Caledonia Argus

CWD may affect hunting season

Posted: 9/24/02

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

A single captive elk in Aitkin County that tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease has caused concern among deer hunters and venison eaters statewide. Though there has never been a reported case of a human contracting the disease and, as of early September, not one deer in Minnesota had tested positive for the disease, a reduction in the purchase of deer hunting licenses indicates that hunters are ambivalent about the potential effects of the disease.

In Houston County, the number of deer hunting applications is comparatively low. Management at Wiebke Fur Company in Eitzen estimates that deer license sales are down 20%, compared to last yearís sales. Bjerkeís True Value in Spring Grove has noticed that doe applications are ìdown substantiallyî from last year, and Hokah Hardware noted a similiar trend.

ìAll types of licenses are down, way down,î a Hokah Hardware employee said. ìWe were a lot busier last year.î

The drop in hunting license sales in Houston County reflects a statewide trend that seems to stem from the belief that the disease poses a threat to humans. All evidence collected on the disease, however, suggests the contrary.

Regardless of the official report that deer should be safe to eat, two deer processing plants in Houston County, Mikeís Meats in Eitzen and Redís IGA in Spring Grove, will not be handling deer this season. Both stores cite the fact that there is too little information on the disease to guarantee that the meat will be safe.

ìI just donít want to take a chance until we know more about it,î said Pat Longmire of Redís IGA. ìWe wouldnít want this to interfere with other retail sales.î

A similiar sentiment was expressed by Mikeís Meats in Eitzen. Customers who purchase meat other than venison at both stores are concerned that tainted deer meat might somehow contaminate other meat.

ìOur customers have expressed some concern,î said Diana Serres of Mikeís Meats. ìThereís just not enough information and we canít sacrifice our regular business to do venison for that short amount of time.î

City Meat Market in New Albin has yet to decide whether they will process deer.

ìWeíre leaving it up for grabs for now and weíll see what else we hear,î said a City Meat Market employee. ìWeíve got a month or so to decide, so weíll just wait and see.î

Litscherís Processing in Rushford has opted to process deer this year. Precautions have been taken to make the meat as safe as possible for venison eaters.

ìWeíve always done very safe handling procedures in the past, but weíve taken a couple more precautions this year,î said Donna Ahles, who works at Litscherís Processing. ìWe always keep everyoneís meat separate, so the meat you bring in is the meat you take home.î

ìWhen we are doing venison during the venison season, thatís all we do,î said Litscherís Processing owner Tarry Litscher. ìWe donít do any hogs and beef. And we have people keep meat that they butcher themselves at home until all the unbutchered meat is processed.î

Though no deer in Minnesota have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in the past year, the Minnesota DNR plans to test 5000 hunter-harvested deer this fall. According to the MN-DNR Division of Wildlife, meat from deer or elk should be safe to eat, provided that hunters take the necessary precautionsñ refraining from eating meat from animals that look ill, refraining from eating the deerís brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils, and lymph nodes, and dressing the animal properly.

Deer hunting season for bows began Septmber 14. For guns, it begins November 9, and for muzzleloaders it begins November 30.

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