Thoughts on my own CWD situation

[LandLakes]

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.

 

[idelkslayer]

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.

 

[LandLakes]

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.

 

[Radford]

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.

 

[grfox92]

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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[Gbrecka]

Does the processor guarantee your own meat back? Including the meat in the sticks and sausage?

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

Such a tough subject. If your buddy hadn’t had his tested you would go ahead, eat your deer, have zero issues, and go about your day.

Now that it’s on your mind though, it’ll worry you, despite the - currently - zero percent chance that this prion based disease is capable of affecting humans - at this time. And yes, I am aware that prions are capable of structurally changing through misfolded proteins, and yes, totally understand the general mentality of limiting any interaction of CWD with humans.

Personally, I would not be concerned with eating the meat. With that said, I support testing when it’s available and not eating a deer with known CWD or that has signs of CWD.

 

[Radford]

Such a tough subject. If your buddy hadn’t had his tested you would go ahead, eat your deer, have zero issues, and go about your day.

Now that it’s on your mind though, it’ll worry you, despite the - currently - zero percent chance that this prion based disease is capable of affecting humans - at this time. And yes, I am aware that prions are capable of structurally changing through misfolded proteins, and yes, totally understand the general mentality of limiting any interaction of CWD with humans.

Personally, I would not be concerned with eating the meat. With that said, I support testing when it’s available and not eating a deer with known CWD or that has signs of CWD.

It’s not likely, but not zero percent chance. Prion diseases have crossed species in the past. And experts still advise using caution when handling animals in known CWD environments. The expert ma advise caution because they are not certain aka they don’t know.

 

[TaperPin]

I test everything even though the odds are very low I’d be the rare case it crossed over. We had an old timer in the family who lived in the sticks and survived on wild game. If wild game was the cause of the prion disease that killed him nobody will ever know. Guess how much attention it got from the medical establishment to identify the source? None. Nobody is looking to spend money trying to track down anything. Federal money for research is a joke right now.

On the other hand ignorance is bliss at times. Like knowing there are bugs hanging onto almost everyone’s eyebrow hairs. It creeps you out, but they don’t usually cause problems.

 

[Speaks]

Hard call, I test all mine now even in very low prevalence area.

Honestly the handling of the head was likely far more dangerous than eating the meat…

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

It’s not likely, but not zero percent chance. Prion diseases have crossed species in the past. And experts still advise using caution when handling animals in known CWD environments. The expert ma advise caution because they are not certain aka they don’t know.

The absolute risk at this time is zero. The relative risk may not be zero.

No confirmed cases or indications it has ever crossed the human barrier, and no indications of infection in lab testing in mice or monkeys.

But, due to the hypothetical chance a prion could structurally change, yes, there is a tiny relative risk.

 

[jmez]

Have to do what you are comfortable with. Personally I wouldn't be concerned. I'm not you.

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[Sacrvrrat72]

From what I know, I wouldn't worry about it. You already processed the animal, it has been to the butcher, and you still are handling the head and brain. All of those pose significant risk if you think it may jump species.