Ken Erickson, a seasoned hunter in Saskatchewan since 1971, has altered his hunting habits due to concerns about chronic wasting disease. With the conclusion of a provincial testing program, other hunters are also contemplating changes in their hunting practices.
The Saskatchewan government has opted to discontinue its chronic wasting disease testing initiative, citing low participation from hunters. This disease impacts the brain and nervous systems of cervids like deer, elk, and moose.
Erickson, noting the absence of recorded cases in humans, emphasized his family’s safety as a priority, particularly due to his wife’s compromised immune system. He expressed reluctance to risk exposing his household to the disease.
Having embarked on hunting at the age of eight and being the first hunter in his family, Erickson, originally from Thunder Bay, Ont., has accumulated extensive hunting experience in the prairies since relocating to Regina in the ’70s. Despite finding it increasingly challenging to handle big game alone as he aged, he remains an avid bird hunter.
Expressing a desire to hunt deer again if not for the CWD risk, Erickson criticized the decision to end the testing program, deeming it politically motivated rather than science-based.
Darrell Crabbe, the executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, highlighted the importance of the testing program for the community’s safety and the assurance of meat consumption standards for hunters.
The province announced that despite discontinuing the testing program, the environment ministry staff will utilize alternative methods to monitor wildlife health and population. The disease has been detected in 63 of Saskatchewan’s 83 wildlife zones.
Notably, samples from mandatory testing zones must be submitted by October 31 for processing, while samples from voluntary submission zones will not be tested. Crabbe acknowledged the logistical challenges of the program and the delays in receiving test results.
Ryan Brook, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan, expressed surprise at the abrupt termination of the program, emphasizing the importance of such data collection for wildlife management and disease prevention.
Erickson raised concerns about potential repercussions of abandoning carcasses and the targeting of younger animals, potentially escalating disease spread. Crabbe emphasized the financial impact of the decision and the need for the government to address transmission issues beyond data collection.
Brook urged the government to take decisive action, including banning baiting, and underscored the importance of a comprehensive approach to tackle chronic wasting disease. The hunting community is urging the government to reinstate the program and establish a wildlife advisory committee for improved coordination in the future.
