CWD in Marinette County

Now they have found CWD at the Wild Rivers Deer Farm close to Goodman. That will be the end of baiting in Marinette County and probably Florence County as this deer farm is very close to the county line. It also a couple miles from Forest County so that will keep the baiting ban going there also. I have seen wild deer right by the single fence here many times so here is a perfect example of how CWD gets spread. 

Just another example of the negative consequences on our deer herd and hunting heritage when the value deer flesh was surpassed by the value of the bone on their heads. It’s given rise to a whole industry where you can pick your trophy and pay by the inch so everyone can see how good they are at hunting, which is all that matters to some. 

My question is why aren't these game farms held to the same liabilities as hazardous waste spills? I think a class action suit should be brought up against this deer farm . It should require that all animals be tested,  then a hazmat cleanup of entire area should be conducted and a amount of area outside of perimeter should be excavated and taken to a hazmat destruction area and be cleansed . Not to be returned. Requiring a certain depth of soil to be removed to insure no cwd properties are left in soil. Sportsmen and Women did not pollute the area . This was the fault of the Owners lack of responsibility to take proper  measures not to bring infected animals to the area and they should pay for it not the hunting community. The Owner didnt care about the hunting community, only their own greed. WAKE UP SPORTMEN AND WOMEN . Its time to act not say poor me!

I just for the life of me cant figure out how food plots not used for commercial purposes, and not harvested at appropriate times is not considered baiting? Am I missing something? Feeding deer is feeding deer however you put it.

Agree with JC on why there are fewer hunters. Land access and the decreasing numbers of deer on Public Lands (especially in the Southern part of the state) is one of our biggest challenges to hunter recruitment.

IHookem- While I agree with some of your comments I can honestly state I have never been in a bar during the gun deer season.. Have been fortunate to harvest some decent deer over the years and the last thing I want to do is parade it around the area. I could care less what others think of my hunting abilities. Most of the guys I know or hunt with fall within the same parameters. Yes some guys/gals will do anything to harvest a deer and horns do strange things to certain people. I would just not put all hunters in that category.

Getting back to the original post I am all in favor of putting in more restrictions/regulations on game farms( double fencing etc).. I also do not agree with paying these farms when CWD is found on their property..That cost should go back to the property owners  

ihookem and JC, spot on comments.

"Any wonder why hunting sales are dwindling every year? "

Sorry, but baiting really has nothing to do with dwindling hunter numbers.  Here is a more accurate list in my opinion:

1) Fewer deer = less opportunity to harvest a deer (increase in deer tags, increase in predators).  Those on the hunting "fence" won't keep wasting their time if they have little chance to harvest a deer.

2) Decrease in available hunting land (either by permission or closure of the FCL program).  No longer can you walk out your back door and go hunting on your neighbors land.  If you do that now you will be shot.  This means more crowded on public land which has pushed many hunters away.

3) Demographics.  Baby boomers are aging and come from a time when their parents taught them that shooting deer is paramount to survival.  These kids grew up with their parents living through the Great Depression, and hunting became an important activity just to make ends meet.  Most families don't rely on deer meat in the northwoods any longer.  Hunting is becoming more and more of an elite rich man's sport, much more than it used to be.

Fishinfool1 said most said they will bait anyway. Very true if it is only $343 . Make it $1,000 for baiting. Why not, if it's against the law and you dont break the law it does not apply to law abiding citizens. What Fishinfool said is likely true but the bigger problem is that a majority of " hunters" are not law abiding. That is what I call  sad. What have we become? Will we do anything for a stupid buck so we can go hard charging to the bar and tell everyone in hopes others will think more highly of someone cause they  filled a buck tag? That has to be it. It sure isn't cause we need to feed our family, that's for sure. Any wonder why hunting sales are dwindling every year?  Take a deer camp with a bunch of hunters up north and bait becomes illegal. A few go by the rules and dont put out bait. Then a bunch of others break the law and bait. It sure leaves a low view of that deer camp from the law abiding hunters. I know for sure I would leave. Now, say a dad brings his 12 yr old son or daughter and is a guest at that camp. What example is that to the young hunter?  No wonder why license sales are down. I left a deer camp in 1983 once cause of the drinking and fighting. I could out later the owners 19 yr old son was a poacher. Darn glad I got out of there . As for banning bait, I am all for it. It's high time we go in the woods and hunt. Another problem is when a county bans bait the county over that is not in the bait ban county likely gets at least some more baiters. 

The fine is $343 for 5 gals or less of bait.

Was up in Marinette county this weekend. From what I hear is that most will bait anyway. Not enough Wardens to enforce this ban. Anybody know how much the Fine would be. Who's going to call someone in for baiting if their doing it too. 

Agreed - the concept of a bait ban makes sense, but I'm sure it wouldn't be as effective as they hope. The skeptic in me still questions whether CWD is becoming more common, or if we are just becoming more aware of something that has been around forever.

"I sure hope the protocol is to eliminate the entire herd as unfortunate as that is, there's no way to know for sure which deer the infected doe had interacted with.

I'd support a statewide ban on baiting altogether if it'd help get the CWD under control." 

Eradicating the fenced herd makes sense.  

Nothing will get CWD "under control," and that includes bait bans, carcass transportation bans, increased deer kills, or whatever management voodoo deer managers come up with.  CWD will continue to spread and will never disappear unless a vaccine is developed that is cheap and easy to deliver (oral).  Very unfortunate situation.

We were just at the cabin last week, article in local paper stated July 1st bait/feeding ban but everyone is selling deer bait/food. I saw one farmer putting out more corn on their roadside sales when we drove home the 25th so it looks like business as usual, I'll wait to see if the apples show up next month. I guess they will sell more corn and apples as bear bait this fall. A big thanks goes out to Wild River Whitetails in Goodman for their contribution of CWD.

If they had to double fence the deer farms , that would solve a lot of problems.  Oh , but the expense ???   Nothing compared to what it costs when the State buys out an infected farm  !

I guess I'll be getting my deer tested now. We hunt southern Marinette county. I sure hope the protocol is to eliminate the entire herd as unfortunate as that is, there's no way to know for sure which deer the infected doe had interacted with.

I'd support a statewide ban on baiting altogether if it'd help get the CWD under control. People either follow the 2 gallons/40 which is next to nothing and they'll be fine without baiting. Or they bait whatever they want and will continue to do so anyways. DNR will never have enough manpower to enforce it.