The Truth about CWD (797)

[@wniner8194]

Excellent information! Thanks for taking the time to do this. Your respectful approach is missing in much of today’s society. We need to continue to follow the science!

[@danno7583]

Except they don't seem to be following all the science from what I've read. There's a lot out there that some people, for whatever ever reason, won't talk about . I've asked for peer studies to back up what they are saying, and so far all I get is, I have bad information. Lol.

[@tomlee5559]

Thanks to the creator, for having people like you on this earth. I cannot thank you enough for your passion to make what the creator made just a little better. Keep on Keeping on !!!!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for the encouraging words!

[@AlexE-i1s]

Perhaps the most important posting you have done. Thank you

[@jamesharris9725]

Thank you Grant for this timely and informative video. As a longtime practicing wildlife biologist I can appreciate the time and effort that goes into gathering and vetting the information that you've presented. And I certainly appreciate the audience you can reach. All good information and as always presented in a way that doesn't tell us how to think, but what to think about, lol. CWD is here to stay and as conservationists and responsible hunters we need to be prepared to effectively discuss it and manage it to the best of our abilities. And as with so many things in life, CWD may be one of those where there is no true solution, but many possible intelligent compromises. Thank you for your professionalism, your knowledge, and most importantly your willingness to share. So kudos to you and the team, keep up the good work.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for the encouraging words!

[@danno7583]

So as a biologist, can you show me the the peer study results showing where all deer die when they are tested , and the prion is found? Not cwd, the prion. I don't want hunches based on uncontrolled outcomes based on state to state differences. I'm trying to figure this out and anytime I ask, I get nothing. Seems that it isn't 100% lethal. Why aren't there dead deer everywhere? Also seems that cwd isn't a population based disease. Again I want peer studies, accurate studies.

[@hiddenacresoutdoors]

Excellent and informative presentation. Thank you very much and keep doing what you're doing. It has an impact.

[@drtpredatorcontrol]

Grant, you just gain my respect every time I listen to you. So calm and logical. Thanks for being the calm and wise presence you are in the industry!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@larrytellman3490]

Thanks for your common sense and calm response to a complex problem.

[@wabbit1699]

Grant, this is why I love watching the channel. It isn't solely about hunting strategies, and videos like this show just how important it is to have good information based on solid science, so that people can learn and then adjust what they do on their property or when they go hunting.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks!

[@angelmachado5028]

Dr. Grant. I respect and admire your work. Follow you on KZbin since I first found you a few years back. I think these kinds of conversations are necessary and valuable for the hunting community. I will share with that in experience of working in a large government agency, well intentioned ideas will take on a life of their own! It’s for good reasons that the public is very skeptical of any comes from the government or even academia. For example you mentioned the auto insurance industry, if they are not interested in lowering the number of deer collisions it would be very surprising. You are doing a good job at educating, please don’t get defensive when people ask stupid questions. In my opinion the only stupid questions are the ones that nobody wants to ask!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks! I don't mind questions - but the name calling, sharing false information, saying I sold out to the GOV, etc., is silly and tiresome. I hope to help deer and deer hunters.

[@lonniechartrand]

@@GrowingDeerTV Grant, I have always appreciated your knowledge and input. But as to the populace questioning the "process", can you blame them? With the whole COVID chaos, and STILL NO REAL DATA proving that this was nothing more than a bad flu, and that the people had been played, is a typical response. I am not a "naysayer" per se. I will admit that I question our government's actions, and have lost a lot of faith in both the CDC, AND the World Health Organization. I try to look at it from both sides of the fence, but the media has put a strain on normal thought processes.

[@mycodeofhonor]

This is one of the first videos I’ve watched from your channel, and to get excellent information, followed by a demonstration of your reverence for God at the end was a blessing! Keep it up!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@2ndamendment1776]

As always, solid information and video, Dr. Grant.

[@Paulannear]

Thank you for producing this and communicating everything so effectively Grant!

[@JPOP161]

Thank you for putting out this information. I appreciate it as some of the places I hunt in Pennsylvania and Ohio have deer that tested positive for CWD. Keep doing what you’re doing. And thanks again.

[@johntaylor6340]

This is the best video on CWD I have ever seen. Thank you!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for the encouraging words! They are nice amongst all the misinformed and haters out there. Thanks again!

[@Zachstevens1018]

As a wildlife biologist myself for which state I won’t mention. We recommend Growing DeerTV to a lot of our landowners or we’ve had them mentions Grants name. Thank you Grant/Daniel for expressing the information in a digestible format for many hunters and landowners; it helps us in the field exponentially!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for your kind words and for working to slow the spread of CWD!

[@lonniehansen3807]

Sorry you found CWD. Excellent job in summarizing facts about CWD. I appreciate it.

