Hunters in Colorad Encouraged to Submit Deer and Elk for CWD Testing
October 9, 2008
Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) offices will be open extended hours during the 2008 deer and elk rifle seasons to answer hunter’s questions, sell licenses and offer testing services for chronic wasting disease (CWD). Â
In addition to normal weekday hours, many DOW offices will be open Columbus Day, Veterans Day and opening Saturdays during the main deer and elk rifle hunting seasons. Many high-demand locations also will be open on Sundays or offer “on-call” phone numbers for hunters who wish to drop off heads for testing on Sundays.Â
For a listing of office locations and hours, visit the DOW website at: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/
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Ultimately, the DOW hopes to continue to collect testing samples from deer and elk to increase knowledge about CWD infection rates and locations.  Â
“The more samples we receive, the more information we have to examine CWD prevalence across the state,” explained Brain Dreher, a senior terrestrial biologist from Colorado Springs.
CWD testing costs $15 per animal in most units across Colorado. Test fees are waived for animals harvested in units 591 and on JeffCO open space properties in Jefferson County; Heads collected at check stations in GMU 70 and GMU 60I are also exempt from the $15 fee.  Â
Every deer and elk license includes a detachable tag labeled “CWD Head Testing Tag.” The tag includes a bar code that can be scanned to speed up processing. Hunters should bring this tag in with the head and be prepared to provide detailed information about when and where the animal was harvested.
For a complete list of CWD collection locations, addresses, and hours of operation, visit the chronic wasting disease page on the DOW Web site at: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/CWD/CWDSubmission.htm.
The DOW’s goal is to provide test results within 10 to 14 working days during the regular rifle seasons. Hunters whose results are not available more than three weeks after submission should call the nearest DOW office for assistance.
Results are also available 24 hours a day through the CWD page on the DOW Web site by clicking on the CWD Test Results option at: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/CWD/.  Â
Test results can also be obtained by calling 1-800-434-0274. This number is available 24 hours a day and hunters can get results for up to three heads per call by keying in the head submission numbers on their CWD testing receipt.  Â
Out-of-state hunters should check with their home state’s wildlife agency to determine if there are special carcass importation restrictions in those states. Many states require hunters to bone out or process all deer and elk meat being returned to their home state from states with CWD.
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Like Basketball, There’s A 3-point Rule For Deer Hunting in Arkansas
October 9, 2008
LITTLE ROCK – In Arkansas, deer hunting has its own version of the three-point rule. No, it’s not a long, successful shot like in basketball.
The three-point rule, in effect for several years now, means a buck deer must have at least three points on one of its antler beams for a hunter to legally take it.
Since the end of the main beam is one point, two additional points at least one inch in length must be present on the main beam. A deer can have three points on one beam and just a spike or no beam on the other side and be legal. Some wildlife management areas have a four-point rule. Check the current Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Hunting Regulation Guide.
Hunters should remember the one-inch requirement for the points; the old deer hunters’ axiom of “if you can get a ring on it, it counts as a point” does not apply.
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IDNR Offers Hunters a New Online Safety Course Offers Quick Refresher on Treestand Safety For Hunters
October 9, 2008
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is reminding hunters that spending a few minutes online before heading into the field could be the difference between life and death.  Safety education courses are the best way to refresh the minds of even the most seasoned hunters.
This year, the IDNR is offering hunters a new way to reeducate themselves on treestand safety before heading into the field. HunterExam.com and the Treestand Manufactures Association (TMA) are offering a free online safety course which is available through the IDNR website at www.dnr.state.il.us under the “What’s New” section.
“It’s quick, it’s easy and it might save your life,” said IDNR Acting Director Sam Flood. “Every year in Illinois hunters are injured or killed in the field and most accidents are preventable if the proper precautions are taken.”
Last year there were 28 reported hunting incidents in Illinois, of which 12 involved falls from treestands.  Many of those falls resulted from the failure by the hunter to wear a fall restraint harness.Â
“Treestands have evolved over the years and so has treestand safety education. What used to be considered safe five to ten years ago is not considered safe today,” said IDNR Safety Education Coordinator Jeff Hopkins. “By reviewing the narrated safety tips a hunter, new or experienced, can learn about the latest Treestand Manufacturers Association safety standards and guidelines.”
The IDNR offers free hunting safety courses to the public. The courses are taught by volunteer safety instructors and include instruction on hunting regulations, hunter ethics and responsibility, archery, firearms, ammunition, first aid, wildlife identification and conservation. A minimum of 10 hours of instruction is involved.
