What are the possible environmental effects of CWD on deer farming,
and how does this shape the views of hunters on deer farms?
and how does this shape the views of hunters on deer farms?
The History of Deer Farming:
CWD Background/History:
Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD for short is a disease that mainly affects animals like deer and elk. Chronic Wasting Disease is a neurological disease that causes deterioration of the brain leading to weight loss, stumbling, and other neurological symptoms. The animal may not show any symptoms before it dies. It is always lethal to the animal and can take up to 8 months for the deer to die with no treatments or vaccines. While the disease is lethal there are no cases of CWD affecting humans although some experts believe the disease may affect humans in the future. As well as the disease affects non-human primates like monkeys. The disease is believed to transfer through body fluids like saliva and blood. Another way is through environmental contamination of food or water.
The first discovery of CWD was in the late 1960’s at a Colorado research facility the first deer was a captive deer. 1981 was when the first deer in the wild was found to have CWD. Now CWD is found in 25 states of the US as well as Canada, Norway, and South Korea. Many experiments have been done on CWD and its effects on humans, one experiment had 80 people eat infected meat and have a check up every 2 years, there have been no health effects from the infected meat to the people.
CWD Current State of Controversy:
There are small amounts of CWD in many places, but there are more cases in Wyoming and Wisconsin. Also there are many safety recommendations for people to do like wear latex or rubber gloves. Another recommendation on CWD-info.org is “Instruments, cutting boards, and other items used for processing should be soaked for 5 minutes in a 40% solution of household bleach to inactivate prions. However, the items must be completely clean with absolutely no tissue or organic matter present for this proves to be effective.”. So there are many things hunters can do to help keep their family safe as well as regulations to help with containing CWD.There were three bills introduced in a measure to insure farmers would test their deer for an exchange of a certain amount of money (2 million).
Stakeholders:
While there are many stakeholders in the deer farming industry, we will only be covering a few that we believe are more prominent in the controversy.
The Deer Farmers- These individuals want deer farming to continue because they are making money off of it. The deer farmers view deer farming in a positive light and they are very supportive of keeping deer farming going. A deer farmer named David Miller has given this statement on deer farming. “Deer farming and preserves is looked down upon by sportsman, but it can be useful, especially for people who are handicapped or might not have a place to hunt nearby.” We tried to reach out to Stonehurst Woods but got no response. Stonehurst Woods is a deer farming ranch.
Hunters- These individuals are against deer hunting. They believe that deer farms are the primary cause for an increase in CWD and that the deer farms are harmful to the health of wild deer populations.
Quality Deer Management Association- this Association was created for the protection of deer and to continue the tradition of deer hunting. This organization is against deer farms. The Director of Education & Outreach, has given this statement about deer farming. “They are nothing but the biggest threat to wild whitetails and the deer hunting culture. The deer-farming industry smears ethical, fair-chase hunters, he says, and is likely the vector for chronic wasting disease (CWD).”
PETA- this organization is against deer farming. They believe that deer farming is wrong and it should stop. A deer farmer has given this statement about PETA “All I know is that I got a fax, then a bunch of letters,’ Schlaff said. ‘Telling me that they’re going to do the same thing to me that was done to the deer.”
Kip Adams- This person is the Director of Education & Outreach for the QDMA. He strongly believes that deer farming should not happen. Kip Adams has given statements for more than one article in order to his opinion on his beliefs. Kip Adams has given this statement on deer farming “There are no benefits for deer hunters in the growth of the captive deer-breeding industry – only risks,”
Power Dynamic Analysis:
The organizations and people on our list have all different amounts of power. We put together a paragraph about what we believe the most powerful to the least powerful. The Quality Deer Management Association has the most power out of the list of stakeholders we have and they are using their power to try and find a way to stop deer farming. Deer farmers have the second largest amount of power in the list and are trying to use the power to keep deer farming in business. The third most powerful on the list is PETA because they have large numbers and they are trying to end the deer farms. Then the deer hunters have some power but it is divided but most want to end deer farming because of the risk to the wild deer population through CWD. Last on the list is individual people like Kip Adams who is the director of education and outreach and they believe that deer farms are a bad thing that should stop.
