Officials with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission reported earlier this month that no additional positive Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) detections have been found in the 2021-2022 deer harvest since the single deer that tested positive in Yadkin County in March.
In March, the commission announced that CWD had been detected in a hunter-harvested buck from Yadkin County in December 2021. This made it the first such detection of the disease in North Carolina, and followed confirmed cases in several nearby Virginia counties.
CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, caused by abnormal prion proteins, which affects white-tailed deer and other cervids, such as elk or moose, and is fatal.
Emergency powers were invoked in April to activate a localized response plan to assist with detection and isolation of CWD in the affected area. The emergency powers established a Primary Surveillance Area (PSA) and Secondary Surveillance Area (SSA) with special regulations intended to increase surveillance and reduce the risk of spread.
Placement of bait, food, food product, mineral, or salt licks to purposefully congregate wildlife is now be prohibited through August 31. Exceptions are made for bird feeders, hunting during the urban archery season in participating municipalities, and other activities specifically permitted by the Wildlife Commission.
Furthermore, there is an ongoing prohibition of transportation of white-tailed deer, dead or alive, out of the Surveillance Areas except for carcass parts that conform to state policy, or as otherwise permitted by the commission.
Also, on the disposal of white-tailed deer carcasses taken or found inside of the Surveillance Areas outside of the Surveillance Areas, unless permitted by the commission.
The PSA is defined in Surry County as being East of US 601, South of NC 268 and West of Quaker Church Road and the Ararat River. In Yadkin County East of US 601, North of NC 67, West of Shoals Road to the intersection with Shady Grove Church Road and West of Fairground Road.
The SSA is a much larger area made up of the entirety of Surry, Yadkin, Davie, Forsyth, and Stokes counties. Also, Alleghany County East of US 21 and NC 18; Wilkes County East of NC 18 and NC 115; and Iredell County East of NC 115 and North of I 40.
During the current sampling season, wildlife biologists collected more than 7,200 deer tissue samples across the state from hunters, meat processors, taxidermists, road kills and sick deer. “We are currently at a 98% return,” said Brad Howard, wildlife management division chief with the Wildlife Commission.
“We are still collecting samples from roadkill, depredation harvest and late submissions, but we feel confident enough with these results to move forward and focus our CWD response plan efforts in Yadkin County and the surrounding areas.”
He added, “Although the detection of CWD is bad news, we have been preparing for this. Our long-term goal is to protect our deer herd and our deer hunting culture. Achieving that goal means we must work with our constituents to implement our response plan and refine our long-term management strategy.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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