Illinois law requires that anyone born on or after January 1, 1980 must successfully complete a hunter safety course before a regular Illinois hunting license is issued. Those who complete the course and pass the final exam receive a certificate of competency. Last year, nearly 17,000 students completed the course.
For more information on hunter safety education courses and the complete schedule of IDNR safety education programs, call 1-800/832-2599 or check the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us/safety/.
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Meeting on Proposed Elk-hunting Rules Scheduled Oct. 17 in Packwood
October 7, 2008
OLYMPIA – State wildlife officials will attend a public meeting Oct. 17 in Packwood to discuss proposed changes in elk-hunting rules to help control crop damage and other problems caused by foraging elk in the Cowlitz River Valley.
The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. in the Packwood Community Hall.
“We encourage anyone with questions or concerns about proposed changes in local elk-hunting rules to attend this meeting,” said Sandra Jonker, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) regional wildlife manager. “This meeting is designed to give people a chance to discuss these proposals directly with department staff.”
In developing statewide hunting seasons for 2009-11, WDFW proposed two possible changes in elk-hunting rules designed to address increasing complaints about elk damage in the Cowlitz River Valley, Jonker said.
Good forage in the valleys below the hills of the Gifford Pinchot National Forests draw large numbers of elk into the area, especially during hard winters, she said.
One proposal would create a new special-permit hunting area one mile from either side of U.S. Highway 12 from Morton to Packwood. The other would allow hunting of cow elk – rather than just branched antler bulls – during the general hunting season in the Davis Lake Valley.
“These changes are being proposed primarily as a way to reduce property damage and other elk-related problems in the area,” Jonker said. “Hunters would undoubtedly take some additional elk, but these proposals aren’t designed to reduce the overall size of the herd. The main goal is to haze animals away from people’s property, and hunters can help do that.”
Local no-shooting zones would remain in place and not be affected by the department’s proposals, Jonker said. Hunters also would still be required to observe “No Trespassing” signs and obtain property owners’ permission before hunting on private land.
As a first step in developing a new three-year hunting plan, WDFW sought public comments on new elk-hunting rules for the Cowlitz River Valley and more than 50 other proposals statewide from mid-August through September. During that time, the department held three public meetings in southwest Washington on local and statewide issues.
A second public-comment period is scheduled Jan. 20 through Feb. 5, 2009, after wildlife officials have considered the first round of comments and revised their initial set of proposals. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will then hold a public hearing on WDFW’s final recommendations in March, and take action on hunting rules for 2009-11 in April.
“The upcoming meeting in Packwood provides another opportunity for area residents to comment on proposed elk-hunting rules in the Cowlitz River Valley,” Jonker said. “We welcome this chance for a good exchange of ideas on this issue.”
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Pennsylvania Game Commission Offers Advice to Hunters Headed Out of State
October 7, 2008
HARRISBURG – With thousands of Pennsylvania hunters heading off to hunt big game in other states and Canadian provinces, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminds hunters that, in an effort to prevent the introduction of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) into the Commonwealth, the agency prohibits hunters from importing specific carcass parts from members of the deer family – including mule deer, elk and moose – from 14 states and two Canadian provinces.Â
Roe noted that this importation ban was contained in an executive order signed into effect in December of 2005, and affects hunters heading to: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (only from CWD containment area), South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia (only from Hampshire County), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.Â
The specific carcass parts, where the CWD prion (the causative agent) concentrates in cervids, that cannot be brought back to Pennsylvania by hunters are: the head (including brain, tonsils, eyes and lymph nodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen; skull plate with attached antlers, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; cape, if visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if root structure or other soft tissue is present; any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord tissue; unfinished taxidermy mounts; and brain-tanned hides.Â
Roe noted that the prohibition does not limit the importation of:Â meat, without the backbone; cleaned skull plate with attached antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; tanned hide or raw hide with no visible brain or spinal cord tissue present; cape, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft tissue is present; and finished taxidermy mounts.
Pennsylvania hunters heading to a state with a history of CWD should become familiar with that state’s wildlife regulations and guidelines for the transportation of harvested game animals. Wildlife officials have suggested hunters in areas where CWD is known to exist follow these recommendations to prevent the possible spread of the disease:
- Do not shoot, handle or consume any animal that appears sick; contact the state wildlife agency if you see or harvest an animal that appears sick.
- Wear rubber or latex gloves when field-dressing carcasses.
- Bone out the meat from your animal.
- Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues.
- Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field-dressing is completed.
