Kerr Management Area Deer Confirmed NO CWD

[Herbie]

It’s just like salmonella. It can live in humans, animals, fruits, vegetables and flour. You treat the disease. You don’t kill all of the animals, humans, fruits, veggies and scorch the earth. TPWD did nothing when CWD was found in WTX by the NM border in wild deer. However, when first detected in a captive herd, the slaughtered hundreds of thousands of deer across many ranches because we bought from or sold to that ranch. Then they took our records to go after other breeders that bought or sold to us in the last 5 years. The science side of TPWD needs to eat cow pies. As far as are game wardens, I support them like all other law enforcement and first responders.
Former Deer Breeder because of TPWD Science.

[M16]

IHowever, when first detected in a captive herd, the slaughtered hundreds of thousands of deer across many ranches because we bought from or sold to that ranch.

Hundreds of thousands? Can you post your source for those numbers? If that were the case there must not a breeder deer left in the state of Texas.

The only source I’ve found said the number is a little over 2500. That’s a far cry from “ hundreds of thousands.

[PondPopper]

Hundreds of thousands? Can you post your source for those numbers? If that were the case there must not a breeder deer left in the state of Texas.

The only source I’ve found said the number is a little over 2500. That’s a far cry from “ hundreds of thousands.

The state should have never allowed "scientific breeding" programs and penned deer herds. That was just dumb.

[jdg13]

Regardless of your stance on breeding deer or how CWD came about, the way TPWD handled this, killing a bunch of deer without confirming the issue first, speaks volumes about the department. Bunch of morons.

[trophy8]

Regardless of your stance on breeding deer or how CWD came about, the way TPWD handled this, killing a bunch of deer without confirming the issue first, speaks volumes about the department. Bunch of morons.

This has been my biggest issue from the start. Decisions made based on politics and emotions rather than factual information. Some here, like M16, just want to argue. Thinking that his high fence is somehow superior to another ranch owners decisions.

If yall don’t think they don’t like all high fence operations as well, you’re sadly mistaken. They’ve just gone after the breeders first.

Who’s got egg on their face now M16? I’ve stood by my stance from day 1. And will continue to do so. FYI I am close friends with folks that were heavily involved with the first ranch that TPWD decided to slaughter. I don’t care how big the ranch is or what they have going on inside. It’s been over reach from day 1.

[DUKFVR]

After this ,the fairfield CF & other STUPID decisions by the morons at tpwd ,I have lost all respect & hope they can manage anything right. the whole upper end needs to be cleaned out.

[Chase This!]

Where is the goofball always spouting off about how CWD is going to kill everyone? What a joke.

[M16]

This has been my biggest issue from the start. Decisions made based on politics and emotions rather than factual information. Some here, like M16, just want to argue. Thinking that his high fence is somehow superior to another ranch owners decisions.

If yall don’t think they don’t like all high fence operations as well, you’re sadly mistaken. They’ve just gone after the breeders first.

Who’s got egg on their face now M16? I’ve stood by my stance from day 1. And will continue to do so. FYI I am close friends with folks that were heavily involved with the first ranch that TPWD decided to slaughter. I don’t care how big the ranch is or what they have going on inside. It’s been over reach from day 1.

Let's get one thing straight. You don't speak for me. Nor do I speak for you. Put your own thoughts out but refrain from claiming to know the thoughts of others. You don't.

Everybody has to draw a line in the sand. There's low fence, high fence, and shooting pen raised deer. I respect anybodies right to draw their own line. Killing pen raised pet deer is unsportsmanlike in my opinion. Some people will say killing deer in a high fence is unsportsmanlike. I get and respect that opinion.

You need to follow the money trail. I know people in Parks and Wildlife that wanted to immediately stop the transport of all breeder deer when CWD was first discovered in Medina County. It didn't happen because of politics and money. So the knife cuts both ways. Needless to say but you need to look at the issue from both sides. There is a lot of false information being distributed. Like this:

However, when first detected in a captive herd, the slaughtered hundreds of thousands of deer across many ranches because we bought from or sold to that ranch.

[Mexico]

Regardless of your stance on breeding deer or how CWD came about, the way TPWD handled this, killing a bunch of deer without confirming the issue first, speaks volumes about the department. Bunch of morons.