[@imilyhomestead7305]

Great episode. Thanks for sharing your CWD journey and supporting best practices for CWD.

[@smallfishbigpond5047]

God Bless you Dr. Grant Woods!

[@robertfleagle4250]

Great video. Thank you so much. I like all your videos. They are informative and entertaining. God bless and stay safe.

[@swampbiologist]

I agree 100% with every word that you have spoken and hope more passionate deer hunters like myself will arm themselves with the knowledge it takes to bring us through this challenging time!

[@Catfish_Ketcher]

I agree on the natural route of enhancing the natural forage. It’s hard to beat the original designer.

[@JohnC-jk8vx]

J

[@geneayers6285]

Excellent video Grant!! Thank you again.

[@novicereloader]

This was the best educational source on CWD I've come across, yet.

[@ThomasRizzo-j5h]

Well Done Grant THANK YOU

[@roryheims1605]

Great episode. Thank u Grant.

[@haroldturner1946]

I agree with you grant totally if you we don’t take care of are deer herd ,the most sought after big game in the us,a lot of people that disagree with you they don’t care about conservation,all that matters to them is the harvest, god bless you grant and your family you have the best and most knowledgeable hunting show on KZbin

[@Shawn-pj1ze]

Good video. Thanks for posting it.

[@timeintheoutdoors]

Thanks for the good information. I really appreciate this video! Keep up the good work. :)

[@danrowe1174]

Great presentation Dr Woods. It’s amazing to me that some will not do anything to help out. Some are very short sighted and can’t be bothered to be inconvenienced with a slightly smaller herd, handling carcasses properly or give up a corn pile.

[@jakobwhite3105]

While I'm not a biologist, it seems to me that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) might be receiving exaggerated attention from our state agencies. Specifically looking at Arkansas, where CWD was initially identified in 2015 and testing commenced in 2016, the numbers paint an interesting picture: • Between 2016 and 2023, a total of 50,430 deer were tested, with 1,495 (2.96%) testing positive. • Notably, 93% of these positive cases are concentrated around Newton County and the Elk population. • Most of the tested deer were from Newton and nearby counties, where the prevalence is highest. Most were sampled voluntarily or culled by the AGFC due to visible signs of sickness. Over the past eight years, the AGFC has marked 25 counties as CWD zones, accounting for the total 1,495 positive cases mentioned above. However, a substantial 579,568 deer were harvested in these designated counties in the same period, translating to a mere 0.26% positive rate (I know not every deer was tested). When extended to the statewide harvest numbers, the relevance diminishes further. Adding to the perspective, the AGFC has significantly increased the number of CWD tests by 435% from 2016 to 2023, with only a 117% increase in positive cases. In essence, does this not suggest an exaggeration of the issue? In summary, while acknowledging the severity of CWD, a 100% fatal disease for deer, and speaking as a passionate deer hunter, the decision to remove antler restrictions across half the state appears disproportionate. This measure clearly impacts the age class of bucks negatively. A little bit of research tells me CWD was introduced to Arkansas in 1981 with the Elk herd. CWD has been around since then and will always be here. A doe will always lick her fawns, deer will groom each other, and deer will always feed/sleep/walk/drink in the same areas even if there is not a corn pile. The data shows there has been no impact on CWD numbers by implementing the CWD regulations set by the AGFC, like no baiting in the summer months, no antler restrictions, no natural deer scents/lures, & increased bag limits.

[@jakobwhite3105]

Just a follow-up comment: I love Grant and agree with everything he says. My comment above was more related to the AGFC and the published data on their website. They make it seem like our deer population is on the brink of extinction with the narrative they push, but the numbers don't support it. I will also add I don't hunt over corn piles.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for your note and for note using bait! In Boone County, Arkansas, there's a 1 in 4 chance of bucks having CWD - 25%. I have friends with land there they purchased for deer hunting. They are very discouraged as the deer numbers as age structure have declined. Several deer they've harvested have tested positive for CWD. That core area seems to be increasing annually. CWD is a very serious issue in north central Arkansas. I hope you don't hunt in that area.

[@mattotto2380]

​@@jakobwhite3105Unfortunately the infection rate will continue to increase and the disease will spread. In Wisconsin it took 18 years to get to my farm from when it was first detected about 70 miles away. Now, half our mature bucks taken this past fall tested positive.

[@RobinGrant-q7l]

Thanks Dr Grant for the facts and information on CWD as well as legitimate sources for further information. I respect a biologist who is also a deer hunter and uses science and not emotion to explain how we can mitigate this disease until a cure is found.

[@scottweidner1613]

Thank you for the great information. Here in PA in all the CWD zones the game commission puts out collection bins to put heads in and does free testing. It is a great service to the hunters in our state.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Yes it is!