- Request that your animal is processed individually, without meat from other animals being added to meat from your animal, or process your own meat if you have the tools and ability to do so.
- Have your animal processed in the endemic area of the state where it was harvested, so that high-risk body parts can be properly disposed of there. Only bring permitted materials back to Pennsylvania.
- Don’t consume the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils or lymph nodes of harvested animals. (Normal field-dressing, coupled with boning out a carcass, will remove most, if not all, of these body parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will help remove remaining lymph nodes.)
- Consider not consuming the meat from any animal that tests positive for the disease.
Roe said hunters who harvest a deer, elk or moose where CWD is known to exist should follow that state’s wildlife agency’s instructions on how and where to submit the appropriate samples to have their animal tested. If, after returning to Pennsylvania, a hunter is notified that his or her game tested positive for CWD, the hunter is encouraged to contact the Game Commission for disposal recommendations.
The Game Commission, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania and U.S. departments of Agriculture, has conducted tests on more than 18,000 deer and elk that have died of unknown illnesses, were exhibiting abnormal behavior or were killed by hunters. No evidence of CWD has been found in any of these samples.
The Game Commission will continue to monitor this disease and collect samples from deer and elk that appear sick or behave abnormally. The agency, this year, again plans to continue to test all hunter-killed elk and approximately 4,000 hunter-harvested wild deer for CWD. Â
First identified in 1967, CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects cervids, including all species of deer, elk and moose. It is a progressive and always fatal disease of the nervous system. Scientists theorize CWD is caused by an unknown agent capable of transforming normal brain proteins into an abnormal form.
There currently is no practical way to test live animals for CWD, nor is there a vaccine. Clinical signs include poor posture, lowered head and ears, uncoordinated movement, rough-hair coat, weight loss, increased thirst, excessive drooling, and, ultimately, death. There is currently no scientific evidence that CWD has or can spread to humans, either through contact with infected animals or by eating meat of infected animals. The Center for Disease Control has investigated any connection between CWD and the human forms of TSEs and stated “the risk of infection with the CWD agent among hunters is extremely small, if it exists at all” and “it is extremely unlikely that CWD would be a food-borne hazard.”
“Hunters spend a lot of time in the woods, and are a valuable source of information to wildlife agencies across the United States,” Roe said. “If a hunter sees a deer or elk behaving abnormally, or dying from unknown causes, contact the state wildlife agency and provide as much specific information as possible about where the animal was seen.”
In 2005, Pennsylvania CWD task force members completed the state’s response plan, which outlines ways to prevent CWD from entering our borders and, in the event CWD is found in Pennsylvania, how to detect it, contain it and work to eradicate it. The task force was comprised of representatives from the Governor’s Office, the Game Commission, the state Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state Department of Health, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, as well as representatives from stakeholder groups including hunters, deer farmers, deer processors and taxidermists. Initiated in 2003, a copy of the final plan can be viewed on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on “CWD Update” in the “Quick Clicks” box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.
“We know that Pennsylvania hunters are just as concerned about keeping CWD out of Pennsylvania as we are, and we are confident that they will do all they can to protect the Commonwealth’s whitetail and elk populations,” Roe said.
Other information, including tips for taxidermists and meat processors, can be found on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) in the CWD Update.
Websites for all 50 state wildlife agencies can be accessed via the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Click on the “Related Links” section at the bottom of the homepage, then select “Wildlife Agencies,” and then choose the state of interest from the map.
Additional information on CWD can be found on the CWD Alliance’s website (www.cwd-info.org).
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2008 Hunter Sight-in Day Open to the N.H. Public
October 6, 2008
Nashua Fish and Game Association (NFGA) will host a “Hunter Sight-In Day” event on our club grounds at Al Paul Lane, Merrimack, NH on Saturday, October 18, 2008, from 10 AM to 5 PM. It will be open to the public. The purpose of this sight-in day is to provide area hunters with a safe and organized place to verify and adjust the accuracy of their rifle/shotgun/handgun prior to taking to the field this hunting season.
Hunter turnout was great the last two years. We received a lot of positive feedback from participants about the available facilities and assistance provided by NFGA members.
