CWD in Wisconsin

Individual choice for sure. CWD has been around longer than we know it. If deer looks healthy at harvest and meat all looks good during my own processing , I don't have a qualm about eating it. With all that is going on with antibiotics and chemicals to make our meat and vegetables grow bigger, and preserve food, I think there are bigger things to worry about.

I am sure I'll catch grief from many, hard choice to make, but to ME it's just not worth the risk of having any chance of my wife and kids ever becoming sick from any possible link to eating CWD positive deer.

Will not catch any grief from me (and most of the guys I know) about your decision. It is your family. I have all my deer tested even though I am not in one of the higher volume CWD/Counties (like Iowa, Dane etc). No positive tests yet. Certainly a valid point about no known transmissions yet and I get that side of the consumption argument. Still a personal choice for all involved.  

Eyesman and others, sorry for the delay.......2 bucks were in Lafayette County and 1 in Dane County.  I was surprised by all 3 coming back CWD positive, as all 3 looked perfectly fine to me.  The CWD Reports said all 3 bucks were 3.5 years old.......I thought 2 of them could have been 4.5 year olds based on antler size, I never got into aging by the jawbone and teeth, so took the word of the report that they were all 3.5 year olds.

Madforlabs,   it's been 2 decades minimum.  They should know that by now.   It was a question for the guy that won't eat the deer.  I'm personally not worried.  I'd eat it.   I don't think the met is affected.

Answering that question would entail research efforts. You know, the sort of which you claim is a waste of taxpayer dollars.

Is the meat infected?   Is it in the bones?  Is it only  in the brain?     

If meat processors dont require proof of a negative cwd test, the state cannot be overly concerned.

I wont give you any grief for not eating infected meat. Seems they are still studying it. 
nobody really knows if there could be side effects. It’s another tough situation. Hope it’s resolved one way or the other.

C-P-R-1, where did you harvest three consecutive CWD infected bucks?

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but sad to say it's very upsetting when you harvest a mature 150" class buck, skin, cut & wrap the meat with the wife's help, only to get back a positive CWD result........the last 3 bucks have been this way. And the sad part, where I'm in the minority here, is when I take the meat to the "deer dumpster", already wrapped, packed & frozen.  I'm sure I'll catch grief from many, hard choice to make, but to ME it's just not worth the risk of having any chance of my wife and kids ever becoming sick from any possible link to eating CWD positive deer.
Yes, I'm sure there's a good or great chance of already eating CWD positive deer from past harvests during the 80's and 90's, but hey, I never knew that I could have been eating CWD positive deer, until the 2000's.  Now I do.
I just wish "they'd" give the stamp of approval to consume CWD positive deer, then I wouldn't have to worry so much. Imagine the elation that comes with harvesting mature 150" class deer, and then a week later the sadness of getting the email stating "we do not recommend the consumption of CWD positive deer, but hey, here's a free buck harvest tag for next year."  :(              Talking about highs and lows......
Just my take on the whole deal.  

CWD is a fictitious conspiracy directly related to climate change.  

They've  had how many decades now to figure something out.  How much more tax payer money do they need?

Plenty of valid points on both sides of this issue.  The "naysayers" cant really be labeled as anti intellectual theyre just looking at history and experience where science was and is insufficient to find long term solutions.  Consider how long Dutch Elm disease and Emerald Ash Borer have been killing trees and still are killing trees.  Despite all the science - not much progress with these tree diseases.  Lyme disease anyone?  Good science there but Lymes isnt going away.  It can be managed once you contact Lymes but its not going away.  And no one can forget the king of all disappointments.  Wisconsin DNR was once considered to have the best deer management science in the world.  Dont say that to anyone hunting north of Hwy 8, you will probably get punched in the mouth. 

Totally agree CM on some of this research that seems like a colossal waste of money and time. Why not spend the dollars on a cure remedy. My frustration is the Gov has some of the dumbest rules. A farmer can plow his CWD land in Illinois and then use that same plow to plow another piece of ground in a different state or land with out CWD. Why isn't that regulated? Why isn't hay or feed from CWD areas regulated when its sold to areas with out CWD. I guess the Gov experts haven't gotten that far yet. 

I will also add that since CWD was first discovered in WI, somewhere around 2002-2003, the actions taken by the WDNR have had little to know positive effect on it. We are at a point where CWD is as widespread as it has ever been in WI (according to the DNR anyway). I'm sure no one will argue that that is the summary of the numbers and reports the DNR is currently putting out. That being said, until actionable information is discovered, a government agency should not have unchecked authority to change season structures and other regulations around deer for CWD purposes. As far as we know, everything DNR has done could have made it worse, it certainly hasn't helped. 

From a research standpoint, any information that is found currently is tainted by the changes the DNR has already made. You can not get accurate results when multiple variables are changed, as has happened in WI with regards to the limitless CWD tags of the early days, the DNR sharpshooters, the extended gun seasons, the baiting bans, etc. Want accurate research results? Then the conditions of the research need to match the conditions that were present when CWD was first discovered here.