Michigan Confirms State’s First Case of Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer

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Published: 26 May 2015

Michigan confirms state’s first case of chronic wasting disease in deer

The Michigan DNR and Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed that a free-ranging deer in Meridian Township (Ingham County) has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and moose.

Ingham County is located southeast of Lansing.

This is the first time the disease has been found in Michigan's free-ranging deer population. In 2008 a white-tailed deer from a privately owned cervid (POC) facility in Kent County tested positive for CWD.

The animal was observed last month wandering around a Meridian Township residence and showing signs of illness. The homeowner contacted the Meridian Township Police Department, who then sent an officer to euthanize the animal. The deer was collected by a DNR wildlife biologist and delivered for initial testing to the DNR Wildlife Disease Laboratory at the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health in Lansing, Michigan. After initial tests were positive, samples were forwarded to the U.S. Department of Agricultureís National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, for final confirmation. The Michigan DNR received that positive confirmation last week.

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Indiana Drops Bluegill Bag Limit Proposal; Passes Walleye, Muskie Size Limit Increase

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Published: 20 May 2015

(Provided by Indiana DNR)

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission on Tuesday authorized certain fee changes for some DNR properties and gave final approval to a package of fish and wildlife rules after dropping three proposals in that rule package.

The NRC is an autonomous board that addresses topics pertaining to the Indiana DNR.

The proposals that were removed from the fish and wildlife package would have expanded the use of high-powered rifles for deer hunting, placed a statewide 25-fish daily bag limit on sunfish (i.e., bluegill, redear, etc.), and allowed landowners to provide oral permission instead of requiring written permission for another individual to take coyotes from the landowner's property.

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