Solutions:
We believe that there can be many solutions to help reduce the amount of infected animals. We believe that funding for CWD research should increase to try and find a cure. We also believe that deer farming should be ended or be more regulated with either more fencing or security measures to minimize captive deer from meeting wild deer. If possible it would be best if deer farming was ended however we don’t think the farmers will be ok with stopping their farms as it is their main source of income. The deer farmers may be more agreeable if they got money to end deer farming but we doubt it will stop at all. Deer on deer farms are sometimes neglected and not taken care of the best thus it would be better for the deer to not be on a farm. If the recommendations for deer hunters to safely handle possibly contaminated meat are continued and leftover parts of the body are properly disposed of it would also help slow down the spread of CWD.
Source list:
Smith, Paul A. “Smith: With yet Another CWD-Positive Deer Farm, Is It Time to Consider Buyouts?” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/columnists/paul-smith/2019/02/13/another-cwd-positive-deer-farm-time-consider-buyout/2857724002/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2021.
Occurrence | Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) | Prion Disease | CDC. 24 Feb. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/prions/cwd/occurrence.html.
May, Ashley. “In 2005, about 200 People Ate ‘Zombie’ Deer Meat. Here’s What Happened.” USA TODAY, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2019/02/21/zombie-deer-disease-what-happened-people-ate-cwd-meat/2926840002/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2021.
“Recommendations for Hunters.” CWD-INFO.ORG, http://cwd-info.org/recommendations-for-hunters/. Accessed 15 Mar. 2021.
Tribune (Minneapolis), TONY KENNEDY Star. “Wasting Disease Puts Deer Farms under Fire.” The Billings Gazette, https://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/recreation/wasting-disease-puts-deer-farms-under-fire/article_d059277a-04fe-5a41-b2ec-0aa2e7108abd.html. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
Hart, David. “Deer Farms: Hunting’s Ticking Time Bomb.” Petersen’s Hunting, 27 July 2014, https://www.petersenshunting.com/editorial/deer-farms-huntings-ticking-time-bomb/272830.
“High Fence vs. Free Range: A Deer Hunter’s View from Both Sides.” Deer and Deer Hunting, 23 Mar. 2015, https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/deer-scouting/deer-behavior/high-fence-vs-free-range-deer-hunters-view-sides.
“QDMA Urges Hunters to Oppose Deer Farm Expansions.” Deer and Deer Hunting, 22 Feb. 2012, https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/deer-scouting/deer-behavior/qdma-urges-hunters-to-oppose-deer-farms.
Dickson, Elizabeth. “Deer Farmer Says It Serves Purpose.” Coloradoan, https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2014/03/30/local-room-for-deer-farms-wild-hunting/7070523/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
Shalaway, Scott. “Who Really Benefits from Domestic Deer Farms?” Farm and Dairy, 27 Nov. 2014, https://www.farmanddairy.com/columns/really-benefits-domestic-deer-farms/228260.html.
“From a Deer Farmer’s Perspective.” The Lakeland Times, https://www.lakelandtimes.com/articles/from-a-deer-farmers-perspective/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
Abdulrahim, Raja. “Deer Farm in PETA’s Crosshairs.” Recordonline.Com, https://www.recordonline.com/article/20070915/News/709150321. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
Kremer, Rich. “CWD Spreads on Deer and Elk Farms as Wisconsin’s Control Efforts Stumble.” WisconsinWatch.Org, 25 Nov. 2018, https://wisconsinwatch.org/2018/11/cwd-spreads-on-deer-and-elk-farms-as-wisconsins-control-efforts-stumble/.
“Northern WI County Adopts Ordinance Regulating Deer Farms.” Wisconsin State Farmer, https://www.wisfarmer.com/story/news/2020/01/21/bayfield-county-adopts-deer-farm-ordinance-stem-spread-cwd/4534119002/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
» Facts and History of Deer BreedingIduba. https://iduba.info/facts-and-history-of-deer-breeding/#:~:text=Farming%20of%20wild%20deer%20is,in%20this%20land%20centuries%20ago. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
“The Fight That’s Holding Up CWD Solutions in the Wisconsin Deer Herd.” UpNorthNews | Wisconsin News For You, 27 Jan. 2020, https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/01/26/the-fight-thats-holding-up-cwd-solutions-in-wi-deer-herd/.
- 6000 years ago: the earliest known date of deer farming it was assumed to be used for easy access to hunting and food.
