Study: Deadly deer disease could be linked to hunter deaths

THE WEEKEND COMING UP IN JUST A FEW TAYLOR. THANK YOU. A DEADLY DISEASE THAT AFFECTS DEER COULD BE CONCERNED FOR HUNTERS AND THOSE WHO ENJOY VENISON. A NEW MEDICAL STUDY SUGGESTS THERE COULD BE CROSS-SPECIES TRANSMISSION. WVTM THIRTEEN'S LISA CRANE IS LIVE AND LOCAL FOR US TONIGHT. LISA, TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS DISEASE. WELL, IT'S CALLED CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE. IT IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS IN THE DEER POPULATION AND ALWAYS DEADLY. AND NOW A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS TWO HUNTER DEATHS IN WYOMING COULD BE THE FIRST SIGNS THAT IT IS EVOLVED AND CAN NOW AFFECT HUMANS WHO EAT TAINTED MEAT. NOW, WE HAVE ONLY SEEN A FEW CASES OF C.W.D. HERE IN ALABAMA, DEER. BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT LOCAL HUNTERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. IF YOU'RE A DEER HUNTER, YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE. IT'S ONLY RECENTLY BEEN FOUND IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF ALABAMA. A NEW STUDY THAT INDICATES EATING C.W.D. TAINTED MEAT COULD CAUSE A DEADLY DISEASE IN HUMANS IS GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT LOCAL DEER HUNTERS DON'T SEEM TO BE WORRIED ABOUT THAT ISSUE. I DON'T BELIEVE CUSTOMERS HAVE ANY CONCERN FOR THE MOST PART, YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HOPE IT'S ISOLATED UP THERE AND, UM, AND CONTROL. BUT HUNTERS HERE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE DEER POPULATION AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF MORE C.W.D CASES ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE STATE IN OTHER STATES, OFFICIALS HAVE QUARANTINED, AFFECTED HERDS AND WIPED THEM OUT TO TRY TO CONTROL THE SPREAD. WE DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY THING LIKE THAT BECAUSE I BELIEVE ONCE THAT STARTS HAPPENING, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE HUNTER NUMBERS PROBABLY DROPPED AND AND IT MIGHT MAKE PEOPLE JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, PASS UP DEER HUNTING FOR A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL IT'S CORRECTED. UM, WE DON'T WANT THAT. IN 2021, MORE THAN HALF A MILLION ALABAMIANS WERE ISSUED HUNTING LICENSES. PHILLIPS SAYS THE SPORT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STATE'S ECONOMY, AND ANYTHING THAT IMPACTS THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE STATE. WE NEVER WANT TO THINK ABOUT A FALL WITHOUT DEER SEASON, UH, THAT MIGHT RIVAL, UH, NO COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN THE FALL, AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY. WE. RIGHT NOW, THE RESEARCHERS WHO DID THIS STUDY CITED TWO DEATHS THAT HAPPENED IN 2022 THAT WERE ATTRIBUTED TO CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE. THEY ADMIT MORE RESEARCH, THOUGH, IS NEEDED TO ESTABLISH A DEFINITIVE LIN

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Study: Deadly deer disease could be linked to hunter deaths

A deadly disease that affects deer could be a concern for hunters and those who enjoy venison. A new medical study suggests "potential cross-species prion transmission."Chronic wasting disease is highly contagious in the deer population and is always deadly. Now a new study suggests two hunter deaths in Wyoming could be the first signs that it's evolved and can now affect humans who eat tainted meat.We've only seen a few cases of CWD in Alabama deer, but it's something that concerns many local deer hunters. It's only recently been found in the northwest corner of the state. >> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Deer chronic wasting disease found in Alabama A new study that indicates eating CWD-tainted meat could cause a deadly disease in humans is getting a lot of attention, but local deer hunters don't seem to be worried about that issue.Joe Phillips is an avid deer hunter and works at Marks Outdoor Sports in Hoover."I don't believe customers have any concern for the most part," Phillips said. "And, you know, you just hope it's isolated up there and in control."But hunters in Alabama are worried about the deer population and what could happen if more CWD cases are identified in the state. In other states, officials have quarantined affected herds and wiped them out to try and control the spread."We don't want to see anything like that because I believe once that starts happening, then you're going to have hunter numbers probably drop," Phillips said. "And it might make people just want to, you know, pass up deer hunting for a little while until it's corrected. We don't want that."In 2021, more than half a million Alabamians were issued hunting licenses. Phillips said the sport is an important part of the state's economy and anything that impacts that is not good for the state."I wouldn't ever want to think about a fall without deer season that might rival no college football in the fall, and that would probably not be good for the economy," Phillips said.>> WVTM 13 ON-THE-GO: Download our app for freeThe researchers who did that study cited two deaths that were attributed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. They admit more research is needed to establish a definitive link to CWD.To read the full study, click here.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

A deadly disease that affects deer could be a concern for hunters and those who enjoy venison. A new medical study suggests "potential cross-species prion transmission."

Chronic wasting disease is highly contagious in the deer population and is always deadly. Now a new study suggests two hunter deaths in Wyoming could be the first signs that it's evolved and can now affect humans who eat tainted meat.

We've only seen a few cases of CWD in Alabama deer, but it's something that concerns many local deer hunters. It's only recently been found in the northwest corner of the state.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Deer chronic wasting disease found in Alabama

A new study that indicates eating CWD-tainted meat could cause a deadly disease in humans is getting a lot of attention, but local deer hunters don't seem to be worried about that issue.

Joe Phillips is an avid deer hunter and works at Marks Outdoor Sports in Hoover.

"I don't believe customers have any concern for the most part," Phillips said. "And, you know, you just hope it's isolated up there and in control."

But hunters in Alabama are worried about the deer population and what could happen if more CWD cases are identified in the state. In other states, officials have quarantined affected herds and wiped them out to try and control the spread.

"We don't want to see anything like that because I believe once that starts happening, then you're going to have hunter numbers probably drop," Phillips said. "And it might make people just want to, you know, pass up deer hunting for a little while until it's corrected. We don't want that."

In 2021, more than half a million Alabamians were issued hunting licenses. Phillips said the sport is an important part of the state's economy and anything that impacts that is not good for the state.

"I wouldn't ever want to think about a fall without deer season that might rival no college football in the fall, and that would probably not be good for the economy," Phillips said.

>> WVTM 13 ON-THE-GO: Download our app for free

The researchers who did that study cited two deaths that were attributed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. They admit more research is needed to establish a definitive link to CWD.

To read the full study, click here.