Officials try to keep disease from laying waste to Oregon wildlife.

Byline: MIKE STAHLBERG By Mike Stahlberg The Register-Guard

Recently, several citations were sent to several hunters who violated Oregon's rules designed to keep our wildlife free from Chronic Wasting Disease.

That led Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials last week to issue a reminder that it is illegal to bring deer, elk or moose parts containing central nervous system tissue into Oregon from any state or province with a documented case of CWD.

The regulation has been in effect since 2002, but the citations indicate some hunters may be unaware of the rule.

Lieutenant Dave Cleary of the Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division said his agency "will aggressively investigate all incidents of illegal importation of parts or wildlife from CWD states.'

For example, Cleary said, "in a recent incident involving hunters from Colorado, the antlers of a large bull elk were seized because they had brain matter and tissue on the skull cap.'

State Police and the ODFW work together with wildlife agencies in other states to limit the spread of CWD.

States with infected herds sample thousands of harvested deer and elk annually. They notify ODFW officials if an Oregon resident hunting in that state has harvested a CWD-positive animal.

Recently, an Oregon resident hunting in Wyoming had his animal tested before returning home. Wyoming's Game and Fish Department just notified ODFW that this hunter's animal had tested positive for the disease.

Wildlife biologists are so concerned about the importation of infected neurological tissues because evidence indicates that prions, the agents that cause the disease, last a long time in the environment. Also, no state that has detected CWD in its wildlife has been able to eradicate it.

States that have documented CWD in deer, elk or moose are Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Illinois, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, and West Virginia. Also, the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan have CWD.

The following parts of game mammals may be imported from those states and provinces: meat cut and wrapped commercially or privately; meat that has been boned out; quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached; hides and/or capes with no head attached; skull plates with attached antlers that have been cleaned of all meat and brain tissue; antlers with no tissue attached; upper canine teeth (buglers, whistlers and ivories); and finished taxidermy heads.

Meanwhile, monitoring of Oregon deer and elk for CWD continues, and successful hunters are encouraged to visit field check stations where tissue samples are gathered. Samples may also be provided by visiting ODFW district and field offices.

For additional details on the CWD import rules, see page 13 of the 2006 Oregon Big Game Regulations.

speaking of wildlife diseases, the ODFW has published a pamphlet on what hunters should do to avoid bird flu.

"Avian Influenza in Oregon's Wild Birds" contains guidelines for handling wild birds to prevent the spread of disease.

Avian influenza, or bird flu, is common in wild birds, with more than 140 types identified. Most cause little problem for birds or humans. However, the recent emergence of a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza (H5N1) that can be transmitted to humans has raised worldwide concern.

While the H5N1 virus has yet to be detected in North America, the pamphlet says, hunters are advised to take precautions before handling waterfowl or other wild game birds.

Those precautions include wearing of disposable latex gloves while handling and cleaning birds, thoroughly cleaning knives and other surfaces that come in contact with the bird, and cooking the meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees or more.

The pamphlet is available from ODFW offices and license agencies. It may also be downloaded from: www.dfw.state.or.us/avian-flu/avian-flu-in-oregon-brochure.pdf.

Mike Stahlberg can be reached at [e-mail].