Chronic wasting disease (CWD) in whitetails is a complex issue surrounded by confusion, but QDMA has a simple message for deer hunters: We can all take steps right now to fight this threat to the future of deer hunting. QDMA recently launched a campaign and a hashtag, #FightCWD, to transmit science-based action items to the deer hunting community.
“There are 3,137 counties in the United States that are home to native deer or elk species susceptible to CWD, and 92 percent of them are CWD-free,” said QDMA Communications Director Lindsay Thomas Jr. “The hunters in those counties can begin working today to keep those areas disease-free, and the hunters in affected counties can help slow the spread while assisting scientists in monitoring and researching the disease.”
Though CWD is to be taken seriously, the situation is not hopeless. Each year scientists learn more about this fatal disease, and this knowledge will ultimately help find solutions that are not yet apparent. To buy time for this research to work, the hunting community must slow or stop the spread of the disease to new areas. QDMA’s #FightCWD campaign is intended to arm hunters with the knowledge they need to participate in the effort.
QDMA’s #FightCWD campaign includes:
The #FightCWD campaign is only part of QDMA’s broader efforts to address the disease.
“CWD is one of the biggest threats facing the future of deer hunting, and QDMA is contributing $1 million to research, on-the-ground management, and technical assistance for white-tailed deer over the next five years,” said Kip Adams, QDMA Director of Conservation. “CWD will receive the bulk of the research funding and focus.”
Source: QDMA