[@patrickwolf4373]

Thank you for such an informative and science-based segment, Grant! Well done!

[@JohnHolden-f2o]

Great episode Grant!!! We all need to be good stewards and conservationists and follow the most recent research and information available. Thank you and your team for consistently providing us with what you can of that!!! Keep up the good work.

[@wentress1]

Great information. Like to add. In NYS one of the first know cases of CWD was do to herd farming deer for restaurants. This goes back over thirty years ago when venison was only allow to be sold in restaurants. It had nothing to do with hunters. I support not doing baiting stations

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks! NY has only had one reported case of CWD.

[@wentress1]

How they report stats, if often miss leading. Since the 80's only one CWD reported?? along with bordering PA having CWD. Just saying. @@GrowingDeerTV

[@skittles23891]

Honest question. If the CWD protein is passed by body fluids and waste, why can they only find it in testing that requires the animal die?

[@RockyRiverFarms]

Exactly. Bunch of b.s. come up with a “cure” for Covid in a matter of months but can’t stop the common cold or flu. Or the so called “cwd”

[@JayN4GO]

Bingo

[@ltcg]

Furthermore, why test? CWD is NOT transmittable to humans. If a deer appears ill, don't eat it, same as you would any other disease. I refuse to play their politics, so I refuse to test.

[@robbyjackson4040]

I think the answer is a practical one. How would you obtain a sample from a living deer? I think testing the harvest is one of ease. They’re dead and no moving. You could likely test soil samples but that might not say much about numbers of the disease, only that it exists in some area.

[@skittles23891]

I understand collecting the lymph’s from a harvested animal but even in deer farms(where they handle living deer) fish and game requires they be killed to collect cwd samples

[@DavidHarperMusic]

Excellent vid Grant, i appreciate all your doing to educate everyone and share the facts. Lets make it a great 2024!

[@gene10846]

Thank you, great source of information.

[@dougcounts3383]

Dr. Grant I thought that I had this season in the bag, as far as tagging a mature buck. I only hunt public land here in Missouri. Scouted very hard this past spring and found two different huge rub lines. The biggest rub lines I have personally ever seen. Definitely made by big mature bucks. Then I started finding dead deer. From February til October I found three dead deer. Killed from disease. I've contacted the conservation department. One deer I found in October was a decent 135" ten pointer. Needless to say, after the drought we've had this year it's made it harder on the deer herds to stay healthy. I didn't catch any mature bucks on camera. It sucks! Thanks for posting on this horrible disease. There's always next season.

[@paulpendino4494]

I sent my first comment in before you got to the segment where you explained that a food plot or natural food source isn't the same as a feeder spot. I can agree with that too. However, at the beginning when you explained that a deer is constantly salivating especially while eating. And food particles are falling out of their mouths. But when you touched on the fact that food plots and natural food sources the deer eats the plant and doesn't put their nose back down in the same spot. I have to disagree with that statement simply because the deer are in fact grazing in the same spot just eating another plant/foot source. So in reality the saliva is spreading along with their urine and feces as they move through the food plot/natural food source. It's just not in a pile as you stated; which again I never thought about that so thank you for that insight.

[@aaronwarren9411]

Great information. Thanks for sharing!

[@ccoutdoors590]

As always great information. Thank you so much Grant!

[@d.j.ostromjr5307]

Thanks Grant.

[@mr.Mikeyboy]

I always like learning and appreciate learning from those ahead of my time…I live in capital ny we have had some outbreaks but nothing to your extent…and I have always wondered about the meat ..and if we could contract it..I do wish they would give more tags out and more access to lands especially just outside city limits where the herd is just exploding in past that’s where most outbreaks occur because a large portion of the people feed the deer year round.

[@ddz2049]

Excellent video. Thanks

[@RushOutdoors]

I have land in the core zone in Wisconsin after 20 years plus the mature buck numbers are way down 4 yrs old are becoming rare! people really complain about deer numbers up this way.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for sharing! In many of the areas where CWD prevalence rates are high, hunters noticed decreased numbers of mature bucks and deer overall.

[@RushOutdoors]

@@GrowingDeerTV Yep it has been a consistent decline for years. Now its getting to the point that the complaints are higher than ever before. Of course many try to blame the DNR, which I think is not the problem they are doing what they can to support deer numbers here. I think people now days expect way to much for the hunt. I remember we had to get tags to shoot a doe when I first started here in Southern Wisconsin. Heck seeing deer was exciting they would write about it in the paper if somebody shot a good buck. With a bow it was like how did you do that Lol! With the increase of numbers that happened in our state from the late 60's to late 80's people became spoiled in my eyes. It was so bad number wise in this core area if I went out bow hunting, and didn't see 15 to 20 deer in one sit I did something wrong. Lol I think expectation have out grown common sense in this area. Many have zero idea of carrying capacity of their lands, and what a healthy and sustainable deer herd really looks like, and that is to bad , and causing many issues in the area. Have a great day and thanks for all of the great info you guys put out!

