Deer hunters...do you ever worry about Chronic Wasting Disease?

Question

I really worry about it making its way into the deer population where we hunt. I sure don't want to feed tainted meat to my family. We have had to worry about Mad Cow Disease in the commercially prepared beef supply, now we have to worry about wild meat, as well. Any input?

CWD and CJD are PRION diseases. They are caused by a protein (prion) that CANNOT be killed with heat.

Answer 1

Crutzfeld-Jacobs disease is a spongiform encephalitis affects the humane brain. It can kills humans and has been diagnosed. However, Hunting is one of the best ways to keep that problem down. Not eating the meat mind you, but in counties where there are known cases, they will have a kill season to eliminate the obviously sick animals.

Most states do testing on harvested animals on their own but you could pay for this test yourself. However, I don't know how long the results take or what the butchering requirements are. All counties in Illinois test for this but the only counties they are aware of that has the disease is 2-3 counties in northwest Illinois. Much of this is from herds that were infected in south west Wisc. and it had spread here.

The disease takes a while to manifest itself in humans and it may be one reason why it is difficult to tell if someone has gotten if from deer. It may take years for it to show up. If you see a deer staggering, wondering aimlessly and frothing or slobbering and acting somewhat blind, it may have that disease. It would be best to shoot it and lose your tag, but the rest of the herd may be saved from contamination.

Answer 2

We don’t eat the meat “Raw”.
Pork ether wild or domestic will kill you quicker them CWD.
As long as you cook the meat as you would pork your fine.

Even though CWD is not in the meat, its concentrated in the Spleen, Spinal cord and Brain.
But if you rupture the spleen or Spinal cord you could contaminate the meat.
But when you cook it, the heat kills CWD.

D58

I’m not the bashful sort, when I have a question about my health I ask my Doctor.
His response was, Don’t handle the Brain, Spin or spleen and bone out the meat as apposed to cutting through the bones.
He also stated that Cooking renders the majority of all organically harmful diseases and bacteria and germs harmless.
He also stated that CWD was still undetermined as to the affects to human if any, and the best way to resolve the situation.

But heat does kill CWD.

***Insert from link***
How can tissue infectivity be destroyed, The most active of these are
concentrated solutions of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) or sodium
hydroxide (lye). As for heat, even though the agent shares with most
other pathogens the feature of being more effectively damaged by wet
heat than by dry heat,
http://www.rense.com/general34/evide.htm

Note: tissue infectivity be destroyed, the only tissue that has CWD is the brain, spleen and spine, and is not found in the meat.
And they are destroying large quantities, not grilling a stake.
In light of the fact we are talking surface contamination only, because CWD is not in the meat it is by far more vulnerable to heat.

D58



Hunting with Rifle, Pistol, Muzzle loader and Bow for over 3 decades.
Reloading Rifle, Pistol and shotgun for over 3 decades.

Answer 3

Stay in touch with your local game commission. They will have all if any reported CWD cases in your area. You can also obtain information regarding CWD and other diseases.

Answer 4

I live in Arizona and we haven't gotten it yet however we are taking steps to prevent it such as sending in your deer heads for testing etc.

Answer 5

You people are dumb, there is no way CWD can infect humans. Where are the cases at? Huh? It is way over rated. You can not get, you won't get it so shut up. On the plus side this leave more deer for me to pick from. Thanks. CWD is nothing for you to worry about, only the deer need to worry.

Answer 6

My 'educated' guess it's more propaganda from the P.E.T.A. crowd.

Answer 7

its "have you ever SEEN" not saw you idiot