Map of captive cervid facilities

[Munsterlndr]

Here is a map showing the location of all of the registered captive cervid facilities in Michigan taken from the 2005 MDNR Audit of captive cervid facilities.

Here is one of the conclusions included in this report;

If CWD were introduced into MI, the movement of approximately 1,400 cervids around the state each year could expand the geographic area exposed to CWD dramatically, with the potential for spillover into free-ranging populations at each site. Given that the incubation period for CWD is at least 15 months, an infected cervid could be moved repeatedly for over 1 year before its sickness became obvious. The large number of animals moved intrastate could serve as a substantial risk for CWD.

Yet, it seems that the MDA is contemplating lifting the current quarantine and allowing movement and transfer of deer to continue. Some of the information contained in this report is truly scary. The number of escaped animals, the shoddy record keeping and the blatant disregard of the law, paints a grim picture for containing the spread of CWD in Michigan.

[ridgewalker]

Thanks for the information, Munster. I, for one, did not begin to realize how much of the state is involved in this type of thing. It is mind blowing that MDA could let things get so out of hand. Let us hope that cwd has not spread to other facilities or the situation could be catastropic for all of us. Thanks again for opening my eyes.

[srconnell22]

information from dec. 2004 is useless.

There are almost 600 cervid facilities in MI. All of which adhere to testing annually. That info is from 2008.

[One Eye]

I wonder why we bother with free ranging deer at all
Dan

[beer and nuts]

information from dec. 2004 is useless.

Really? the CWD plan the dnr implemented came from 2003!!!

[Munsterlndr]

Originally Posted by srconnell22

information from dec. 2004 is useless.

There are almost 600 cervid facilities in MI. All of which adhere to testing annually. That info is from 2008.

Please provide a credible non-industry source to support your statement? By the way, the testing you mention is obviously not for CWD since that can only be conducted on dead deer, so it's basically meaningless in a discussion of the spread of CWD.

[STEELCHASER5150]

Originally Posted by Munsterlndr

Here is a map showing the location of all of the registered captive cervid facilities in Michigan taken from the 2005 MDNR Audit of captive cervid facilities.

Here is one of the conclusions included in this report;

If CWD were introduced into MI, the movement of approximately 1,400 cervids around the state each year could expand the geographic area exposed to CWD dramatically, with the potential for spillover into free-ranging populations at each site. Given that the incubation period for CWD is at least 15 months, an infected cervid could be moved repeatedly for over 1 year before its sickness became obvious. The large number of animals moved intrastate could serve as a substantial risk for CWD.

Yet, it seems that the MDA is contemplating lifting the current quarantine and allowing movement and transfer of deer to continue. Some of the information contained in this report is truly scary. The number of escaped animals, the shoddy record keeping and the blatant disregard of the law, paints a grim picture for containing the spread of CWD in Michigan.

That's freakin ridiculoius !!!! They should all be closed down, made illegal and all deer in them done away with!!!!!!!!!!!

[xdetroitx]

I agree. While I have seen so much attention on how baiting is the best way to stop the spread of CWD, I feel that the best way is to stop all fence operations and farms. They are proven to be a hot bed for CWD, and 95% of farms continue to bait as their means of feeding since the land can not support or grow the type of deer they are trying to.

[oldrank]

There is a ranch about 2 miles down the road from me.....It used to be a nice chuck of property....They put a fence up around it about 10 yrs ago or so.....It is 1 mile x 1 mile......now it is a over browsed eye sore.....animals escape freguently from it.....It is a far bigger threat then all the bait piles in the county!

[Munsterlndr]

Another thing to note, there is no standardized or well enforced procedure for decommissioning property that was formerly used for a captive cervid operation. That means that free ranging deer can easily come into contact with soil that was formerly exposed to captive animals, many of whom may have been imported from CWD positive states. As an example, in Southern Leelanau Co., the DMU I own property in, there used to be an elk farm. I used to watch the herd of 40 or 50 elk cluster around the fence when I was driving out to my hunting spot and it was not uncommon to see wild white tails within 20-30 yards of the fence. I'd bet that some of those elk came from either Colorado or Wisconsin. About 5 years ago the place closed down and was sold. Down came the fences. You can still see the area where the elk used to congregate and there are ample number of local deer that run all over that property. So much for limiting the potential spread of the disease. If prions can live in the soil for an indefinite period of time, then no baiting ban is going to limit the spread of this disease.

[CHASINEYES]

A little common sense will tell you, its not a question of if, itS when OUR wild deer contract CWD from these farms. I know a fella 10 miles north of me had different breeds of deer & wild deer would jump in and out of his 20 acre pen. The last deer he had was a sika buck, it roamed the coutryside section to section, Someone finally decided to put it down. Escaped deer of some sort ran around for a couple years east of mayville a few years back. Some of these people may make a living from these penned deer, but most are just playing around, SHUT EM DOWN!

[bgbk-8]

OMG!! After seeing that map and realizing the scope of the deer farms I'm totally convinced the DNR is aiming in the wrong direction. They need to get all these deer farms in compliance and then worry about what hunters are doing wrong as almost all CWD originated in these deer farms. Shut these freakin' things down!!!

[Munsterlndr]

Here is a pic from the report of the inadequate type of fence that was found at approx. 40% of the facilities checked in the 2005 audit. Fences are supposed to be 10' (the tip of the pole the guy is holding) to prevent deer from jumping them. Anybody think this fence would contain a whitetailed deer that wanted to get to the other side? No wonder there were 400+ escapes in just 4 years.

[Munsterlndr]

Btw, captive cervid operations are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture, MDA, not the DNR. It's the MDA that has fostered an environment of lax enforcement and wink and nod observance of regulations. It's because they are more worried about keeping the farm lobby happy and have little concern about the impact of farmed deer on wild populations. The legislature took jurisdiction away from the DNR and gave it to the MDA as the request of lobbiest paid by the captive cervid industry. I wonder why?

[MarkSend]

After looking at the map is a wonder this didn`t happen earlier. If the MDA was really serious about this the would check where the kent county faarm shipped deer to in at least the last year and basically check those "farms" for cwd. If their records are up to date them think about paying them for their loss if not too bad.