[@shanegridley4922]

I love West Texas--can't wait to go there again!!

[@marshallgeorge3819]

Excellent video Grant! Facts are the best way to handle CWD.

[@stevecolombe4446]

I am from Wisconsin and can say that when CWD was first found it put a scare in hunters to the point that a lot of hunters did not go or decided that they would only shoot a big buck. In areas that it was found the DNR did try to eradicate deer by hiring sharpshooters to shoot deer at night over of all things bait piles. They also had special seasons. Where I live they found it in a deer farm image that. Every deer in the farm (Buck Horn Flats) ended up testing positive. There was also a hole in the fence found that miraculously most of the big bucks escaped through. Tells you something about how deer farms played a big roll in CWD. The DNR then tried to take out as many wild deer in the area with a special hunt in February. As you stated in your video that there is no proof that CWD can spread to humans. In Wisconsin testing is voluntary and they do not confiscate the meat from a deer that tests positive. It should be up to the individual whether they want to have their deer tested. I am not a big fan of baiting to begin with but do not feel it is a major factor in CWD spreading. Every deer in an area visits community scrapes and licking branches. Very few deer in the wild die from CWD. They usually die from blunt force trauma, coming into contact with sharp objects or lead poisoning.

[@hermanlaumb9007]

Very good,thanks

[@turkeyhunter7617]

Thx Grant for this good information 👍👍🦌🦌

[@charleywalker2982]

Grant what do you think about scrapes ? They seem to be cwd pits .

[@daviddemand6856]

Dr Grant convinced me a long time ago that I didn’t have to have 500 acres on th Missouri/Iowa border to grow and harvest quality bucks. Our practices, through knowledge that he’s provided over the years, created more deer and other wildlife, and high-quality deer on a 63 acre tract. I’ve taken a 165 4/8, several 150 class and each year we see progress. Our unofficial “proving grounds” has made for great hunting and conservation.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for sharing!

[@danielstefanoff4104]

Well done Grant!

[@boomerrangerron]

Great information as it was so informative! We submitted two deer this year to our Connecticut DEP biologist for testing. I'm told that you should be careful not to cut the spinal cord, so one should be careful when removing the neck. Maybe we should bone the next without severing the spinal cord. What are your thougths?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Proud of you for having deer tested for CWD! I agree - always debone and never cut the spinal cord!

[@roberts.688]

Ok Dr. Grant what about scrapes every deer in the area bucks and does all lick and defecate in the scrape how is that different then a bait site?

[@JohnC-jk8vx]

S C R A P E

[@wendyandwalter40]

I'll take this one. It's not different at all... Except that it's something we don't have control over. Most effective way to control disease is to completely isolate each individual... But since that's not possible, it's all about controlling the risk behaviors we can. No, it won't eliminate CWD... But at present, reducing infection numbers is the best we can hope for.

[@thebadboo4875]

The problem is there has never been a study that delineates the % of transmission via the possible modes of transmission due to the difficulty of design and accurate execution of such a study, esp for deer in the wild. Thus all restrictions and efforts are based on best intentions and not backed by replicable science. It doesn't take a genius to realize reducing population density will slow the spread of any transmissable disease. Until a human actually gets CWD from a deer, it remains just one of a thousand things that occur in nature that has what we perceive as negative results.

[@Ghillie-bp6tl]

Great cumulative review of existing CWD info. Don't even acknowledge the ignorant, Dr.Grant. they don't even deserve the recognition. Most mammalian species go through a cycle with hemorrhagic fevers and various diseases. This is 1 of the few times we have these platforms to communicate info about it. You play a key role in that communication. Can't thank you enough.

[@iowatimberfreaks7102]

Nose to nose like every deer that hits a scrape/licking branch. CWD has been here long before we tested for it. Thousands of deer with CWD have been eaten without knowing that deer was sick. No human has ever contracted this disease can’t happen.

[@countpicula]

That’s what they said about mad cow. Also a pryon sickness

[@Jerryslistings]

Good video/info. Rethinking my mineral rocks.

[@matthewallen841]

Thank you for the information. God bless you

[@phillipthewise7758]

I live in Southwest Wisconsin and we've had CWD for the past 30 years. Yet the herds are the same if not bigger today than they were thirty years ago. It's a moneygrab by the department of natural resources. Mainly due to deer farms, and that's where you'll find your highest concentrations of CWD. I suggest you listen to Chris Brackett. As he is very knowledgeable on the subject along with many other podcasters

[@travisethridge4062]

I feel the same about the money grab. Find a few deer with CWD and get some grant money... always a problem needing solved in government agencies.

