but just had the thought cross my mind that it wouldn't be very hard to cause a lot of false positives if there was an unsanitized instrument/unchanged gloves used on more than one animal at these same processors over and over.

I don't know the methods for sure and I'm not a biologist, but I did get a wildlife biology degree in college and I highly doubt they would be that careless.

 

[prstide]

I feel like this is a dumb question but one I've been very interested in trying to get the answer to:
Has anyone witnessed how the sampling is taken from these deer at the processors? Is there a risk of cross contamination in the methods used to sample?
I'm in no way doubting the ability/methods used by the agency but just had the thought cross my mind that it wouldn't be very hard to cause a lot of false positives if there was an unsanitized instrument/unchanged gloves used on more than one animal at these same processors over and over.

I don't know the methods for sure and I'm not a biologist, but I did get a wildlife biology degree in college and I highly doubt they would be that careless.

Appreciate the input and I fully agree but I'm looking for someone to respond that had first hand experience at a processor this season with the agency there sampling. Not saying anybody was purposefully careless of questioning anyone's intelligence, just wondered.

 

[Andy S.]

Has anyone witnessed how the sampling is taken from these deer at the processors?

I have. This video pretty much sums it up. TWRA sanitizes their knives/tools and takes extra precaution to not cross contaminate anything. Furthermore, I do not think cross contamination at gland removal would have any near term impact on what the lab sees under the microscope, thus it would in no way impact the results the lab determines (positive or not detected).

[youtube]xhtw9exThRI[/youtube]

 

[Lost Lake]

I took one of my deer to Potts Processing in Wartrace, where TWRA was collecting samples on opening day of Muzzleloader. I watched them cut the lymph nodes out of several deer, including mine, using a filet type knife. I honestly didn't watch closely enough to see if they used the same knife, but I am under the impression that knives cannot be sanitized enough to kill prions.

 

[Andy S.]

...... but I am under the impression that knives cannot be sanitized enough to kill prions.

I'm not sure if it is 100% effective or not, but this is what Wisconsin DNR recommends:

"Recommendation – use these strategies to promote prion decontamination:
a. Keep instruments and other materials moist between exposure and cleaning/decontamination.
b. Soak all appropriate processing equipment and surfaces in a 50:50 bleach water solution for at least 1 hr.
c. Rinse all equipment and surfaces with clean, hot water after soaking in bleach water solution."

 

[Lost Lake]

Thanks Andy!

 

[megalomaniac]

look at the updated map... notice the core on the county line? notice the hole in the middle of the core? Maybe just coincidence, but that peaks my interest.

 

[fairchaser]

look at the updated map... notice the core on the county line? notice the hole in the middle of the core? Maybe just coincidence, but that peaks my interest.

The center circle is likely the town of Lagrange or Grand Junction where there are homes and businesses and limited hunting. It's hard to say with that map with not enough detail.

 

[river925]

I feel like this is a dumb question but one I've been very interested in trying to get the answer to:
Has anyone witnessed how the sampling is taken from these deer at the processors? Is there a risk of cross contamination in the methods used to sample?
I'm in no way doubting the ability/methods used by the agency but just had the thought cross my mind that it wouldn't be very hard to cause a lot of false positives if there was an unsanitized instrument/unchanged gloves used on more than one animal at these same processors over and over.

I can not speak for more than the site i have been to in Mcnairy county, but I brought two deer on the same evening to be checked and Agents used two different sterile packed scalpels for cutting. Obviously one for each deer. I also noticed that he changed gloves between animals and took time to wrap used scalpel inside first pair of gloves and discard before beginning second deer. Have not received results as of yet..

 

[prstide]

Thanks for all the feedback on my question about testing procedures.