On November 5, Lone Star Chapter Conservation Chair Evelyn Merz delivered remarks at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Commission’s public hearing on rules to prevent Chronic Waste Disease (CWD) among deer. The Commission unanimously voted to implement temporary rules that help prevent the disease from spreading into deer populations.
CWD is a neurological disease similar to mad cow disease and is spread among deer, moose, and elk.
“The interim – not permanent – rule is a necessary, reasonable, fact-based and thoughtful response to protect the wild deer herd from the transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease from private deer breeding facilities,” Merz said at the hearing.
Deer breeders play a prominent role in Texas’ $2 billion deer hunting industry, raising flocks that are released onto private hunting preserves. There they potentially interact with wild deer and spread disease. This summer, a deer in a breeding facility tested positive for CWD in Medina County, prompting the commission to enact emergency rules to prevent spreading.
“This is a straightforward issue. The solution to this issue is found in the name of the agency: Texas Parks and Wildlife,” said Merz.
The new rules, in effect until August 31, 2016, replace the current emergency rules set to expire before the end of the hunting season and will increase testing among captive-bred deer. Breeders that have met the previous TPWD requirements can move and release their captive deer only onto hunting preserves that are surrounded by at least a seven-foot fence to contain them at all times.
Other conservation groups made comments in favor of the rules, including Texas Wildlife Association and National Wildlife Federation. Several deer breeders spoke at the hearing in opposition of the regulations.
“The agency’s responsibility is to protect the state’s wildlife populations for the benefit of all the people, not just for the benefit of a special interest group,” said Merz.
TPWD biologists will also be collecting tissue samples from hunter-harvested deer on a voluntary basis. For more information on CWD, visit TPWD’s website here.
Photo: Texas Parks & Wildlife