Regrets on not CWD testing my deer

[K9kodi]

I think the emphasis is on the word ironic, as most people will generally get the consequences of their actions, good or bad. It’s less irony and more cause and effect

 

[LongWayAround]

I killed a young, seemingly healthy whitetail buck in a known CWD area this October. I didn't get it tested and didn't think much of it at the time, but there's definitely a little second thought every time I stick a fork in that meat.

I have a buddy who's killed several deer in the same area and their family happily eats them.

My thing is that the prions seem to be indestructible without autoclave treatment. If bleach can't kill it, I don't have an answer.

Say you kill a deer, butcher it, wait for results, and it tests positive. Maybe you discard the meat. So do you also discard your knife, game bags, backpack, cooler, anything the meat touched?

I'm not going to do that.

Like mentioned above, the disease has been known for 50 years with no known human transmission. I've also never heard of a coyote having CWD. There has to have been thousands of positive animals consumed with no known transmission.

 

[Laramie]

Looking for some opinions on a CWD situation. I shot a whitetail buck in early November and kept the head for a euro mount. I got the outside of the skull pretty cleaned up, but the whole brain and I think the brainstem are still inside. I haven’t boiled it or anything yet. I’ve had the head sitting in my shed for about a month and a half now. I live in Montana so the temperature has been relatively cooler since, but idk if it’s enough to preserve any tissue.

A buddy of mine shot a mule deer buck about a week or two before mine. He got it about 4 miles away from where I shot my deer, but still the same property, but different “microhabitats.” His ended up testing positive for CWD, but I had already gotten everything of mine processed before I knew. I didn’t test mine at the time, and since I’ve already had it processed, I am now sitting here with steaks, jerky, sticks, etc. wondering what other people would do.

I’m curious if folks would still eat the meat in this situation, or if the nearby positive would make you think twice. Also wondering if it’s even worth trying to get the head tested now since the brain is still intact, even though it’s been sitting around for this long.

Here is you at home test kit. Please do not throw away good deer meat just because it might be CWD positive. https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&pf...=2ahUKEwiq5rv_o-aRAxUpGtAFHcEfBIAQ0Qx6BAgOEAE

I have a bad feeling the anti-hunting community is going to capitalize on hunters tossing meat. At the end of the day, we need to make informed, and educated decisions on what and where we hunt. If hunters are unwilling to eat a CWD positive deer, they really should hunt in areas where it hasn't been found. There are plenty of places to go currently where there is basically zero risk.

 

[KnightExtreme]

Looking for some opinions on a CWD situation. I shot a whitetail buck in early November and kept the head for a euro mount. I got the outside of the skull pretty cleaned up, but the whole brain and I think the brainstem are still inside. I haven’t boiled it or anything yet. I’ve had the head sitting in my shed for about a month and a half now. I live in Montana so the temperature has been relatively cooler since, but idk if it’s enough to preserve any tissue.

A buddy of mine shot a mule deer buck about a week or two before mine. He got it about 4 miles away from where I shot my deer, but still the same property, but different “microhabitats.” His ended up testing positive for CWD, but I had already gotten everything of mine processed before I knew. I didn’t test mine at the time, and since I’ve already had it processed, I am now sitting here with steaks, jerky, sticks, etc. wondering what other people would do.

I’m curious if folks would still eat the meat in this situation, or if the nearby positive would make you think twice. Also wondering if it’s even worth trying to get the head tested now since the brain is still intact, even though it’s been sitting around for this long.

The Glands required are specific for testing of CWD. The Left over in the skull might not able to be tested. The Glands are in the neck area. Here in Michigan if you do not provide these specific glands but something else they will not "test", being you do not have these "Glands" not sure the testing would provide any results.
Maybe in the future you will start having your deer tested. Understand your concerns though. As others mention if it looked health they the 'meat should be okay.
KE