Thoughts on my own CWD situation

LandLakes

FNG
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Sep 14, 2022
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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.
 
If the lymph nodes are still intact you might have a chance of getting it tested. I would call you local FWP office and ask them. Maybe you can still take the head to them to collect the lymph nodes for testing.

Otherwise, meat consumption is your call.
 
If the lymph nodes are still intact you might have a chance of getting it tested. I would call you local FWP office and ask them. Maybe you can still take the head to them to collect the lymph nodes for testing.

Otherwise, meat consumption is your call.
The lymph nodes are definitely gone lol I have it euroed out already, minus the boiling.
 
Now that CWD is established in my area I test them all. Even in the nearby counties. It’s not worth risking my or my family’s health/lives. If you have a knucklehead that’s willing to be a lab rat, give it to him. I wouldn’t eat it without knowing. Too many risks.
 
The lymph nodes are definitely gone lol I have it euroed out already, minus the boiling.
4 miles means nothing. If there is CWD in an area, some animals will test positive and some will test negative. Some deer seem not to get it even in high prevalence areas.

If I shot a whitail buck over 3 years old in a high prevalence area I personally wouldn't eat it without testing. Whitetail are the most susceptible, followed by mule deer followed by elk who seem to be pretty resistant.

I had a grizzly bear steal the head of my cow elk a few weeks ago before I pulled a lymphnode. I talked with the biologist and he said elk are close to 1% in that area, so I'm going to eat it.

Call the biologist in the area, ask him the prevalence in whitetail in that unit and make a call. If nothing else, feed it to your dogs.

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