[@JerHAMM]

Look at the cwd next to municipalities map 🤔

[@t.c.worley5528]

The same Chris Bracket that got caught poaching? He's your poster-boy for truth?! You look to a podcaster /influencer for your info and disregard Dr. Woods -- emphasis on DR... Wow, bud.

[@DAVE-xw2ok]

With all due respect Chris Brackett is far from an expert. Killing deer yes. Biology...no

[@DAVE-xw2ok]

With all due respect Chris Brackett is far from an expert. Killing deer yes. Biology...no

[@paulpendino4494]

I never thought about what you were saying about the feeders being used for deer. But wouldn't what you were stating hold true for large areas of Oak trees dropping the acorns. These areas are much more larger areas than a feeder which would spread out over a more vast area of deer deification.

[@charlievanlandingham567]

Exactly! Ted nugent was arguing with a state about feed sites spreading it when there are wild apple orchards and licking branches all over

[@clintjohnson7023]

I believe the common denominator is the feed. But I'm not just talking about the corn in feeders. Or protein feeders. I'm talking about everything that has anything to do with row crops and farmland . I mean think about it there's a reason that a lot of other countries have stopped the import of certain foods from America. Grains and produce. A country where life has been patent on soybeans and corn and who knows what else. Where crops are genetically. Modified enough that corn and soybeans produce their own insecticide and are guaranteed to grow yet its against the law for the farmer to save and use seeds rom his harvest. That that farmer has to purchase new seed every year. And I see the pattern of how cwd is always found within just a few miles crop land.and being that deer travel. But idk

[@Kingtiger15-s3k]

Great video keep them coming.

[@billywallace4287]

I appreciate the info Grant and team. The more information we have, the better the decision making. Deferring baiting is perfectly reasonable and shows direct correlation via the 2 state approaches. This year I started baiting and planting green cover, all be it late in the year. Trail cams tell me the deer much prefer the planted plots. I have only seen a few doe groups at the bait. MUCH more deer (especially bucks) at the planted plot. So, baiters relax and adapt, you can plant virtually any where. Good hunting!

[@lorinn7314]

Amen! Brother grant. I enjoy everything about the channel. Just don't start getting overly excited about the harvest like some channels do. We're still taking a life ,that the creator gave us to manage responsibly, and sometimes the harvest can be an emotional thing. And they should be respected, as your channel does. Thanks.

[@brentburdick6002]

Im from NW WI, and the only thing affecting the deer heard in the northern 1/3 of the state is the wolves they introduced back into the state and the fact they started allowing crossbows to every average joe whos to lazy to take the time to shoot a compound bow. Our deer herd isn't quite the same it was where I hunt since I started hunting 18 years ago but it's not a zombie zone and I hunt in the heart of one of the "cwd" zones. It's quite fishy that the most recent cwd positive deer they found in the county next door just so happened to be 2 weeks BEFORE bow season started this year. What deer did they test that came back positive before season even started? Roadkill? I don't think so because they leave the vehicle killed deer to rot in the ditches around here. They will never get rid of it. That is their main form of communication. A scrape and LICKING branch. Not to mention crop fields, the food plots you preach about all summer long and educate us about, mud puddles they drink out of, grooming each other etc........I think CWD is just like covid. Quit testing for it, and it wouldn't be such a huge deal. Another money driven government scheme. They want all the deer shot so they sell unlimited doe tags at next to nothing prices. At one point they were selling doe tags for 2 dollars. 2 DOLLARS. I believe now they are 12 dollars. Every farmer around was buying as many as they could and filling them for crop damage purposes. That was another thing that made the deer herd a little weaker. I think the WI dnr have their heads up their butts IMO. Now I'm not saying it's not real, I do believe it's real but I think the way the dnr is handling it is whack. It's ridiculous to think that the 2 gallons of bait WI used to allow to be placed was something that needed to be eliminated. A doe and her fawns will mop that up in a short period of time, and I don't even care to use bait. Never have cared one way or another. Like I said deer are going to swap saliva no matter what. They are herd animals and feed and live together. Just like you state not supposed to cross state lines with a carcass but yet here we are with all these deer farms around here bring deer in from other states. But that's a grey area, they turn their heads to that. Most of the cwd cases around here are because of the deer farms. Another fishy thing because these deer farms are supposed to be Fort Knox security where their pen deer can't get out, double fencing and such, but yet if they find a cwd deer in the pens they correlate it to the wild herd. Again fishy things are happening. I'm not questioning you Dr. Grant at all but I do question the government. Thank you for the informative videos you create and put out for us to watch. Appreciate it. God bless!

[@zacharyrosser9916]

Great content

[@jasonmclaren6651]

Great video top notch info!!!!

[@daviddellaquila3956]

Excellent show by Grant and it is all true. Eventually all states will abolish baiting stations.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

I agree.

