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04-16-03
Now that most states have their 2002 hunting season data in, this might be a good time to update folks on CWD. In short, continued expansion of the disease has occurred and is expected to continue. The states/provinces reporting CWD in free-ranging cervidae include Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Mexico, Utah and Saskatchewan.
Midwest:
Wisconsin: Case total is now at 141 white-tailed deer, with 47 added to the total during April. The good news is that all except 6 deer are in the "intensive harvest/eradication zone". Those remaining 6 are within the management zone. Eradication remains a goal and in the year since CWD was first discovered, 9287 deer have been removed. Estimates by WDNR are this comprises 40% of the herd in the eradication zone. The management zone encompasses part or all of 13 counties in southwest Wisconsin. In late March, an infected elk was found in a game farm in Manitowoc County (northeastern part of state, south of Green Bay). Other affected game farms have been in Walworth and Portage Counties. This newly found affected elk came from a game farm in Minnesota that was found positive for CWD, and the herd had been under quarantine since Sept. Four other game farms are quarantined, though actual exposure is not known for these herds.
Minnesota: As of mid March no wild, free-ranging deer have been found with CWD in 4462 deer tested. So far the game farm total has not changed, with 2 affected elk found in 2 counties (Stearns and Aitkin).
Illinois: Sampling is now over 4000 deer, and the total CWD cases remains at 7 in the 3 northeast counties bordering Wisconsin (Boone, McHenry, and Winnebago).
West:
Colorado: CDOW reports 26,551 deer and elk tested in 2002 - 273 positive, 52 of those throughout the northern half of Colorado, outside the traditional endemic area. The Division is prepared to increase that surveillance number significantly in 2003. I mentioned some of the trends Dr. Mike Miller (CDOW veterinarian) found in the data in a previous update, but in capsule: CWD is more widespread in CO than previously known, males appear to be more effected than females thus the estimated prevalence may have been overstated (males are hunted more), within northeast CO the disease is becoming more prevalent, prevalence is quite variable and can be high in some areas.
Utah: The first case of CWD was reported in this state in mid February 2003, a single mule deer. No further positive have been found in about 1500 samples.
Nebraska: 4279 deer from the 2002 hunting season were collected. 12 were positive, all in the panhandle region, out of 2279 collected in that area. The prevalence has been estimated at around 0.3%. Total positive in free-ranging deer since surveillance was started in year 2000 is about 27. None of the 2000 deer collected elsewhere in the state were positive.
Wyoming: CWD has been found in 23 deer hunt areas (of 152 total statewide) and 3 elk hunt areas, mostly in the southeast part of the state. The furthest extent of positive deer findings include north of Douglas into hunt areas 14 and 22 (Niobrara and Converse Co); northwest of Casper in hunt areas 89 and 34 (Natrona Co); and southwest to the east of Baggs in hunt area 82 (Carbon Co). This represents a spread of the previously known endemic area in Wyoming. Positive elk remain in the southeast.
New Mexico: Two adjacent sites have had positive deer - White Sands Missile Range, and neighboring Organ Mountains. Total positive remains at 6 mule deer.
South Dakota: As of late February 03, the SD Game and Fish reported 1950 cervids (607 elk, 522 MD, and 821 WTD) collected since July 02. 9 deer (6 WTD, 3 MD) were positive, no elk (a positive elk, however, was reported in Wind Cave NP last November). Positive deer are in Fall River, Custer and Pennington Counties.
Thomas J. Roffe, PhD, DVM
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
USGS-BRD
FWP Bldg, 1400 S. 19th Ave.
Bozeman, MT
T: 406-994-5789
F: 406-994-4090
Cell: 406-539-4955
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://biology.usgs.gov/cro/CWD04-16-03.htm
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tlwilliams@usgs.gov
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