TPWD CWD Testing?

[BertramBass]

I was caught off guard (shocked really) to have a TPWD biologist at the processor I use, asking for permission to get a CWD sample. I was unaware of any issues around the area. Deer was dropped off in Santa Anna and killed in Whon. Is CWD creeping up from the Hondo area? Just random testing?

[flywise]

Test will determine if its creeping in

[Aggie PhD]

Random testing. Biologists have been getting samples all over the state. This will help address questions about the previous sampling patterns. One of the big things tpwd got criticized was their lack of adequate samples across the state

[bossbowman]

They are checking everywhere, they checked our deer at Hagerman last week.

[bowhunterhelm]

They were checking road kill deer in Williamson County a few weeks ago.

[Buckwheat]

Was asked to check my daughters deer during youth season. Deer was killed in bosque county and dropped off at processors in McLennan county.


“There's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.” -Fred Bear-

[BertramBass]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like they are getting after it.

[STGS]

I wonder what their response is if/when someone refuses to allow it.

[panhandlehunter]

I wonder what their response is if/when someone refuses to allow it.

Nothing. Already been there.

[wytex]

Why would you refuse to let them sample? It dies not affect the cape if done right and the data will be helpful.

[WItoTX]

Why would you refuse to let them sample? It dies not affect the cape if done right and the data will be helpful.

People come up with some stupid reasons. Happens every year in WI. Wisconsin has been free testing for years, but guys still turn it down. Things like they would rather not know, CWD doesn't affect humans so who cares, my wife wouldn't allow me to eat the meat if it came back positive. It will ruin the mount. All excuses I've heard.

[bulltx50]

As a biologist, but also a hunter, why would you refuse?

[No-Tox]

I was at a road kill incident and not only the game warden came out but the local biologist did too. The biologist took the head and got samples for CWD testing. He said they are testing as many road kills that they can get to as that is a common thing that happens to deer with CWD (going onto a highway).
I asked if it was prevalent in the North Texas area and he said not yet. There are cases in the Panhandle and in part of the Hill Country.

[droebuck]

As a biologist, but also a hunter, why would you refuse?

I refused last Sunday when approached dropping my wife's deer off at the processor because the biologist said he couldn't do it without damaging the head/cape and I am shoulder mounting it for her. I told him any other time I wouldn't mind, he said no problem and moved on.

[AntlerCollector]

I had my local game warden call me last weekend. He wanted to know if I had any does hanging in my walk in cooler. He picked up a biologist and they came over. The biologists took lymph nodes out of deer necks to test for CWD. This was in hardin County.