CWD Officially Confirmed in WA

[baldopepper]

National Library of Medicine 10.371/0274531

Do you have a link? Your reference doesn't show anything on CWD.  It's been my understanding that there is not a live test. Seems like this will be headline news. 

Search under cwd skin test. Fairly extensive info on it.

[Tbar]

National Library of Medicine 10.371/0274531

Do you have a link? Your reference doesn't show anything on CWD.  It's been my understanding that there is not a live test. Seems like this will be headline news. 

Search under cwd skin test. Fairly extensive info on it.

Thank you, haven't read it yet but found it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9668146/

[fishngamereaper]

Was really not wanting to bone out my moose if I get one....
Hanging to age works better bone in...

[addicted1]

So no skull plates???

Skull plates should be fine due to antler restriction areas over there.

“Big game taken in antler or horn restriction areas: The head or skull plate, with both horns or both antlers naturally attached, must accompany the carcass while in transit or in possession.”

I assume they’ll clarify to meet the out of state transport requirements, which allows transport with restrictions.

Very clearly states only deboned meat can be transported.  Pretty sure this precludes skull plates. This regulation supercedes any previous regulations.

I am fairly confident that will not be the case, skull plates minus brain matter and spinal should be okay. It has been for out of state transport, should be good for in state.

[hunter399]

https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/chronic-wasting/surveillance-program

[addicted1]

https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/chronic-wasting/surveillance-program

Well that solves it

[baldopepper]

Obviously going to need some clarification, but again this is an emergency rule change dated August 23 that supercedes any previous rules including those in the printed regulations. It is very clear that nothing but deboned meat  can be transported from the 100 units.  Hopefully they'll be some clarification,but as it stands now it is very clear.  Unfortunately skull plates and antlers don't qualify as deboned meat.

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Obviously going to need some clarification, but again this is an emergency rule change dated August 23 that supercedes any previous rules including those in the printed regulations. It is very clear that nothing but deboned meat  can be transported from the 100 units.  Hopefully they'll be some clarification,but as it stands now it is very clear.  Unfortunately skull plates and antlers don't qualify as deboned meat.

I found this simple explanation of legal items that may be moved out of the 100 units or transported from another state/country. (See Attachment) I read this as Skull Plates are legal to take as long as there’s no soft tissue.
What I’m wondering as a meat hunter is this: if I kill a buck or bull and send the head to the state for testing, how long does it take them to get back to me with the test results? Does anyone have experience with this process? Also, if I want to have a butcher process the elk, do you have them hang it and only process once you get a negative test? Does anyone have experience with the butcher regarding meat processing with regards to CWD precautions? Thanks!

[HawkCreek]

Obviously going to need some clarification, but again this is an emergency rule change dated August 23 that supercedes any previous rules including those in the printed regulations. It is very clear that nothing but deboned meat  can be transported from the 100 units.  Hopefully they'll be some clarification,but as it stands now it is very clear.  Unfortunately skull plates and antlers don't qualify as deboned meat.

I found this simple explanation of legal items that may be moved out of the 100 units or transported from another state/country. (See Attachment) I read this as Skull Plates are legal to take as long as there’s no soft tissue.
What I’m wondering as a meat hunter is this: if I kill a buck or bull and send the head to the state for testing, how long does it take them to get back to me with the test results? Does anyone have experience with this process? Also, if I want to have a butcher process the elk, do you have them hang it and only process once you get a negative test? Does anyone have experience with the butcher regarding meat processing with regards to CWD precautions? Thanks!

I can't help with most of your questions. I do know it takes 4 to 6 weeks to get CWD test results back. They are hoping that with more samples coming in they will have faster results but it's still not going to be quick.

[baldopepper]

Went thru a checking station in Utah a few years back.  They simply took a sample and sent you in your way.  Almost 3 months later they notified my brother that his was positive.  They came to his home and picked up the remaining meat, but by then his family had eaten quite a bit.  While there is no evidence it transfers to humans, made him a little nervous and his wife very nervous. Hope they can get results back quicker than that here, but will you be eating any until you do get resultsback?

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Went thru a checking station in Utah a few years back.  They simply took a sample and sent you in your way.  Almost 3 months later they notified my brother that his was positive.  They came to his home and picked up the remaining meat, but by then his family had eaten quite a bit.  While there is no evidence it transfers to humans, made him a little nervous and his wife very nervous. Hope they can get results back quicker than that here, but will you be eating any until you do get resultsback?

My wife and I will wait until test results are negative before eating. But my freezer is low this time of year and beef prices still high. I’d rather be a bit cautious. 
I guess I’ll talk to my butcher and see what he’s gonna do. My issue is storage: an elk is too much for me to store while awaiting results. Deer I can manage. May have to get elk processed, if I tag out, and wait for results. Toss meat and $$$ if positive results. I don’t know.

[Bob33]

If I killed an animal that looked healthy, and I only found out later it tested positive for CWD I would probably eat the meat anyway.

There hasn’t been a documented case of transmission to humans.

Is there a risk? Of course, but what food doesn’t have risks. You can get E.coli from your lettuce. Eat too much fat and you risk heart disease, unless you believe eating fat is good and eating carbohydrates are bad. The water you drink has plastic particles. Too much sugar and you will get diabetes. Eating too many highly processed foods can lead to obesity which is a health risk of greater magnitude.

I most likely would take my chances.

[follow maggie]

Obviously going to need some clarification, but again this is an emergency rule change dated August 23 that supercedes any previous rules including those in the printed regulations. It is very clear that nothing but deboned meat  can be transported from the 100 units.  Hopefully they'll be some clarification,but as it stands now it is very clear.  Unfortunately skull plates and antlers don't qualify as deboned meat.

I found this simple explanation of legal items that may be moved out of the 100 units or transported from another state/country. (See Attachment) I read this as Skull Plates are legal to take as long as there’s no soft tissue.
What I’m wondering as a meat hunter is this: if I kill a buck or bull and send the head to the state for testing, how long does it take them to get back to me with the test results? Does anyone have experience with this process? Also, if I want to have a butcher process the elk, do you have them hang it and only process once you get a negative test? Does anyone have experience with the butcher regarding meat processing with regards to CWD precautions? Thanks!

I can't help with most of your questions. I do know it takes 4 to 6 weeks to get CWD test results back. They are hoping that with more samples coming in they will have faster results but it's still not going to be quick.

Does anybody know why it takes so long? My last deer here in North Dakota I got my results in 8-9 days

[TriggerMike]

So if you drew a bull moose tag in the NE corner this year then you're supposed to just leave the head and antlers? Ya right...

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

If I killed an animal that looked healthy, and I only found out later it tested positive for CWD I would probably eat the meat anyway.

There hasn’t been a documented case of transmission to humans.

Is there a risk? Of course, but what food doesn’t have risks. You can get E.coli from your lettuce. Eat too much fat and you risk heart disease, unless you believe eating fat is good and eating carbohydrates are bad. The water you drink has plastic particles. Too much sugar and you will get diabetes. Eating too many highly processed foods can lead to obesity which is a health risk of greater magnitude.

I most likely would take my chances.

If you found out later that the animal was positive for CWD and you fed yourself and family, but had 1/2 meat remaining, would you finish the meat or toss it? Just curious. It really would be something to get an instant field test for us hunters. Place a test kit on their tongue and boom! Cut meat or cut out of there!