My hunting club is now in a CWD zone. I usually take my deer to a processor. I hate to pay the packaging cost for meat I can’t use if it later tests positive.

What do you do?

My county is not designated a zone yet but two neighboring counties are. I process my own deer and do not test them.

yes been in a zone since 2004

… if you’re scared go to church

Here in Georgia.....the state pays the processor if the deer comes back positive. Also re-instates that tag for the hunter.

Only three adjoining counties in South Georgia currently are in a CWD zone.

Also, testing is free here in Georgia. Numerous freezer drop-off locations in South Georgia for the heads.

If testing is free in your state and it's not far to drive to drop off for testing.....and you don't take advantage of this ....then it's all on you.

Any venison I consume will be tested as long as it is free and convenient. I'll have a decision to make if that changes. I know the seriousness of this. If you think this is all BS...then good luck.

CWD zone for about 6 years. I'm 75 and on my 3rd pacemaker. CWD isn't on the list of things to worry about.

For you...probably not.

Is it something you worry about, Swamp? I talked to a wildlife biologist friend here in my state and he says he's cooked and eaten deer known to have it. He did not seem concerned.....

…ol prophet of doom here

…. I’ll mix the stem cells out of a positive deer into a shot of wild turkey

… that crap can’t hurt you

I quit deer hunting because of it. Ive heard they might carry covid too. Then throw on the risk of dying in a car wreck getting to the hunting spot, it just seemed the risk was to high.

Not a single state reccomends consuming a known positive deer.

CWD is in the same grouping of diseases as mad cow disease & scrapie in sheep. It has not yet made a jump to humans but all research shows it has the potential.

Most people take that as an "all OK". Every person will have to decide on their own.

Without going into too much technical info...this group of diseases is related to Alzhiemer's and dementia.

No doom and gloom....just facts anyone can research on their own. Just have to be able to seperate the wheat from the chaff.

Because many people don't/haven't seen it affecting deer they say it's all BS. And then those that say "I've eaten venison all my life with no problems"......OK. Me too. But, intentionally disregarding facts is just stupid.

Well, I suppose the Marlboros and whiskey will likely take me out first...

Your joking right??? Surely you have read the warning labels on those...

Research is moving slower on this that we'd like for sure.

If it ever makes a confirmed jump to humans it'll be a sad day.

Plain and simple.

Wildlife scientists have no idea how long prion diseases have been in the wild. Prion disease (CWD) cannot be killed easily and is immune to fire.

It is in the soil and in the plants deer can consume.

There is no telling how many deer have been consumed that were positive.

Best bet is to never consume brain or spinal cord as that is where prions live.

The human equivalent to CWD is CJD. Look it up.

Science doesn't know what it doesn't know.

All facts^^^^^

Don't wait for the government to tell you yes or no about consuming venison. Find out the info on your own and make a decision you can live with or live without.

Every state is already telling folks DO NOT EAT A POSITIVE DEER and we see how that's going.

Where are you going to get the info you believe? From Ol'Bubba?

In that map you posted Swamp, see those three counties in MS that hang down below the rest in the gray? I'm in the white butted right up to them on the right so I am almost sure CWD must be here as well. Imagine like me most just don't bother to get em tested.

Not to argue, but it will be a sad day as the entire North American continent will be unable to deliver consumable wild meat from cervids. Imagine the devastation to crops and cars. If hunting cervids is outlawed and deer elk and moose are slaughtered and buried because of some possible link to a Human disease, it will be a sad and utterly stupid day indeed.

The CWD human equivalent, Creutzfeld Jacob disease, ALREADY EXISTS. And they know next to nothing about that disease either.

CWD is a HUGE boogie man.

Again Uncle Swamp, my rant is directed at scientists and researchers in the wildlife filed. Not at you at all.