[@brianstark19]

Great explanation. Thank you, Grant. I've definitely heard of CWD but haven't sought out info on my own. Man-made waterholes would be another contributing factor to CWD it seems. Regarding your point on a potential solution to CWD being a vaccine, how could that practically be administered to wild deer? I can understand trying to limit deer herd growth in order to stop the spread, but practically, I'm having a hard time understanding how we could administer a vaccine to a large # of deer all over the country in CWD areas. I'm sure there could be ways, I'm just not that much of a biologist!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Brian - If and when a vaccine/cure is found for CWD, it would likely be administered through bait. Vaccines have been administered to mountain sheep, raccoons, etc., via bait with great success. Anything that causes deer to be nose to nose or lick the same area as several other deer is suspect for spreading disease and parasites. This would include small watering areas.

[@blakemcnabb8006]

@@GrowingDeerTV @brianstark19 When I first became aware of CWD and its transmission methods, I thought of man-made watering holes. To me, it's no different than a bait pile. You will see videos where deer are urinating and defecating in the hole and another one standing next to them drinking from the same place. That is just a breeding ground for disease and waiting for the next deer to show up for a quick drink.

[@calvinhenderson4200]

Two fawns positive and a 12 point positive out of 5 deer taken in camp here in Arkansas; so much for not being in fawns.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Calvin - CWD has been cooking in Arkansas for many decades and when the disease is that prominent, fawns can get CWD. Thanks for sharing.

[@charleszielke2634]

Thank you for the information. We all need to be proactive on this. We can stop mineral licks and baiting deer immediately. We have the information, now act. This could keep our deer heard healthy for many years to come.

[@MegaBraunie]

Not a thing we are going to do about CWD. Deer live with it and groom each other daily. I agree with Dr James Kroll on the issue. I eat venison for the last 40 years and CWD has been around way longer than that. Testing will just keep the hype going. Hemorrhagic disease is way worse IMHO.

[@micahdunleavy9227]

Yea it’s complete nonsense, they have declared war on deer here in MO in cwd zones and I’m tired of it.. CWD has a very small effect on deer populations.. I disagree with hunting over bait but not because of cwd, because I just don’t like it.. I don’t care if anyone else does just not my thing..

[@phillipthewise7758]

​​@@micahdunleavy9227It's just a bunch of propaganda that's used by the department of natural resources in order to waste taxpayer funds for BS research

[@RJ-qq8kb]

Same with MN. It’s been ID’d in the north now. I’m suspicious.

[@RJ-qq8kb]

@@whitehondarider22 They’re tracking it. My permit area is a management zone for another year.

[@showmetheheartland]

All we can do at this point is to isolate (as much as possible) areas where CWD is present. In Missouri that's what we are doing right now. That helps to limit the spread of the disease to some extent.

[@WNE8]

Thank you, Grant for providing the information needed to understand CWD and ways we can help. Ignore the junk mail. You are doing great work.

[@garygill1211]

Good stuff Grant!

[@driftlesshunter9200]

CWD on your hunting property changes things. My friend & I cut up all our deer now (local deer processing is $180/deer). We bag the venison in 1-gallon zip lock bags until we get the CWD results (1-2 weeks). We toss a positive deer. Some question that, but when we offer them the positive meat to feed to their loved ones (family, grandkids, & friends), they quickly shut up. We go through & clean up (trim off more fat, remove any hair, etc...) & repackage a negative deer. As a matter of fact, I am picking up 40+ pounds of ground venison with 10% beef tallow added from the locker today. I took in 58 pounds of cleaned up scrap venison last week. The remaining amount is going to be made into my favorite (jalapeno/cheese sausage). I wrap my better cuts with wrapping paper at home. We don't risk high meat processing costs on untested deer any more. I've had 6 positive bucks on my Wisconsin property since 2020. We harvested 6 deer this past season, and we had one positive (young, 1.5 year old buck) that a friend shot. I shot an older 11 pointer with my Prime bow in early November, & it was negative. Thus, you never really know. I live in a county where 30% of the CWD tested deer were positive in 2023 (we are the current hot spot). I have a friend whose group shot 4 mature buck opening weekend of gun season & 3 of the 4 tested positive. I haven't had a positive doe, even though some have been 3-4+ years in age. You don't need to overreact to CWD, but you may need to adapt. It changes how you hunt, too. I take an early archery doe now, because it's more likely to stay in the freezer!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for sharing!

[@zachcarter9927]

Until you can figure out how to get deer to stop swapping fluids at every oak flat, community scrape, and travel corridor then it will continue. Baiting/mineral sites are such a small percentage of the whitetails world. However; I have never seen massive efforts to reduce deer populations to have a positive effect on the deer herd in my state, especially when money can be procured by the state.

