Region 4 Mandatory Deer Head Submission starting Sept 1st, 2019

[Harvest the Land]

"The Province is implementing a mandatory sampling program that requires hunters to submit the heads from deer harvested in wildlife management units 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6 and 4-7 in the Kootenay Region, after Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks discovered five animals with Chronic Wasting Disease 60 km south of the B.C. border." Both Mulies and Whities.

Here's the link on Gov't website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/fishing-hunting/hunting/important-notices

[huntingfamily]

And in the Peace region 7b...

[dakoda62]

Does anyone know if the just the brain can be brought in minus the skull.

[Bugle M In]

Well, thanks for posting it up folks.
Obviously BC is being responsible in tracking.
As to what can be done about it in the end, who knows???

[J_T]

A few of us here have been dropping heads off for a long time. Over 20 years. Some of them are probably still in the Ministry freezer. It's a good initiative. Required if we really are wanting to monitor CWD.

[Bugle M In]

Sadly more money going into another problem.
Less money going into Rehab.
Sure isn't a lot to be happy about these days in the BC hunting world. (fishing as well I suppose)

The thing is Transmission.
IS it only transmitted thru the ground and feeding, or is it spread thru breeding as well??
If it is both, then there isn't squat we will be able to do about it (other than finding a cure)
If it is thru soil/feed, then maybe we can impose one thing:

I have no issue with baiting sites (plenty of farm fields anyways that act as such).
But maybe we could require that all feed has to be grown/produced /manufactured and distributed "only in BC"???.
I could see how bringing in feed from other places such as Alberta or USA could be "contaminated" and assist in the spread.

But then again, who's to say a 4x4 doesn't pick up mud with contamination from elsewhere and drops it while driving the backwoods here???

Anyways, it's coming and doubt we can stop it.
Guess the mandatory testing will tell us soon.
Wouldn't doubt if this is the season where we have it found in BC.

[sako79]

Would we be able to submit the sample at any region such as when I got back to the lower mainland

[Fella]

Man this cwd stuff is scary. Even if a cure were to be found, how on earth could you hope to inoculate/cure all the deer moose and elk?? You’d maybe be able to slow its spread and that’s it....

[dakoda62]

So for clarification, i just got off the phone with the Ministry, animals in the Kootenay' are mandatory submission, the Peace still remains at voluntary submission\
.

[RyoTHC]

Does that mean no mounting of any bucks harvested in those zones ?

[358mag]

So for clarification, i just got off the phone with the Ministry, animals in the Kootenay' are mandatory submission, the Peace still remains at voluntary submission\
.
Mandatory for all hunters ? or just the one that have to buy there hunting licenses ?

[Wild one]

Does that mean no mounting of any bucks harvested in those zones ?

Should still be able to keep antlers and cape for a mount

[Walking Buffalo]

A few of us here have been dropping heads off for a long time. Over 20 years. Some of them are probably still in the Ministry freezer. It's a good initiative. Required if we really are wanting to monitor CWD.

Yes, it is a necessity to monitoring for the disease.
But this does absolutely nothing to prevent or slow the introduction and spread of the disease into BC from the south.

The only management practice that has shown to reduce the spread and infection rate of CWD is to lower game densities.

Sadly, BC needs to be getting serious about CWD at its door and do more than monitor for the disease.
BC needs to reduce deer populations along the border.

[2chodi]

Does that mean no mounting of any bucks harvested in those zones ?

No, you can still keep the cape and skull cap with the antlers. A European mount might be more problematic. There are two info sessions at the library in Cranbrook tomorrow, August 13. One is at 2PM and the other at 5 PM. This question could be asked there.

[huntingfamily]

So for clarification, i just got off the phone with the Ministry, animals in the Kootenay' are mandatory submission, the Peace still remains at voluntary submission\
.

Thanks for the clarification!

[Mikey Rafiki]

No, you can still keep the cape and skull cap with the antlers. A European mount might be more problematic. There are two info sessions at the library in Cranbrook tomorrow, August 13. One is at 2PM and the other at 5 PM. This question could be asked there.

Thanks. Will try to make it.

[Bugle M In]

No, you can still keep the cape and skull cap with the antlers. A European mount might be more problematic. There are two info sessions at the library in Cranbrook tomorrow, August 13. One is at 2PM and the other at 5 PM. This question could be asked there.

Do any of these sessions end up on youtube??
Would be nice to see it for those interested who like me, are down in the LM.

[Mikey Rafiki]

Attended the early info session today at 2:00. Some good information provided. Definitely some challenges as could be expected with multiple ministries, jurisdictions and good old fashioned politics playing a role.

Will be very interesting to see how this plays out.

[J_T]

Attended the early info session today at 2:00. Some good information provided. Definitely some challenges as could be expected with multiple ministries, jurisdictions and good old fashioned politics playing a role.

