Will harvest totals in CWD counties actually decline?

[Boll Weevil]

A little long-winded but please hear me out...an important dynamic in managing CWD counties could be emerging. Right off the bat I'll be the first to say TWRA has had a solid response to the CWD discovery...I'm not here to debate the regs. Good job TWRA.

That being said, I'm hearing alot from hunters in CWD counties about the challenges the new regs present. The online/app check-in now has a few extra CWD-related steps. At the processor, the successful hunter is given a ziploc bag with a sheet needing to be filled out: first/last name, TWRA number, harvest confirmation number, county, sex, whether the meat is being donated and I might have missed a couple. The hunter fills that slip out, places in the bag, and pins it to the ear of the deer (so it stays with the head/lymph nodes).

Another tag with harvest confirmation number goes in the deer's leg so it stays with the carcass thru processing and goes into the box with the meat when complete. As well, the processor we've taken deer for years is for the first time requiring up front payment and went up $5. Totally understand a processor doesn't want to be left holding a bunch of meat from deer that confirmed was CWD positive 2 weeks AFTER they were brought in but very conveniently, BEFORE the now-notified hunter came back to pick it up/pay. In other words, last year folks started to wait to hear whether a checked deer was negative before going back to get/pay for the meat.

I overheard one hunter who's son...maybe 10-12 years old had shot a doe. Dad's response when he learned of all the new requirements, "If I'd have know it was this much trouble to kill a deer I wouldn't have let the boy shoot." If this is indeed a growing sentiment among hunters in these counties and we're just 3 days into the season...boy I don't know where we go from here. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if folks shoot fewer just because of the increased cost, up front payment, extra steps, and perceived "hassle." At a time when TWRA wants folks to shoot more not less...just not hearing that talking to other hunters/processors. Early prediction is harvest numbers may actually decline (maybe significantly) in these counties.

Anyone else care to chime in?

 

[westtnhunter]

I talked my son, who has never killed a deer, out of shooting a doe just this weekend.
Did not want to go to all the trouble if we ended up not being able to eat the meat.
He was happy to wait on a buck and I told him he could kill the first legal buck that comes by

 

[cbhunter]

I think the numbers in those counties will decline significantly


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[huntintn]

I quit hunting entirely because.of it, not taking a chance feeding infected meat to ny family. Not gonna go and kill them for the thrill of killing. If i want horns I'll pick up sheds this spring.

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[JDUB]

Has it been determined CWD meat affects humans?

 

[diggerak]

I know it has affected the numbers on public land so far. I would say a third fewer vehicles than last year at same time

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[Boll Weevil]

Has it been determined CWD meat affects humans?

There are no cases of CWD being transmitting to humans through consumption of meat from a confirmed positive deer.

 

[Ladys man]

This may be completely off topic but what if all the negative talk about how bad CWD is, but what If it is some miracle cure like cures cancer or something crazy.

I'm sry it's completely off subject had this thought the other day while in the stand

 

[bobbuck]

If I hunted in the CWD counties I would either find somewhere to hunt outside those counties or quit hunting deer. So I would say numbers will be going down for sure.

 

[JeepKuntry]

I saw 18 deer last weekend. Passed em all because of transport regs. When you have 2 days to hunt I don't want yo fool with skinning and deboning a doe.

 

[AT Hiker]

If I hunted in the CWD counties I would either find somewhere to hunt outside those counties or quit hunting deer. So I would say numbers will be going down for sure.

Just curious if your thought process would still apply if practically all of TN counties has positives?


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[bobbuck]

If I hunted in the CWD counties I would either find somewhere to hunt outside those counties or quit hunting deer. So I would say numbers will be going down for sure.

Just curious if your thought process would still apply if practically all of TN counties has positives?


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Yes it would remain the same. Too many hoops to jump through for me. I've killed plenty in my life. That being said I live outside the country now so I don't hunt anymore.

 

[AT Hiker]

Yeah, outside the country would definitely complicate some things.

IMO, TWRA might have shot themselves in the foot with how they have handled CWD. Take MT for example. They now have CWD and all they did was say "hey, if you kill a deer/elk inside these zones please report it so we can test". That's it, no scene was made.

Now, if CWD turns us all into Zombies the state of Montana might have some guilt but other than that it's business as usual.


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[Remington700]

I hunt Fayette in the middle of the hot zone. It has not slowed our killing one bit so far. The processor we go to in Moscow has still been checking deer lie normal. I have seen fewer hunters traveling the highway and heard less shooting. I wonder if most casuals just do not realize gun season has opened in CWD counties. Guess we will have to wait until the end of the season to see what comes out number wise. That being said we have killed 4 deer (2 on juvy and 2 last weekend). Seeing an average of 10 off the stand each sit.

 

[Spurhunter]

Yes. Harvest numbers are going to decline dramatically. Almost everyone I talk to says they will just trophy hunt to avoid the hoops you gotta jump through. Opening day of gun season I was the only one at my club. Not saying the others won't hunt, but CWD seems to have changed people's priorities. Personally, I don't eat a lot of deer meat because I don't cook a lot. So, nothing has changed for me. I will hunt every chance I get hoping to see one worthy of a taxidermist bill. Otherwise, I'll end the season without punching a tag. I don't need to kill to enjoy the season.

 

[swd]

Still killing 3 does for every buck taken and putting 3-5 in the freezer for me. It has not changed a thing other than waiting until the tests come back to eat the hearts.

 

[AT Hiker]

So you would eat other muscles and not the heart of a CWD positive deer?

Side note, I've never eaten a frozen and thawed heart. Do they taste much different (texture) than a freshy? I usually throw them in a buttered skillet first thing.


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[TheLBLman]

Take MT for example.
They now have CWD and all they did was say
"Hey, if you kill a deer/elk inside these zones please report it so we can test".
That's it, no scene was made.

Yes, but how long has CWD been documented to exist in MT?

 

[AT Hiker]

Take MT for example.
They now have CWD and all they did was say
"Hey, if you kill a deer/elk inside these zones please report it so we can test".
That's it, no scene was made.

Yes, but how long has CWD been documented to exist in MT?

I've been hunting their approx 5 years and haven't heard anything about it until 2 year ago when they found it just North of the Wyoming Big Horns.


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[clwg97]

I hunt in the CWD Zone and have not changed how I hunt. I hunt public land and take the deer by the processor to get the sample sent out. I do wait for the result before I pick the deer up, but I pay up front for the processing. out of my group I hunt(4 guys) with we have shot 4 bucks and 3 does and so far all have been clean. Trying to shoot a few more does to earn and extra buck tag is enough incentive for us to keep shooting does.