[@TraditionalOutdoors]

spoken like a true masterbaiter

[@zachcarter9927]

@@TraditionalOutdoors actually no 😂. I prefer hunting pinch points

[@strick9351]

$420 million up for grabs for cwd ladies and gentlemen.

[@donbales3811]

Awesome presentation Grant! Thank you for doing all you can to educate your audience! The process of educating the public is slow painful and disappointing at times. Look guys, there is no conspiracy by wildlife departments to profit from CWD nor to exterminate deer. Please educate yourself, the information from decades of studies of CWD is there for you to read! Thanks!

[@styyyks]

Keyboard cowboys absolutely killed me 😂

[@RBart-os6sy]

Good info! Keep up the good work!

[@JHWImageDesigns]

Dr., thank you for keeping us informed. My question to you is how far are we from having a handheld test kit that hunters can use in the field to detect CWD? The police have them for drugs, we have them for covid, pregnancy, etc. Why has there been zero push for the technology? The need is present, and the cost is low. Thanks in advance- John in Virginia

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Detecting the malformed protein that causes CWD is much tougher than testing for COVID, pregnancy, etc. I hope one is invented someday!

[@BlueWidow2010]

Thanks Grant. Hunting is getting to be more like work then a fun past time. Food plots, tractors, seed cost, soil samples. Hundreds turns into thousands. The cost of everything is going up, and I don't want to risk my families heath just because I like to hunt deer. The what you don't know wont hurt don't really apply in this case. Tough choices. I would feel bad if my wife or son got sick from eating a deer that I shot and brought home. I hope that there is a way in the future that we can test and know for sure that it is safe in a more timely manor.

[@brentwesemann]

Dr. Grant, I greatly appreciate your utube channel and sharing of knowledge and experiences. Thanks for this video. Will government shooters be coming to your area to eradicate as many deer as they can in the near future? Also, I know for a fact that in IA and NE, insurance companies have lobbied the state gov/DNR's to increase deer harvest to lower numbers, they don't just eat the cost by charging more. Deer collisions impact their bottom line so they want more killed.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks! In Missouri the Department of Conservation gives landowners in CWD zones the option to harvest more deer. If the landowner prefers, they can ask for help - or not participate at all. The eradication rumors aren't true. anywhere I work.

[@countrybrothersoutdoors9593]

I hunt in CWD zone in TN...The last 5 years since they started testing I have harvested 1-2 deer that have tested positive. None of these deer showed any signs of the Disease.

[@danrowe1174]

I really wish they would put a stop to the captive deer facilities. They are mostly for deer scent and high fence shooting ranches. It seems like a risk that’s too big to take. Most of these cases start at those facilities. We had two instances in Ohio. One was not spread to wild deer and one was. Now we are likely stuck with it. Mostly because some dude wants a big set of antlers without the work.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

I agree - there is way too much risk of harming a public resource (all species of deer) for a few to make a profit from deer.

[@davidschmidt5810]

Great and accurate video. Well done. I hunt in the heart of CWD in TN and seen first hand how it impacts the herd. Unfortunately our area is now at those very high rates. 60% bucks and 30% for does. We test every deer. Now that we are here and the herd numbers are impacted, should the harvest be managed differently. CWD has already spread several hundred miles away. It feels like we are killing too much of the herd now. It’s hard to even see a deer. What say you? Thanks

[@snake57]

I am in a CWD area in SW Montana. The deer population on the ranch we hunt has plummeted in the last 2-3 years. So far none have tested positive from our ranch but there is a lot less animals.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

David - I don't know the specifics of where you hunt. However, lots of deer are still killed by hunters in the Tennessee CWD area. The results are obvious from Wisconsin and Illinois that thinning the herd reduces the spread and prevalence rate of CWD. Given that the disease is 100% fatal and there's no cure yet, I strongly suggest we follow the best science and apply it everywhere CWD is found.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

There are units in the western states were CWD has been know to exist longer that deer populations are declining. This should be a massive warning to act quickly and appropriately when CWD is found in new areas.

[@josephstephens3852]

Thank you Dr. Grant for laying out the facts about CWD.

[@stephencanter8947]

We appreciate this video. It's sad how many people are misinformed or believe in conspiracy theories with CWD. A lot of people get offended when someone doesn't recommend baiting. I live in NC and we are just now seeing deer with CWD and so regulation changes have occurred as a result. I stopped baiting when I first learned about CWD. Others get upset about the idea of taking away the baiting. But we gotta look at the bigger picture. I think taking baiting away could be even more beneficial not just for reducing CWD but maybe other hunters will focus more on improving habitat/native browse as a result instead of putting so much time and effort into baiting.