Will be very interesting to see how this plays out.
Yes, Likewise. Some good information on hand. I'm sure the awareness campaign will keep ramping up. At this point the only 'change' is the mandatory submission of the heads and what happens when I want my head back. Sounded like hunters might not have to give up the euro mount. Priority one is to keep monitoring the encroachment of CWD.

[Greenthumbed]

I had a meeting with the Provicial Health Biologist heading the CWD file last weekend. We asked her about submitting a sample that you wanted to keep for a euro mount. She said that it is the lymph glands in the neck that is what gets taken. Not the brain. All the samples are collected at a designated facility and the heads can then be returned to the owner. It is preferred that the antlers are removed because space can become an issue at the collection facility, but if you have a special trophy arrangements might be made.

[mr604]

So you submit the head.....you get home and you cut up your deer and freeze it etc.....will the ministry infom/contact you if your submitted head tests positive for CWD? I thought that the disease is found in the brain/spinal cord of the animals (like BSE is found in beef cattle).....I would not want to be consuming any organs (Liver/kidneys/heart etc) from a CWD contaminated deer, and possibly none of the meat.....

[Walking Buffalo]

So you submit the head.....you get home and you cut up your deer and freeze it etc.....will the ministry infom/contact you if your submitted head tests positive for CWD? I thought that the disease is found in the brain/spinal cord of the animals (like BSE is found in beef cattle).....I would not want to be consuming any organs (Liver/kidneys/heart etc) from a CWD contaminated deer, and possibly none of the meat.....

If positive, CWD will be present throughout the animal, including all muscle tissue
(the same applies for BSE).
The prion is found at a higher concentration in the brain/spinal column.

It is depressing to have to dispose of a diseased animal, exasperated if time/money was spent in processing it.

Here in Alberta, hunters have learned the hard way to Not cut up their deer until it is confirmed to be CWD free.
Freeze in large pieces and process after the testing results have been received.

[J_T]

So you submit the head.....you get home and you cut up your deer and freeze it etc.....will the ministry infom/contact you if your submitted head tests positive for CWD? I thought that the disease is found in the brain/spinal cord of the animals (like BSE is found in beef cattle).....I would not want to be consuming any organs (Liver/kidneys/heart etc) from a CWD contaminated deer, and possibly none of the meat..... We talked about how to keep people informed about the results of tests. Keep in mind, this is very new and details are still being worked out. To answer your question, yes, if you have an animal that tests positive, they will follow up with you. But, every person who submits is going to want to know what the results are. Using the hunting licence website, might work, but would require some modifications/cost and time. They could put a statistical graph on a public website for people to consult with. But I think the message was, people will want to know. Your right, they don't want humans to consume the meat, and it can not just be discarded. They will likely set up an incineration process to dispose of the meat and prevent it from re-entering the food chain.

[Walking Buffalo]

I get the impression that the BC government has decided to NOT PREVENT CWD from becoming espablished in the province.

Time to update the CWD Recipes forum.

[wideopenthrottle]

so to be clear, it is only the wmus east of nelson that touch the us border

[J_T]

I get the impression that the BC government has decided to NOT PREVENT CWD from becoming espablished in the province.
Didn't hear that yesterday. Until now, BC has been in a lengthy monitoring process. It isn't here yet, but it's time to step up the monitoring. There was good conversation about the various Acts and authorizations that could be used in the event it comes into BC. My impression was, they are taking this seriously.

[elknut]

Me thinks this CWD is goddamn stupid ...They should outlaw game farms and let animals be animals ...Our society is phucked ...Profit driven and sometimes totally ignorant ....Dennis Governments shouldn't allow this..Health Canada shouldn't allow this ....

[Walking Buffalo]

Didn't hear that yesterday. Until now, BC has been in a lengthy monitoring process. It isn't here yet, but it's time to step up the monitoring. There was good conversation about the various Acts and authorizations that could be used in the event it comes into BC. My impression was, they are taking this seriously.

Following what you are saying, measures taken are in regards to CWD being found in BC.

What is being proposed to stop live CWD infected wildlife from crossing the Montana border?

Alberta F&W knew what to do when CWD was first approaching the border from Saskatchewan.
And they could not follow through due to public objections, mostly from hunters.
Now Alberta is basically doing what BC is proposing to do, and this has lead to skyrocketing infection rates and greatly expanding range.
Learn from our mistakes. Don't copy them.

I have suggested many times here, including in this thread, that BC should immediately take preemptive measures by drastically reducing deer densities along the border now that CWD is within striking range of one season's migration.
And Crickets....

I know the idea sucks. But herd reduction has proven to be effective to reduce infection rates and slow the spread.

[J_T]

^^ I understand. I think the answer to the question about what measures are being taken is two parts. What is Montana doing about any increase of infected animals? In BC, we're still monitoring (we have no confirmed cases in BC) and increasing the monitoring with mandatory testing in key MU's. What happens if BC has an occurrence? This was discussed in the awareness session yesterday, but I would suggest they are still looking at all options.

Silver lining to the situation is that our wildlife populations are at extreme lows.