I have lived in California for 54 years and hunted deer for the past 48 of them, 95% in California and the balance in Nevada, Colorado and Utah. Over those years I have been aware of several diseases that have impacted deer herds, decimating them to the point their populations in some areas have never fully recovered.

I strongly support the action taken by Oregon to hopefully prevent CWD disease from reaching their deer and elk herds.

The restrictions Oregon requires on importing any part of the head and spinal column are easy to adhere to if you're any kind of hunter at all. With a little extra time (after the animal is back in the hunter's camp) those requirements can be met. If a hunter can't do it on his own then I'm sure they can find a "game processor" in the general area they are hunting and have them do it in a few hours. For a few dollars and a little extra time taken by hunters, it could save California deer herds the loss of thousands of animals.

I have always cut the horns and a small section of the skull off the head and cleaned it of brain and hair when I have the animal back in camp. The removal of the head and spine would just take a little extra time . If you're going to Mount the head, it's no big deal to cape the animal. I have done it several times, and with a sharp pointed knife it's hardly any work to do it properly.

If these steps by Oregon do indeed help prevent disease's ( like CWD) from attacking its herds, California DFG should adopt the same for California (This Year) and confine the disease as best we can. California DFG should also encourage Nevada and Arizona to do the same.

Norm Cote
Vacaville Resident & Avid Deer Hunter
Member of the Golden Ram Sportsman's Club


CWD Issues in California

I would like to know if there is a plan to test samples of meat from potential CWD areas? It would be a great service to our hunters who venture out of state. The alternative would be the potential for a tremendous waste of good, edible meat from people who are JUST UNSURE of it.

Yours Truly,
John McGannon
Wildeats.com


Good Start

Your use of the Oregon plan is a good start!

Are plans being made to search out and destroy infected animals during hunting seasons and also during closed seasons (i.e. the total year)? Isn't a proactive measure necessary to save the herds by removing infected animals? Use of roundups, glasses and field approaches should provide a stopgap approach to limit the spread of this infection.

George W. Zirkle
Escondido, CA


The Unsuccessful Hunter

Very interesting, but it probably won't apply to me ........ again this year!

Mick Herman
Buckeye Ranch