Minnesota DNR Final CWD Management Briefing (4/7/11)

The Minnesota DNR held a final teleconference today on their Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance efforts new Pine Island, Minnesota—the location where a single deer tested positive for the disease late last year.

I won’t cover most of the details that can be read in the press release found HERE, but what follows are some tidbits of information gleaned from the question/answer session of the teleconference:

  • The MN DNR was very pleased with the cooperation and assistance by the public on this matter.   In particular, they were impressed how well the private landowners and several conservation organizations worked together on this important effort.
  • The fact that no additional deer tested positive is seen as great news from the DNR that this situation was caught on the front-end so early.
  • This fall hunters can expect a CWD Zone declared in the hunting regulations.   It will likely be the same area that was used in this most recent surveillance effort.
  • This means there will be continued MANDATORY testing of all deer taken within this zone.   In fact, many people in the public have been requesting this mandatory testing continue.   There will be voluntary testing in many of the deer management zones surrounding the CWD zone, once this is established.
  • It also means this zone will likely see more liberalized season and bag limits.   This is mostly due to the fact the area tends to have a high wintering deer density which can add to the CWD problem.
  • It is highly likely the fall firearms season for the CWD zone will be lengthened with fewer restrictions.
  • At this point the DNR is not sure if this will be a short or long term management concern.   It will depend on what happens in the future in regards to testing results.
  • The DNR hopes to have the fall deer hunting plans (hunting regs) finalized within the next month or so.   This will give hunters in this area ample lead time so they can plan their fall hunting activities.
  • Lou Cornicelli, DNR big game coordinator, indicated that within this recent testing area on average there are 3.5 to 4.5 deer harvested per square mile (during a normal fall hunting season).   Because this area historically has such high deer densities, that is the reason why the DNR will likely want to increase those harvest numbers.
  • In fact, the DNR figures this fall they will likely get a surveillance size quite similar in scope to what was recently just accomplished.
  • The DNR will not be doing any additional population assessments until late fall/winter.   With the summer foliage and dispersion of the herd it is just too difficult to do with any effectiveness.
  • Expect the recreational feeding ban for deer to remain in effect for some time within this CWD area of concern.

– = End of update = –

©2011 Jim Braaten.  All Rights Reserved.  No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Could A Possible NFL Lockout This Fall Benefit Hunting?

Think about it.  This fall in living rooms across America there could be throngs of armchair quarterbacks restless because their favorite sport has suddenly gone dark.  While a lot can certainly change between now and training camp, the possibility of no professional football occurring this fall is a real possibility.

As fans are weighing the potential of no gridiron action, so, too, are businesses figuring out that no football on Sundays can result in some measurable negative consequences.

FootballTake for instance Buffalo Wild Wings.  This popular restaurant chain is already lamenting the fact their bottom line could lose as much as 10 percent this year without NFL Sunday football fans eating and drinking in their establishments.

So, as fans and businesses consider the potential impact of NO FOOTBALL this fall (yes, folks…I realize there will still be high school and college football), it’s time the hunting community also begins to consider this potential situation.  The way I see it…those folks in the public position of promoting hunting should be marshaling their resources now for a big public relations push to offer alternatives for folks suddenly forced out of their La-Z-Boys.

I’m serious.  I feel the current NFL labor strife will have demonstrative negative impacts rippling throughout many business sectors…BUT NOT FOR HUNTING.

Imagine millions of football fans with both time on their hands as well as money in their pockets.  No reason that money planned for game tickets couldn’t go for a pheasant hunting license, instead.  Absolutely no reason money ordinarily spent on team spirit wear couldn’t be spent on camo clothing and a pair of new hunting boots.

The point is the possibility of no football this fall could become one of the biggest boons to revitalizing the sport of hunting that we’ve seen for decades.  Of course, it won’t just happen automatically.

We all must do our part to take advantage of the opportunity, if it even presents itself.  How?  Invite that neighbor who hasn’t gone hunting for years to tag along with you this year.  Also, when the water cooler chatter focuses on what could happen with football, refocus the discussion to a better topic that WILL occur this fall—hunting.

Much of this effort must be spearheaded by our state game and fish departments.  In my opinion, if there is no football this fall AND your state game department doesn’t put on an all-out blitz in the media to promote hunting, then they are squandering a perfect situation to showcase the best recreational alternative to watching football.IMG_4128_2

Seriously, if the hunting community wants to maximize benefits from this situation the time to start planning is now.  Instead of a father tossing a football to his child in the backyard, let’s turn that situation into a dad showing his kid how to hunt.

I’ll admit, I do not relish the thought of my Vikings not playing football this fall.  On the other hand, no prospect of a football season will likely save me from listening to countless rumors of Brett Favre coming out of retirement one more time.

After all, if Favre can’t play football what do you think he’ll be doing?  That’s right…rest assured his time will be spent outdoors enjoying what should be our favorite fall pastime—hunting.

©2011 Jim Braaten.  All Rights Reserved.  No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Minnesota DNR Weekly CWD Management Briefing (3/3/11)

A quick update as to where things currently stand with the Minnesota DNR’s Chronic Wasting Disease management efforts near Pine Island, Minnesota.   In a nutshell, efforts are progressing nicely as the DNR is pleased with the on-going testing efforts.

Here are some tidbits I gleaned from today’s teleconference:

Samplingmap

  • The Minnesota DNR website has been updated including maps indicating where the samples have originated in the CWD surveillance area.
  • Landowner shooting permits ended as of February 28th.
  • In total, approximately 300 landowner shooting permits were distributed resulting in nearly 500 deer taken for sampling.
  • Dr. Lou Cornicelli, CWD Response Team incident commander, has high praise for the landowners in this area.   He states they did a fantastic job in helping with the testing effort.   He goes on to say they have been very supportive and overall been just tremendous people to work with during this phase of the response just ending.
  • Over the next two weekends the USDA sharpshooters will be working aggressively to complete the deer sampling effort.
  • So far the sharpshooters have accounted for about 100 deer.   They were trying to work properties adjacent to where landowner shooting was taking place, but the deer were too scattered to get desired results given their techniques.
  • As of now about 645 deer have been taken in the testing effort (this includes yearlings which are tested but not included in the study numbers).   Of that 645 deer, 427 deer fall within the surveillance group for the study (remember, 900 deer total are needed).   That being said, this CWD management effort is about 1/2 way there in terms of the sample numbers needed.
  • A total of 603 samples have been returned from the testing lab so far all showing negative (no disease present).   The DNR feels they are getting good distribution throughout the surveillance range for these samples.
  • The DNR also did an aerial survey on Monday and found the deer densities (distribution) are still where they expected them to be.
  • The aerial survey also showed 100% compliance with the recreational deer feeding ban so no enforcement activities have been necessary.
  • In terms of the available venison, so far the list has grown to over 300 people meaning nearly all of the harvested deer for sampling is eventually going into the food chain.

– = End of update = –

©2011 Jim Braaten.  All Rights Reserved.  No Reproduction without Prior Permission.