[@sj6404]

I've read in many of the comments in hunting forums that there isn't a single documented case of a deer's death that could be attributed to CWD. I've searched and I can't find one. So you really have to wonder.

[@jesse4530]

Some good info here. Especially about the dirt piles of slime from feeding areas. If you are intent on feeding corn it is best to spread it in a huge area, (like acorns drop) the deer will be less paranoid because it will appear more natural and less erosion and death of rhe soil biome. Also if you are intent of mineral supplements a good idea is a brine tub like a snall plastic pond because as far as i have researched the prions need soil to do whatever it is they do to mutate a deer. Sort of like how parasites need a place to morph or whatever.

[@jimkindle3563]

💪👊👍! Great info!

[@charleywalker2982]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and keep your videos coming please.

[@agkoh]

well said

[@JohnScott-ce7lx]

Thanks for the episode…a lot of good information. I was wondering if you could answer a couple questions. Do you recommend having targeted culling by MDC on private land (including your own land)? Also, I know you said deer meat has lower concentrations of the prion, but what about your grinder…are you concerned that your ground CWD positive meat will contaminate future meat since disinfecting an object is nearly impossible (I’ve heard bleach/heat and other disinfectants are useless for killing the prion).

[@GrowingDeerTV]

John - I know MDC is busy so we remove lots of deer during season and if we miss our goal, we remove more during the CWD collection period.

[@northerntimberoutdoors9319]

What about mock scrapes or licking branches??

[@steved5023]

Hi Grant. This is a completly different topic but I’m not good on Facebook. So I’ll give it a try. I hunt near lake city fl. It’s ten acres. Buenavista doing lots of your examples. Sooo. There is a few sections with palmetto palms in it. These are small ,low to ground palm type plants. They offer screening ,but not much more. Thick, no sun bare ground and I never seen any suggestion if deer eat it or bed in it. In your travels have you ever given recommendations on what to do with this stuff. Keep some for screening let it grow or slowly open up area? Thanks Grant any help will be appreciated

[@h3lzb3lz1]

My property has been In My family since 1753. And we have over 30000 deer skulls. We hade 3000 of them tested over the past 250 years for CWD and it was found in7 of the skulls dating back to 1786. It’s been around for millennia and it takes care of itself. There has only been a problem with it recently because of the increasing population of humans. Hopefully the hunting numbers will continue to decline and this problem will resolve itself.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Wow - that's a great spin! Very creative!

[@JeffMusgrave-e6b]

I appreciate the excellent information and your presentation. Food for thought right down to the processing.

[@davidstevens7897]

Hey Dr. Woods, question for you. I always enjoy your expertise and have enjoyed following the proving grounds over the years and learned a lot. So please don’t hear this as a keyboard warrior. Here in West TN we’ve had CWD for a little while (along with some controversy with testing) but have not seen any mortality impact in our herd. From some not so scientific googling, it seems that is a theme throughout the CWD areas. A lack of visible mortality that hunters observe from CWD. Yet I can remember some of our counties losing massive numbers (30+ percent I believe for some) of their herd to EHD in weeks and months. Carcasses everywhere. Bag limits or “tags” went unchanged and life continued as normal. I understand that this is transmitted differently and all that. But you’ll have to forgive some of us for being skeptical of the panic when we have seen dead bodies lining creeks and our herds take years to recover compared to CWD which to hunters is not felt or seen outside of the government response. (Which some view as more detrimental to their herd than the lack of CWD mortality observed). Maybe you can shed some light on that, or maybe that perspective? I “think” many hunters feel that way.

[@woodrowcall3158]

In a state like Tennessee where water resources are not as scarce during the summer than some more western states, the normal rate of mortality for Blue Tongue is usually about 5%, maybe 10% on a bad year. CWD will eventually cause an animal’s immune system and overall health to fail. A deer that is in the clinical stages of CWD will be more susceptible to other diseases, such as Blue Tongue. If your EHD mortality rate goes from 5% to a sixfold increase of 30%, something is going on in your herd.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

David - Thanks for the kind note. CWD is relatively new to Tennessee. The state is trying to stay ahead of CWD. I just worked in West Virginia where there's a large GPS collar study with wild bucks. More of the collared bucks die from CWD than hunters. Whew - I hope that's never the case in Tennessee but if nothing is done, that will be the case.

[@davidstevens7897]

O absolutely. I think we all share that feeling! Unfortunately in TN, some within our wildlife agency have claimed that CWD numbers were artificially inflated to garner federal funds. I think part of this whole issue is that Biologists don't make the best marketers, but that sure didn't help their case at all. lol. With the study you mentioned, I wonder how realistic harvest numbers are when considering collard deer? I know I wouldn't shoot one. Maybe the large collars I'm thinking of are a thing of the past. Keep on doing your thing Dr. Woods. Thanks for the videos. @@GrowingDeerTV