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Jerry Kane
Public Information Officer | jerry.kane@nebraska.gov
| 402.471.5008
Four positives for CWD found in recent testing of deer
LINCOLN, Neb. – The presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer has been detected for the first time in southeastern Nebraska, according to findings by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
The Commission conducted a CWD sampling operation in its Southeast District deer check stations during the 2016 November firearm deer season. Four samples tested positive for CWD. Those samples were taken from deer harvested on private land in Thayer, Saline, Cass and Polk counties.
There were 753 deer sampled in three deer management units: Wahoo, Blue Northwest and Blue Southeast. No extensive sampling for CWD had taken place in these units until 2016.
The goal of this sampling effort is to assess the spread and prevalence of the disease through periodic testing in each region of the state, which in turn helps biologists predict when and if future effects on deer numbers may occur. Testing will take place in the Southwest, Northwest and Northeast districts in the next several years.
Although present in Colorado and Wyoming for several decades, CWD was first discovered in Nebraska in 2000 in Kimball County. Since 1997, Commission staff have tested nearly 49,000 deer and found 296 that tested positive. CWD has been found in 34 Nebraska counties, but no population declines attributable to the disease have yet occurred.
CWD is prion disease that attacks the brain of an infected deer and elk, eventually causing emaciation, listlessness, excessive salivation and death. It is generally thought that CWD is transmitted from animal to animal through exchange of body fluids, but other modes of transmission may exist.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no person is known to have contracted CWD; however, hunters should cautiously handle and process deer and avoid consuming animals that test positive or look sick. Livestock and other animals not in the deer family also do not appear susceptible to CWD.
Hunters can help prevent the spread of CWD by using proper carcass disposal methods. CWD prions, the infectious proteins that transmit the disease, can remain viable for months or even years in the soil. Hunters should field dress animals at the place of kill, avoid spreading spinal cord or brain tissue to meat, and to dispose of the head (brain), spinal column and other bones at a licensed landfill.
Learn more about CWD at OutdoorNebraska.gov/cwd/.
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Spring turkey permits now available
LINCOLN, Neb. – Spring turkey hunting permits are available from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Nebraska offers the best turkey hunting opportunities in the entire country. Nebraska offers birds in every county of the state, including the highly-sought-after Merriam’s in some areas. The state also offers plentiful and affordable permits, long seasons, great public access and $5 permits for youth.
Wild turkey hunters in Nebraska enjoy high success rates. In the spring, hunters can purchase as many as three permits, with a bag limit of one turkey per permit.
The spring archery season opens March 25, youth shotgun on April 8, and the regular shotgun on April 15. All spring turkey seasons close May 31.
Visit OutdoorNebraska.org or Game and Parks permitting offices to purchase permits. For more information on turkey hunting in Nebraska, read the 2017 Turkey Guide or visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/wildturkey.
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Join Game and Parks for Eagle Viewing Days at Lake Ogallala
LINCOLN, Neb. – Watch bald eagles soar or feed on the ice of Lake Ogallala during Eagle Viewing Days each weekend in January.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will host the event at the Lake Ogallala Eagle Viewing Center, located below Kingsley Dam. A park naturalist will give a presentation at 9 a.m. and noon each Saturday and Sunday in January. The presentation will be followed by open viewing of the eagles and crafts for the kids. Coffee and hot chocolate will be provided.
The Lake Ogallala Eagle Viewing Center will be open to the public each Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. until early March.
A park entry permit is not required to park at the viewing center; however, a permit is required for visitors to Lake McConaughy and Lake Ogallala state recreation areas.
For more information, contact Alison Bleich at 308-284-8800 or at alison.bleich@nebraska.gov.
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Big game meetings Jan. 18 in Elkhorn, Jan. 19 in Wilber
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will hold a big game informational meeting Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Elkhorn Eagles Club, 20276 Wirt St. The public is invited.
Commission biologists will begin with a presentation on deer management. Other wildlife management topics will be discussed as time allows.
Another big game meeting will be held Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. at Wilber’s Sokol Auditorium, 315 S. Wilson St. That meeting will be streamed live on the Commission’s Facebook page.
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