CWD and Fort McCoy
The first CWD case has been found on Fort McCoy. The deer was harvested on South Post (training area B-5) on 12 OCT and was submitted for testing. Fort McCoy received notification of the test results on 29 OCT.
The WI DNR will NOT issue a replacement harvest authorization to the hunters that harvest a CWD positive deer under the authority of a Fort McCoy permit. WI DNR issued harvest authorizations are NOT valid on Fort McCoy.
We are currently in the process of working with iSportsman to set up a system to issue replacement harvest authorizations that are valid during all deer seasons (replacement harvest authorizations will not be season specific). While that system is being set up, Fort McCoy will be issuing replacement harvest authorizations for Archery season only, as CWD test results will not be available during the Gun-Deer season due to the shorter season. Any CWD positive deer harvested on Fort McCoy this year will receive a replacement harvest authorization that is valid for the remainder of this deer season (Archery Only) and the following deer season (all deer seasons). Additionally, Gun-Deer hunters will automatically receive a Gun-Deer permit for the following season without going through the application process. Hunters will still be required to purchase a deer permit the following year for the replacement harvest authorizations to be valid. The Cantonment Archery season is the exception and will not receive replacement harvest authorizations as this season already receives unlimited harvest authorizations. Samples must be submitted through the Fort McCoy self-serve kiosk during the Archery season or while Wildlife staff are conducting lymph node extractions during the Gun-Deer season.
Fort McCoy offers a deer carcass dumpster for carcass disposal, a CWD self-serve sampling kiosk during the Archery season (deer head drop off only), and staff will remove lymph nodes for CWD sampling during the Gun-Deer season. The dumpster, sampling kiosk, and lymph node removal during the Gun-Deer season will all be located near the Hunter Information Point at the intersection of South J St. and Hwy. 21.
The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that to date, there have been no reported cases of CWD infection in people. Nonetheless, as a precaution, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services recommends that people only consume venison from healthy-appearing deer with test results indicating that CWD was not detected. This is consistent with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization. If CWD positive deer/venison is not wanted, please dispose of it through the local deer carcass dumpsters, in your normal trash pick-up so that it ends up in a landfill, or view additional options for disposal on the WI DNR website (www.dnr.wisconsin.gov) and search “carcass disposal”.
If you have any questions, please contact Fort McCoy Permit Sales at 502-898-3337 or the Fort McCoy Wildlife Biologist at 502-898-4331.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Addidtional Resources
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/cwd
EHD and Fort McCoy
A deer was reported dead and floating in a pond in D-7 on 2 OCT 2024 that looked consistent with signs that the deer died of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) or Blue Tongue Virus (BTV). A lung sample was taken and submitted for testing through the WDNR. On 18 OCT 2024, Fort McCoy received word that the deer did test positive for EHD. Another deer was reported as being dead along the shore at the same location on 14-15 SEPT 2024, but was too far decomposed to retrieve samples from. Fort McCoy is asking all hunters and recreationalists to report any dead deer found to Permit Sales at 502-898-3337 or the Wildlife Biologist at 502-898-4331.
EHD is not transmittable to humans, and it is safe to handle and consume any meat from harvested deer. EHD causes high fevers in deer, which is why the dead deer are normally found in or near water. EHD is transmitted by biting midges or no-see-ems, and with the heavy frosts or freeze that took place during the nights on the week of 14-18 OCT 2024, the freeze should kill any midges or no-see-ems and eliminate the transmission of EHD to any additional deer. EHD is almost 100% fatal for deer in the northern states, and the disease leads to death within 7-30 days from infection. Even though we had a hard frost that should reduce or eliminate the transmission of the disease, we could still see additional dead deer through the middle of NOV if those deer were infected prior to the hard frost/freeze.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Addidtional Resources
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/disease/Epizootichemorrhagicdisease