Hunters asked to report disease in elk and deer
Published 8:54 am Tuesday, November 8, 2016
- Oregon Elk with hoof disease.
Oregon hunters are being asked to be on the lookout for two devastating diseases in deer and elk and to report any sightings.
Oregon State Police and ODFW have issued a joint reminder to hunters that it is illegal to bring any deer, elk or moose part containing Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) into Oregon from any state or Canadian province with a documented case of the disease. The disease is always fatal to animals and no state or province with documented cases of CWD has been able to eradicate it.
OSP reports that several cases of illegal import have occurred in Oregon this year.
The following states or provinces have reported documented case(s) of Chronic Wasting Disease: Alberta, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Saskatchewan.
Hunters bringing parts containing central nervous system tissues from these areas into Oregon may be subject to a citation, and illegal parts will be confiscated.
The following parts can be brought into Oregon from states and provinces with CWD
• Meat that is cut and wrapped commercially or privately
• Meat that has been boned out
• Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached
• Hides and/or capes with no head attached
• Skull plates with antlers attached that have been cleaned of all meat and brain tissue
• Antlers with no tissue attached (Velvet antlers are allowed)
• Upper canine teeth (buglers, whistlers, ivories)
• Finished taxidermy heads
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife also is warning that elk hoof disease is being seen more frequently in Oregon. ODFW has confirmed 16 cases of hoof disease in Oregon elk since the first case was confirmed in early 2014.
Hunters are asked to report any sightings to the ODFW’s elk hoof disease at http://tinyurl.com/oh7sqwl or contact ODFW’s Wildlife Health Lab at 1-866-968-2600.
Hoof disease does not affect the meat of elk harvested by hunters and poses no risk to human health. However, lame elk may be in poorer body condition and appear thin. ODFW’s veterinary staff requests that hunters who harvest an elk with infected or overgrown hooves save all hooves and contact ODFW to arrange for collection.