Editor's note: Please use this news release with the correct web link.
A
wild deer taken during the 2016 deer hunting season northwest of Elkader has
tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), which is the first CWD
positive wild deer confirmed outside of Allamakee County.
The
Iowa Department of Natural Resources has scheduled a public meeting to discuss
the status of the disease in Iowa and surrounding states on Feb. 13, from 6:30
to 9 p.m., in Johnson’s Reception Hall, 916
High St. N.E., in Elkader.
Clayton County, like
its neighbor to the north, Allamakee County, is a popular deer hunting
destination attracting recreational landowners and hunters form across the
state and beyond.
Allamakee County had
10 additional CWD positive deer taken during the 2016 season from near Harpers
Ferry, bringing its total of CWD positive wild deer since 2013 to 16.
“Chronic wasting disease is an
important issue, especially here regionally, and this meeting will give
attendees a platform to discuss their questions and concerns,” said Dr. Dale
Garner, chief of Wildlife for the Iowa DNR. “This meeting will guide our
approach to addressing this disease.”
The disease is spread from animal to
animal through nose to nose contact and through environmental contamination
from urine, feces and saliva left by positive deer. There is no cure once an
animal becomes infected.
This disease is not just an Iowa
issue; Minnesota has had a spike in deer testing positive for the disease as
well. Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri and
Wisconsin are all battling this disease.
The Iowa DNR began collecting deer
tissue samples in 2002 after the CWD outbreak in Wisconsin. Since then, more
than 61,000 samples from wild deer and 4,000 samples from hunting preserve deer
have been collected and tested. The first wild deer tested positive in 2013,
followed by three in 2014, two in 2015 and 11 so far in 2016.
Iowa
DNR’s website provides information about CWD and other information on infectious
disease at:
www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting/Deer-Disease-Information.
Any person
attending the public meeting and has special requirements such as those related
to mobility or hearing impairments should contact the DNR or ADA Coordinator at
515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov,
and advise of specific needs.
Media Contact: Terry Haindfield, Wildlife
Management Biologist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 563-380-3422.
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