- 1660: Deer farming was used for royal hunting. They would make a fence in the area and the royal people would go and hunt the deer.
- Current: deer farms are currently being used for recreational hunting and trophy hunting during deer season.
CWD Background/History:
Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD for short is a disease that mainly affects animals like deer and elk. Chronic Wasting Disease is a neurological disease that causes deterioration of the brain leading to weight loss, stumbling, and other neurological symptoms. The animal may not show any symptoms before it dies. It is always lethal to the animal and can take up to 8 months for the deer to die with no treatments or vaccines. While the disease is lethal there are no cases of CWD affecting humans although some experts believe the disease may affect humans in the future. As well as the disease affects non-human primates like monkeys. The disease is believed to transfer through body fluids like saliva and blood. Another way is through environmental contamination of food or water.
The first discovery of CWD was in the late 1960’s at a Colorado research facility the first deer was a captive deer. 1981 was when the first deer in the wild was found to have CWD. Now CWD is found in 25 states of the US as well as Canada, Norway, and South Korea. Many experiments have been done on CWD and its effects on humans, one experiment had 80 people eat infected meat and have a check up every 2 years, there have been no health effects from the infected meat to the people.
CWD Current State of Controversy:
There are small amounts of CWD in many places, but there are more cases in Wyoming and Wisconsin. Also there are many safety recommendations for people to do like wear latex or rubber gloves. Another recommendation on CWD-info.org is “Instruments, cutting boards, and other items used for processing should be soaked for 5 minutes in a 40% solution of household bleach to inactivate prions. However, the items must be completely clean with absolutely no tissue or organic matter present for this proves to be effective.”. So there are many things hunters can do to help keep their family safe as well as regulations to help with containing CWD.There were three bills introduced in a measure to insure farmers would test their deer for an exchange of a certain amount of money (2 million).
Stakeholders:
While there are many stakeholders in the deer farming industry, we will only be covering a few that we believe are more prominent in the controversy.
The Deer Farmers- These individuals want deer farming to continue because they are making money off of it. The deer farmers view deer farming in a positive light and they are very supportive of keeping deer farming going. A deer farmer named David Miller has given this statement on deer farming. “Deer farming and preserves is looked down upon by sportsman, but it can be useful, especially for people who are handicapped or might not have a place to hunt nearby.” We tried to reach out to Stonehurst Woods but got no response. Stonehurst Woods is a deer farming ranch.
Hunters- These individuals are against deer hunting. They believe that deer farms are the primary cause for an increase in CWD and that the deer farms are harmful to the health of wild deer populations.
Quality Deer Management Association- this Association was created for the protection of deer and to continue the tradition of deer hunting. This organization is against deer farms. The Director of Education & Outreach, has given this statement about deer farming. “They are nothing but the biggest threat to wild whitetails and the deer hunting culture. The deer-farming industry smears ethical, fair-chase hunters, he says, and is likely the vector for chronic wasting disease (CWD).”
PETA- this organization is against deer farming. They believe that deer farming is wrong and it should stop. A deer farmer has given this statement about PETA “All I know is that I got a fax, then a bunch of letters,’ Schlaff said. ‘Telling me that they’re going to do the same thing to me that was done to the deer.”
Kip Adams- This person is the Director of Education & Outreach for the QDMA. He strongly believes that deer farming should not happen. Kip Adams has given statements for more than one article in order to his opinion on his beliefs. Kip Adams has given this statement on deer farming “There are no benefits for deer hunters in the growth of the captive deer-breeding industry – only risks,”
Power Dynamic Analysis:
The organizations and people on our list have all different amounts of power. We put together a paragraph about what we believe the most powerful to the least powerful. The Quality Deer Management Association has the most power out of the list of stakeholders we have and they are using their power to try and find a way to stop deer farming. Deer farmers have the second largest amount of power in the list and are trying to use the power to keep deer farming in business. The third most powerful on the list is PETA because they have large numbers and they are trying to end the deer farms. Then the deer hunters have some power but it is divided but most want to end deer farming because of the risk to the wild deer population through CWD. Last on the list is individual people like Kip Adams who is the director of education and outreach and they believe that deer farms are a bad thing that should stop.
