Pennsylvania 27 deer from Bedford County farm test positive for CWD

I got my license for the first time in years in order to take my kids hunting. I have to say this makes me not want to get a deer, I suppose the odds are they don't have it, still it is messed up.

Is there a way to tell a deer has it?

I saw on a deer hunting show a few years ago footage of an infected deer... They look like they have paulsey when they walk..

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Originally Posted by Chief Brody

I saw on a deer hunting show a few years ago footage of an infected deer... They look like they have paulsey when they walk..

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What a shame. Have to remember that.

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Originally Posted by Yoder

Actually it's transmitted by contact or any bodily fluid. Deer aren't eating each other transmitting this. They are getting it from casual contact, urine, feces ect. Imagine how quickly it would jump person to person. Then it takes about 18 months until you have symptoms then you're dead in a couple weeks.

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Then don't be in contact with other people's urine and feces.

Nothing that I've read has this being transmitted by casual contact. It's either contact with waste products or cadavers. What's really scary is that the prions aren't as affected by adverse environmental conditions as are bacteria or viruses. They're persistant and could potentially be picked up just by touching the ground where a deer pooped weeks before. You would still likely have to have the prion find its way into your mouth, but count how many times in a day you touch your face near your mouth.

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Originally Posted by Sandcut

Then don't be in contact with other people's urine and feces.

Nothing that I've read has this being transmitted by casual contact. It's either contact with waste products or cadavers. What's really scary is that the prions aren't as affected by adverse environmental conditions as are bacteria or viruses. They're persistant and could potentially be picked up just by touching the ground where a deer pooped weeks before. You would still likely have to have the prion find its way into your mouth, but count how many times in a day you touch your face near your mouth.

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Can dogs get it?

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Originally Posted by bogey1

Can dogs get it?

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Not that I'm aware of.

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Originally Posted by Sandcut

Not that I'm aware of.

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I haven't hunted since 2010 I may take it up this year.
Thanks for the tips (I hope I remember them).

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Originally Posted by Sandcut

Then don't be in contact with other people's urine and feces.

Nothing that I've read has this being transmitted by casual contact. It's either contact with waste products or cadavers. What's really scary is that the prions aren't as affected by adverse environmental conditions as are bacteria or viruses. They're persistant and could potentially be picked up just by touching the ground where a deer pooped weeks before. You would still likely have to have the prion find its way into your mouth, but count how many times in a day you touch your face near your mouth.

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Somebody gets infected. Goes to Golden Corral and takes a dump and doesn't wash their hands. Touches a bunch of things. You touch those things and have dinner. Now you and your whole family get infected. Your family goes out into the world and it spreads. Nobody finds out their infected for a year and a half. I've read that infected animals are constantly shedding prions. Deer touch noses and it can transfer. The prions can survive for over a decade and are not effected by cooking or freezing. It's not a danger to us yet. Hopefully it stays that way.

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Originally Posted by Yoder

Somebody gets infected. Goes to Golden Corral and takes a dump and doesn't wash their hands. Touches a bunch of things. You touch those things and have dinner. Now you and your whole family get infected. Your family goes out into the world and it spreads. Nobody finds out their infected for a year and a half. I've read that infected animals are constantly shedding prions. Deer touch noses and it can transfer. The prions can survive for over a decade and are not effected by cooking or freezing. It's not a danger to us yet. Hopefully it stays that way.

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You make a convincing (and scary) argument. Let's just hope it can't jump species (although there's no reason why it shouldn't since it doesn't appear to be a species specific protein).