Released on December 16, 2002
Saskatchewan's hunters have turned in another deer head that has testedpositive for Chronic Wasting Disease.
This latest positive case was found in a mule deer doe taken this fall near
Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park. This is the third positive case
found in the past couple of months and the sixth discovered since the late
1990s when the province started monitoring animals in the wild for the
disease. The doe was taken in the Herd Reduction Area near Saskatchewan
Landing Provincial Park.
Current science indicates that reducing the size of a deer herd in an area
where positive cases of Chronic Wasting Disease have been discovered is an
effective way to control its spread. Saskatchewan Environment enlisted the
help of hunters to reduce the size of the deer herd in the targeted areas.
Hunters who wanted to assist in Herd Reduction were issued free Control
Permits, with more available at local Saskatchewan Environment offices
after head samples had been submitted.
This fall Saskatchewan Environment issued approximately 2,200 Control
Permits. To date hunters have submitted approximately 3,400 deer heads and
118 elk heads for Chronic Wasting Disease testing at the Canadian Co-
operative Wildlife Health Centre and Prairie Diagnostic Services in
Saskatoon. The number of heads turned in and Control Permits issued
demonstrates the excellent support and co-operation that Saskatchewan
Environment has received from hunters and landowners in working to address
this disease.
Saskatchewan Environment is encouraging hunters to continue to submit deer
heads they may still have frozen for testing for Chronic Wasting Disease.
Current science indicates that CWD poses no known risk to humans or to
domestic livestock.
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For more information, contact:
Kevin Omoth
Saskatchewan Environment
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-8102