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Article
White-Tailed Deer Harvest from the Chronic Wasting Disease Eradication Zone in South-Central Wisconsin
Wildlife Society Bulletin
  • Julie A. Blanchong, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Damien O. Joly, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Michael D. Samuel, United States Geological Survey
  • Julia A. Langenberg, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  • Robert E. Rolley, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  • Janet F. Sausen, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
10-1-2006
DOI
10.2193/0091-7648(2006)34[725:WDHFTC]2.0.CO;2
Abstract

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was discovered in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in south-central Wisconsin in 2002. The current control method for CWD in the state is the harvest of deer from affected areas to reduce population density and lower CWD transmission. We used spatial regression methods to identify factors associated with deer harvest across south-central Wisconsin. Harvest of deer by hunters was positively related to deer density (slope = 0.003, 95% C =0.0001-0.006), the number of landowners that requested harvest permits (slope = 0.071, 95% C/ = 0.037-0.105), and proximity to the area of highest CWD infection (slope =-0.041, 95% Cl =-0.056- -0.027). Concomitantly, harvest was not impacted in areas where landowners signed a petition protesting intensive deer reduction (slope = -0.00006, 95% Cl = -0.0005-0.0003). Our results suggest that the success of programs designed to reduce deer populations for disease control or to reduce overabundance in Wisconsin are dependent on landowner and hunter participation. We recommend that programs or actions implemented to eradicate or mitigate the spread of CWD should monitor and assess deer population reduction and evaluate factors affecting program success to improve methods to meet management goals.

Comments

This article is from Wildlife Society Bulletin 34 (2006): 725, doi:10.2193/0091-7648(2006)34[725:WDHFTC]2.0.CO;2.

Rights
Works produced by employees of the U.S. Government as part of their official duties are not copyrighted within the U.S. The content of this document is not copyrighted.
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Julie A. Blanchong, Damien O. Joly, Michael D. Samuel, Julia A. Langenberg, et al.. "White-Tailed Deer Harvest from the Chronic Wasting Disease Eradication Zone in South-Central Wisconsin" Wildlife Society Bulletin Vol. 34 Iss. 3 (2006) p. 725 - 731
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/julie_blanchong/9/