We ask that each participant check the operation of their firearm and have any questionable equipment checked by a gunsmith prior to bringing it to the NFGA range. We will have Range Officers available to ensure safe operation of the range and to assist with sight-in as needed, however they are not authorized to perform maintenance or repair. In addition to a serviceable firearm, shooters must bring their own ammunition for that firearm. It is recommended that you bring the same ammunition for sight-in that you will use while hunting. If you have a bench rest or spotting scope that you wish to use, bring it with you.Â
Shooting positions are available at 25, 50, 100, 200 and 300 yards. Non-members will be charged a $5 fee for each firearm that is sighted-in. An additional $5 fee may be charged for bore sighting or assistance to install/align scopes.  To ensure all interested persons get their chance, each shooter will be allowed 25 rounds (your ammo) or setup time plus 40 minutes of firing time.
NFGA membership information will be available at the range or may be obtained on our web site www.nfga.org. Sight-in fees can be deducted from the membership initiation fee if a shooter joins NFGA within one month of the sight-in day.
Interested hunters can contact Nashua Fish and Game Association range governor at 603-424-2824 or E-mail us at fowlerrange@nfga.org to sign-up for NFGA Sight-In Day and for directions. Directions to the club grounds are also available on our web site, www.nfga.org.
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Colorado DOW Holds Elk, Deer Planning Meetings in Creede
September 19, 2008
The Colorado Division of Wildlife will hold a deer and elk management planning meeting at the Creede Community Center at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 2.
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At the meeting DOW big game managers will discuss 10-year management alternatives for deer in Game Management Units 76, 79, and 791; and elk in GMUs 76 and 79. These GMUs include portions of Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. DOW staff will explain buck-to-doe ratios, bull-to-cow ratios, harvest estimates and strategy options to plan for overall population numbers.
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The DOW also wants to hear from the public about issues and concerns regarding elk and deer management.
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Deer Check Station Changes in New Jersey
September 16, 2008
The information below pertains to 2008-09 deer check station closures and additions. For a complete list of check stations (prior to changes listed below) refer to page 58 in the 2008 Hunting Issue of the Fish and Wildlife DIGEST.
Hunters are reminded that they should bring their deer to an open check station nearest to where the deer was harvested.
UPDATES and DATE POSTED
The Dark Moon Tavern Co., located at 606 Rte 519 in Johnsonburg, Warren County is no longer a deer check station. (9/11/08)
Hadley’s Auto Repair, located at 22 Merry Lane, in East Hanover, Morris County has been added as a deer check station for all 2008-09 deer seasons. (9/11/08)
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Toyota to Sponsor W.Va. Big Buck Display & W.Va. Big Buck Contest
September 8, 2008
“The Division of Natural Resources (DNR) will partner with Toyota to promote the West Virginia Big Buck Display and West Virginia Big Buck Contest,” according to DNR Director Frank Jezioro. “The DNR is very excited about this partnership because it gives us an opportunity to promote these popular programs to a much greater extent and allows the DNR to utilize the resources of a large manufacturing corporation.”
Toyota will be sponsoring both the W.Va. Big Buck Display and the W.Va. Big Buck Contest, which differ in their scope and time frame.Â
The West Virginia Big Buck Display allows hunters with legally-taken West Virginia white-tailed buck mounts, taken in any year and scoring 150 or more in either Pope & Young or Boone and Crockett, a chance to display these at West Virginia’s Celebration of National Hunting & Fishing Days. This event is held at Stonewall Resort State Park on September 27-28, 2008. Those accepted will be given reimbursement for some travel expenses and will have a chance to win prizes. Because participation is limited to the first 30 qualifying trophy entries received, applicants should enter very soon. More information on the WV Big Buck Display can be found at: www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/wvbigbucks.shtm.
The West Virginia Big Buck Contest allows hunters who legally harvest bucks in the upcoming 2008 seasons opportunities to submit these for official recognition. These animals must be scored by an official measurer and must meet certain standards. All entries must be completed by January 31, 2009. The bucks, with their dimensions, county of kill, and owner’s name will be prominently displayed in DNR’s 2008 Big Game Bulletin (available February 2009). Hunters also will receive recognition and plaques at the 2009 National Hunting & Fishing Days at Stonewall Resort State Park. More information on the Big Buck Contest can be found at: www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/BigBuckContest.shtm.Â
“DNR’s relationship with the Toyota with regard to the Big Buck Display and the Big Buck Contest has been fantastic,” noted National Hunting & Fishing Days Event Coordinator Jerry Westfall. “Toyota has been very cooperative and responsive in providing us the necessary promotional items for these programs. Everyone should check out the W.Va. Big Buck Display Web page, and consider bringing a mount to the upcoming National Hunting & Fishing Days Celebration. Successful hunters should check out the W.Va. Big Buck Contest Web page and consider applying if their bucks meet the minimum standards.