Solutions:
We believe that there can be many solutions to help reduce the amount of infected animals. We believe that funding for CWD research should increase to try and find a cure. We also believe that deer farming should be ended or be more regulated with either more fencing or security measures to minimize captive deer from meeting wild deer. If possible it would be best if deer farming was ended however we don’t think the farmers will be ok with stopping their farms as it is their main source of income. The deer farmers may be more agreeable if they got money to end deer farming but we doubt it will stop at all. Deer on deer farms are sometimes neglected and not taken care of the best thus it would be better for the deer to not be on a farm. If the recommendations for deer hunters to safely handle possibly contaminated meat are continued and leftover parts of the body are properly disposed of it would also help slow down the spread of CWD.
Source list:
Smith, Paul A. “Smith: With yet Another CWD-Positive Deer Farm, Is It Time to Consider Buyouts?” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/columnists/paul-smith/2019/02/13/another-cwd-positive-deer-farm-time-consider-buyout/2857724002/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2021.
Occurrence | Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) | Prion Disease | CDC. 24 Feb. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/prions/cwd/occurrence.html.
May, Ashley. “In 2005, about 200 People Ate ‘Zombie’ Deer Meat. Here’s What Happened.” USA TODAY, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2019/02/21/zombie-deer-disease-what-happened-people-ate-cwd-meat/2926840002/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2021.
“Recommendations for Hunters.” CWD-INFO.ORG, http://cwd-info.org/recommendations-for-hunters/. Accessed 15 Mar. 2021.
Tribune (Minneapolis), TONY KENNEDY Star. “Wasting Disease Puts Deer Farms under Fire.” The Billings Gazette, https://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/recreation/wasting-disease-puts-deer-farms-under-fire/article_d059277a-04fe-5a41-b2ec-0aa2e7108abd.html. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
Hart, David. “Deer Farms: Hunting’s Ticking Time Bomb.” Petersen’s Hunting, 27 July 2014, https://www.petersenshunting.com/editorial/deer-farms-huntings-ticking-time-bomb/272830.
“High Fence vs. Free Range: A Deer Hunter’s View from Both Sides.” Deer and Deer Hunting, 23 Mar. 2015, https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/deer-scouting/deer-behavior/high-fence-vs-free-range-deer-hunters-view-sides.
“QDMA Urges Hunters to Oppose Deer Farm Expansions.” Deer and Deer Hunting, 22 Feb. 2012, https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/deer-scouting/deer-behavior/qdma-urges-hunters-to-oppose-deer-farms.
Dickson, Elizabeth. “Deer Farmer Says It Serves Purpose.” Coloradoan, https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2014/03/30/local-room-for-deer-farms-wild-hunting/7070523/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
Shalaway, Scott. “Who Really Benefits from Domestic Deer Farms?” Farm and Dairy, 27 Nov. 2014, https://www.farmanddairy.com/columns/really-benefits-domestic-deer-farms/228260.html.
“From a Deer Farmer’s Perspective.” The Lakeland Times, https://www.lakelandtimes.com/articles/from-a-deer-farmers-perspective/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
Abdulrahim, Raja. “Deer Farm in PETA’s Crosshairs.” Recordonline.Com, https://www.recordonline.com/article/20070915/News/709150321. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
Kremer, Rich. “CWD Spreads on Deer and Elk Farms as Wisconsin’s Control Efforts Stumble.” WisconsinWatch.Org, 25 Nov. 2018, https://wisconsinwatch.org/2018/11/cwd-spreads-on-deer-and-elk-farms-as-wisconsins-control-efforts-stumble/.
“Northern WI County Adopts Ordinance Regulating Deer Farms.” Wisconsin State Farmer, https://www.wisfarmer.com/story/news/2020/01/21/bayfield-county-adopts-deer-farm-ordinance-stem-spread-cwd/4534119002/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
» Facts and History of Deer BreedingIduba. https://iduba.info/facts-and-history-of-deer-breeding/#:~:text=Farming%20of%20wild%20deer%20is,in%20this%20land%20centuries%20ago. Accessed 19 Mar. 2021.
“The Fight That’s Holding Up CWD Solutions in the Wisconsin Deer Herd.” UpNorthNews | Wisconsin News For You, 27 Jan. 2020, https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/01/26/the-fight-thats-holding-up-cwd-solutions-in-wi-deer-herd/.