CWD ?

For the guys hunting in CWD areas, do you eat the meat? Just wondering if there is any scientific data out there to support whether the meat is any good.

Got into a debate about something I know nothing about.

Thanks!!

I believe the disease is confined to the brain and is not transferable to humans through the meat. I think a tissue sample must be taken from each deer registered and sent to the DNR for testing and they let you know if the deer that was harvested tested positive. I could be wrong though, so I won’t argue if told different

Hey kooty! I hunt right where they found the first cases of CWD 8 years ago in Wisconsin and we have always eaten the meat. We have yet to shoot one that has exhibited CWD symptoms, but my uncle did shoot a very healthy 200lb+ buck a couple of years ago that the DNR said tested positive. They asked to take the meat to analyze it further and he was ok with it. Overall, we do eat the meat regularly….or at least my more successful hunting partners do and haven’t seen any reason to stop

We hunt on the edge of the CWD zone, they do not take samples of all the deer, have not since day one, they normally will ask for permission to take a sample, but did not ask us this year, said it was too busy?

I have only read that you need to cook it to a certain temp, as that will denature the proteins that make up the pirons (DNA/RNA type structures) in the virus’. Makes sense, but I have never read any “scientific” research that says it can affect humans, only DNR propaganda/information

Darin

They recommend not cutting the bones as the disease affects the nervous system. Lockers will bone out the deer completely, I’m not that paranoid and haven’t had any issues. They used to require a sample but now they just ask for it and only do it during rifle season where I hunt, not enough bow deer come in at once to make it worth their time.

we hunt in a cwd zone and they did ask to sample a doe we registered this year, we allowed them too and they will tell you the results when they get them so you can wait if you are nervous, there has been no evidence I know of that shows humans can contract it from eating an infected deer, we have eaten both tested and nontested deer. all deer we have taken have looked perfectly normal and healthy, if I shot a sick looking one I would not eat it but all others are good to go