My original point. Not sure how this got so sideways but it is TBH

[Top Of Texas]

For those of you who believe that CWD has always been around. I used to think the same thing, until data convinced me otherwise. I worked in the field for TPWD for 22 years (retired), primarily in the Panhandle, and have taken a kazillion CWD samples. The point is, if you consider the number of samples taken across the state, CWD could not have already been present, and certainly not at some of its current prevalence rates. If it was always here, why was it not detected from the get go? Because it's not a matter of it being detected where it was tested (that's what I believed in 2001); rather it was detected where it showed up. I haven't bothered...yet...to hit TPWD up for statewide sample data, but I think all of you who have strong opinions about this should at least consider what's happened in Wisconsin. It's fine to have an opinion, but it should at least be an informed opinion and not just powers of intuition. I could blab on, but this presentation (YouTube link below) by Bryan Richards (USGS National Wildlife Health Center) should be revealing. Particularly, pay attention to the Wisconsin map over time that begins at about the 8:00 minute mark.

https://youtu.be/JAK_YBZh2tA?si=oXPuegpfvMNnsRno

[Top Of Texas]

lots of HF operations in the north west corner of the panhandle…………

I assume you're kidding and passively questioning the origin of CWD in the NW corner of the Panhandle. Given that NM wasn't testing, the elk that were released numerous decades ago, and the plethora of ways it can spread - who can say? But, it is a fair question, and could be asked about many locations. Arkansas is a good example, the disease had clearly been around a while before they started sampling (they started late).

[glen]

Top of Tx- Honest question is why doesn’t TPWD just let Mother Nature handle things instead of thinking we are smarter. Instances where they have introduced non native fish- not sure I can think of one place this has been successful. Deer I feel the same about. If things get tough and the herd gets a disease etc some will survive and the future population will be more resilient by theory.
I know you just worked there but I’m sure you have sat through discussions-

[Texans42]

I assume you're kidding and passively questioning the origin of CWD in the NW corner of the Panhandle. Given that NM wasn't testing, the elk that were released numerous decades ago, and the plethora of ways it can spread - who can say? But, it is a fair question, and could be asked about many locations. Arkansas is a good example, the disease had clearly been around a while before they started sampling (they started late).

Correct, Okla wasn't testing either until recently due increase in grant money. Not sure when KS started testing that area but I dont think its been long.

Arkansas elk could of had CWD when the where re-introduced in 81 and being that terminal death age of CWD doesnt out pace natural recruitment, it just took for them to start testing to find it….

Im not saying it been here or hasn't, But its an easy observation to see where they have and haven’t been testing.

Until even LF testing covers at least 40% of all harvested deer, We will never have a full picture.

[Top Of Texas]

Glen, I don't think any of the leadership thinks they're smarter than the natural system God established. They're primarily attempting to put limitations on the "unnatural" and amplified spread - the spread caused by people. Thus the attention to captive facilities (their own included) , transplanting, carcass movement restrictions, mandatory sampling in zones. The mission statement states, to conserve the natural resources for the enjoyment of current and future generations. That includes a multi-billion dollar activity in TX and hunting in 50-100 years. Plus, CWD is unlike anything else, so letting it run its natural course, based on what we currently know about it, would not live up to that mission.

Personally, I don't think they've done enough, or at least, not all that could to be done given what we've seen in other states and what we think we know about the prion. But TPWD isn't only biologically driven. They're yanked, prodded, and jabbed from all directions of legislation, hunting public, non-hunting public, academic scientific community, politics, and money. Not to mention passionate bowhunters.

[M16]

For those of you who believe that CWD has always been around. I used to think the same thing, until data convinced me otherwise. I worked in the field for TPWD for 22 years (retired), primarily in the Panhandle, and have taken a kazillion CWD samples. The point is, if you consider the number of samples taken across the state, CWD could not have already been present, and certainly not at some of its current prevalence rates. If it was always here, why was it not detected from the get go? Because it's not a matter of it being detected where it was tested (that's what I believed in 2001); rather it was detected where it showed up. I haven't bothered...yet...to hit TPWD up for statewide sample data, but I think all of you who have strong opinions about this should at least consider what's happened in Wisconsin. It's fine to have an opinion, but it should at least be an informed opinion and not just powers of intuition. I could blab on, but this presentation (YouTube link below) by Bryan Richards (USGS National Wildlife Health Center) should be revealing. Particularly, pay attention to the Wisconsin map over time that begins at about the 8:00 minute mark.

https://youtu.be/JAK_YBZh2tA?si=oXPuegpfvMNnsRno

Thanks for the link to that video. It is well worth watching from beginning to end. Unless you can’t stand the truth.