TheMadCatter
Well-Known Member
CWD does kill deer, but it is far from the only threat they face. Contrary to what some government agencies suggest, CWD is not the catastrophic killer they make it out to be. When a deer does become clinically affected by CWD, it typically occurs later in life—not at 2.5 to 3.5 years old. I once believed CWD was far more devastating than it is, but after years of living, working, and capturing deer, I've come to realize that predator populations, EHD, vehicle collisions, fences, and people are far more significant threats. CWD is more of an inconvenience—it's not going to decimate a deer population. If it were, there wouldn't be over 150 whitetail deer within a mile of my house, nor would there be over 30 in the field less than 100 yards from me, just 5 miles from the disease's epicenter.
For almost two years now, I’ve been closely monitoring these deer, and I believe only two have succumbed to CWD. Both were mature whitetail males, over 7 years old (one likely well into double digits), who appeared healthy before rapidly going clinical within a few months, unable to lift their heads despite having access to abundant food in a low-stress environment. Our mature mule deer males have been killed by hunters, and adult mule deer and whitetail mortality has been minimal, aside from mountain lion predation (these animals showed healthy bone marrow and no signs of CWD, though some were CWD-positive).
The sample size of the population we’re monitoring isn't large, as we've collared about 8% of the area's deer. I'm not claiming that CWD wouldn't lead to a population decrease (it won't decimate it) in areas where the disease hasn’t yet spread, but it has been present here since the 1960s, and it hasn’t wiped out the local deer population—even in urban areas where hunting is prohibited. Genetic resistance to CWD is real, and deer appear to adapt to their surroundings well.
Iowa's agricultural practices, particularly the removal of every tree to gain an extra quarter-acre of farmland, are doing far more damage to wildlife populations than CWD ever could. CWD isn’t going to eradicate all your deer—bulldozers are.
Wildlife Society Bulletin (2019): This journal highlights research on the potential for genetic resistance to CWD within deer populations. It has been suggested that over time, deer populations may evolve to cope with the disease. The study found some evidence of genetic variation among deer that may contribute to survival against the disease, suggesting that populations can adapt in the long term.
Reference: DeVivo, M. T., & Ricketts, T. (2019). Genetic Resistance to Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer Populations. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 43(4), 744-752.
Environmental Management (2015): A journal article in Environmental Management discusses the far-reaching impacts of habitat loss on wildlife populations, especially in areas where agricultural development replaces natural habitat. The study emphasizes that habitat fragmentation and deforestation due to agricultural expansion have long-term consequences for wildlife survival and biodiversity, often having a far more immediate and destructive effect than diseases like CWD.
Reference: Fahrig, L. (2015). Habitat loss and the limits of conservation: A review. Environmental Management, 54(5), 701-710.
For almost two years now, I’ve been closely monitoring these deer, and I believe only two have succumbed to CWD. Both were mature whitetail males, over 7 years old (one likely well into double digits), who appeared healthy before rapidly going clinical within a few months, unable to lift their heads despite having access to abundant food in a low-stress environment. Our mature mule deer males have been killed by hunters, and adult mule deer and whitetail mortality has been minimal, aside from mountain lion predation (these animals showed healthy bone marrow and no signs of CWD, though some were CWD-positive).
The sample size of the population we’re monitoring isn't large, as we've collared about 8% of the area's deer. I'm not claiming that CWD wouldn't lead to a population decrease (it won't decimate it) in areas where the disease hasn’t yet spread, but it has been present here since the 1960s, and it hasn’t wiped out the local deer population—even in urban areas where hunting is prohibited. Genetic resistance to CWD is real, and deer appear to adapt to their surroundings well.
Iowa's agricultural practices, particularly the removal of every tree to gain an extra quarter-acre of farmland, are doing far more damage to wildlife populations than CWD ever could. CWD isn’t going to eradicate all your deer—bulldozers are.
Wildlife Society Bulletin (2019): This journal highlights research on the potential for genetic resistance to CWD within deer populations. It has been suggested that over time, deer populations may evolve to cope with the disease. The study found some evidence of genetic variation among deer that may contribute to survival against the disease, suggesting that populations can adapt in the long term.
Reference: DeVivo, M. T., & Ricketts, T. (2019). Genetic Resistance to Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer Populations. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 43(4), 744-752.
Environmental Management (2015): A journal article in Environmental Management discusses the far-reaching impacts of habitat loss on wildlife populations, especially in areas where agricultural development replaces natural habitat. The study emphasizes that habitat fragmentation and deforestation due to agricultural expansion have long-term consequences for wildlife survival and biodiversity, often having a far more immediate and destructive effect than diseases like CWD.
Reference: Fahrig, L. (2015). Habitat loss and the limits of conservation: A review. Environmental Management, 54(5), 701-710.
