By Ford Polk
STARKVILLE, MISS (Take 30 News)---Chronic Wasting Disease is becoming a big problem in North America. Currently, it is effecting 26 states and 3 Canadian providences. 19 cases have been found in Mississippi so far, but is the threat of this disease affecting hunters in the state?
"No not particularly. CWD in sunflower county where I hunt hasn't had a case. It might have it but just hasn't had a case reported," hunter Jacob Smith said.
It might only be a small area in the State but it is making a big impression on Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. It's known that the disease almost only affects adult animals and is fatal to all, but the question still stands, what is the department doing to prevent?"
"Number one is keep it out of your State, and we have failed that. Our mission now is to manage it where it is and make an attempt to prevent it to spreading to different parts of our state," Mississippi Deer Program Coordinator William McKinley said.
In other state's cases once you have the disease inside the State lines it seems to spread, but MWFP is taking measures to slow the spread such as making importation of deer into the state illegal and bans on feeding deer inside the 22 affected counties.
Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks is also asking hunters for help to keep track of the deer it has. If there is a suspected deer they are encouraged to report it.
"We encourage people to report sick deer. We encourage people to obey these regulations, and to continue hunting deer and purchasing hunting licenses," McKinley said.
The money from the license purchases helps fund the state's fight, and the bag limits for deer have become more liberal since harvesting more deer helps combat the disease. And although it is not mandatory, hunters are encouraged to report their harvests.