Game and Fish Weekly News - CWD found in new areas and more hunter feedback welcomed

Latest round of testing finds CWD in new hunt areas

CHEYENNE - The latest round of tests from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance program has found the disease in three new hunt areas. CWD is a fatal neurological disease of deer, elk and moose. The National Park Service also recently found CWD at Devils Tower National Monument.
Staff at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s wildlife disease laboratory in Laramie confirmed the presence of CWD in a bull elk from elk hunt area 12 northeast of Saratoga, in a white-tailed buck from deer hunt area 112 southwest of Cody and a white-tailed doe in deer hunt area 171 north of Lander. Consistent with previous CWD findings for the season, these hunt areas are all near or overlap areas where CWD has been detected before. As is the case with Park Service’s finding, which corresponds with deer hunt area 1.
“We continue to work hard to monitor CWD, research its impacts and potential vaccines,” said Scott Edberg Deputy Chief of Game and Fish’s Wildlife Division. “By the end of the year, we will be releasing a draft updated CWD management plan for public review and comment. We look forward to hearing from the public about this proposed plan.”
After public review and input, the revised CWD plan will be brought to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission for approval sometime in early 2016.
Personnel continue to collect samples of deer, elk and moose through hunter field checks and at CWD sampling stations. Game and Fish personnel collect and analyze more than 1,600 CWD samples annually throughout the state.
Hunters who wish to have their deer, elk or moose tested for CWD outside of the department’s CWD surveillance program can to do so by contacting the Wyoming State Veterinary Lab at (307) 766-9925. Hunters should be aware that it may take a few weeks after their animal is sampled to get their test results.
For more information on chronic wasting disease transmission and regulations on transportation and disposal of carcasses please visit the Game and Fish website at: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Wildlife-in-Wyoming/More-Wildlife/Wildlife-Disease/Chronic-Wasting-Disease/CWD-Disease-Info.

-WGFD-

Moose and black bear hunters can shape future management

CHEYENNE – Wyoming’s moose and black bear hunting seasons close in mid-November. Those who bought black bear and moose licenses in 2015 can now give input that will be considered in future management decisions by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. To get this feedback Game and Fish has sent out harvest surveys to hunters. Hunters will see those surveys in their mailboxes and in their email accounts.
The feedback we get is important information and is a valuable tool for monitoring populations and setting future quotas, season dates and other limitations.
“These surveys are one of several ways we get feedback from the public, but it is the best way to gather large amounts of data from the public,” said Scott Smith, Deputy Chief of the Game and Fish’s Wildlife Division. “We appreciate everyone who takes the time to fill out the survey.”
The surveys are going out now while some hunters are still in the field. Game and Fish asks that a hunter wait until their season is over before filling out the data, but the goal is to give the public every opportunity to fill out the survey as soon as they are done hunting.
The email surveys save money and are a more efficient way to gather data than mail surveys, but Game and Fish does accept either.
Even if hunters did not hunt or harvest, their input is important to include in Game and Fish annual harvest reports.
Moose and black bear are two of eleven surveys conducted in-house. Game and Fish would like to have those surveys returned by December 1 so that the data can be used in the 2016 season setting process.

-WGFD-

Game and Fish Calendar

Nov. 21 – Youth Pheasant Hunt, Sand Mesa and Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Areas
Nov. 22 – Youth Pheasant Hunt, Glendo State Park
Nov. 23 -- Deadline for Wyoming Wildlife photo contest entries
Nov. 29 – Youth Pheasant Hunt, Glendo State Park