awbowmans map link tells the tale on wild vs captive by the difference in area shown.

I was at the Conservation Federation of Missouri convention this past February where MDC did a CWD presentation. It was some very sobering information. They stated that over 40% of all Wyoming mule deer checked in during its 2011 hunting season tested positive for CWD. They also showed a graph of the size of the Wyoming mule deer herd vs. the number of reported CWD cases. It looked like a big "X" with the herd size going down and the number of cases going up. MDC's presentation did not leave me with much hope for containment or eradication.

Sorry to hear that you MO hunters now have to deal with CWD. It really sucks! I live in what the WI DNR calls the eradication zone, so in other words you can "kill" as many deer as you want. For every doe you shoot you get a buck tag!

Needless to say, the numbers of deer in my area have dwindled. I have lived in this area all my life and our herd is at an all time low. I had a neighbor kid shoot 7 bucks in one year, of course two where P&Y and I had been watching them, hoping I would get a crack at one. I know of several "killers" that have taken over 25 deer in one season. To me that is just sickening.....That's not hunting, they are just killers and that's not what I want to represent nor pass on to my grandchildren.

QuoteOriginally posted by dhaverstick:
They stated that over 40% of all Wyoming mule deer checked in during its 2011 hunting season tested positive for CWD.

Had no idea it was that bleak...that's pretty depressing.  

Setting aside the longer term implications, one of the things that really bugs me about the here and now is that even if you have your deer/elk/moose tested, it's weeks before you get results and by that time you've already contaminated all your processing equipment and cleaning it isn't as simple as a little hot soapy water.  So it's not like you can just avoid contamination.  What do processors do in CWD areas?  Then there's the meat...who wants to hand their son or daughter a plate full of chronic wasting disease?

Maybe the outlook is a lot rosier than I'm making it out in my mind, but I sure can't see it right now.

Thanks for the Info kenny