CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CHECK-POINTS IN CA

[spectr17]

By JIM MATTHEWS

Outdoor News Service

11/2/06

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CHECK-POINT: The Department of Fish and Game operated a big game checkpoint on Interstate 15 in Yermo two days last week to check hunter's compliance with regulations designed to keep chronic wasting disease from becoming established in California's deer herds. The DFG has made a concerted effort to get the word out on what needs to be done by hunters returning from other states with deer and elk taken in places that might be CWD-positive.

Mike McBride, a DFG warden captain out of the Ontario office, said the agency ran a similar checkpoint last year, issuing warnings to hunters who were not in compliance. And the compliance rate was dismal, with just five percent of hunters following the simple guidelines last season. This year, McBride said the DFG checked 329 hunters returned from other states over the two days and compliance jumped to 74 percent. "This is a terrific success story," said McBride. "And we hope to get the word out even more so we don't issue any citations."

With many out-of-state hunts still ongoing, especially late season hunts in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, McBride said more checkpoints may be run this year.

CWD is a fatal neurological disease that has already been found in 14 states and two Canadian provinces. Under legislation passed in 2002, California's CWD regulation helps protect the states deer and elk herds by outlawing the importation of any deer and elks brain or spinal column. Noncompliance could result in a fine up to $1,000 and a six-month jail term, and the DFG will seize any animal wardens believe could be carrying CWD.

According to the DFG regulations, only the following hunter-harvested deer and elk parts are allowed into California:

-- Boned out meat and commercially processed cuts of meat. -- Portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached . -- Hides with no heads attached. -- Clean skull plates (no meat or tissue attached) with antlers attached . -- Antlers with no meat or tissue attached . -- Finished taxidermy heads. -- Upper canine teeth (elk buglers, whistlers, ivories).

The DFG has flyers on CWD, information on CWD is in the California big game hunting regulations, and the Internet is jugged with CWD data from throughout the country. Ignorance of the law or the consequences bringing CWD into California's deer herds is no longer an excuse.

 

[dirtpoor]

We brought back elk this year ,2 from Wyo and 1 from New Mex , went thru that checkpoint and it was closed all 3 times, my point is that the law is useless without proper regulating and hit and miss checking won't do the job !

 

[shovelerslayer]

Coming back from Nevada on I-80 we zipped right by the closed check station. But DFG says they are very concerned

 

[EL CAZADOR]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Boned out meat and commercially processed cuts of meat[/b]

so am I reading this correctly that it HAS TO BE commercially processed? You can't butcher it yourself (completely boned out) and pack it? I may be heading out the week after next for 4th rifle and I'd rather leave the meat with my father in law than get it commercially processed. They usually do it all themselves.

 

[dirtpoor]

My understanding is bone-out is ok as long as the head doesn't have any brain matter, don't forget your declaration that has to be with the meat, but odds are that you won't get stopped !

 

[Speckmisser]

X, you can definitely butcher it yourself. Commercial processing is just an option.

As described in the reg, no spine or brain matter. If you cut the skull cap, you need to scrape it clean. The only tricky part is if you want a full mount. Then you need to have it done in the state where you're hunting, or have a taxidermist (or, I think, a commercial meat processor) there ship it to a taxidermist in CA.

Just came back across the Nevada line twice over the past weekend on 80 and on 395. The CA checkpoints are all closed (as usual), even with most western elk seasons in full swing. It's a shame DFG doesn't have the resources to enforce laws like this one, but I'd rather see them spending what they DO have on busting poachers in-state.

 

[Litch]

Speck,
I think the reason they are closed on 80 at Truckee is due to construction of a new facility. Last year DFG, US Fish and Wildlife and Truckee Police were out in force on numerous weekends making sure nobody was getting through.

 

[Speckmisser]

Litch, you could be right about that Truckee check station...although they were stopping tractor-trailers on Sunday. As always, the regular lanes had the "Checkpoint Closed Today" signs though. I haven't been stopped at that checkstation since I moved to CA, 11 years ago.

When I came back from CO with my elk last year, though, I found the southern checkpoints out of Vegas all closed too. I was legal, but for all the State of California knows, I could've hauled in a truckload of diseased cervids and dropped them across the state.

 

[DFGELK]

I believe the main point of the check stations is to make people aware, so if they are operated from time to time the word gets out. They would prefer everyone complied with the law, obviously they do not have enough man power to operate them on a regular basis. They can not stop drugs coming into this state with a ton of resources so there is no way to stop every out of state hunter with very limited resources. DFG really wants people to be aware of the danger of CWD getting into California. I heard more about DFG rules and regs about CWD AFTER they ran a few check stations last year. It is a major concern and hopefully people will realize this and not bring in whole animals just because the check stations are not manned 24/7.

Joe

 

[Litch]

Speck,
All that construction just west of the truck scales is the new Ag check station. It will be manned when completed. I have lived in Truckee for 12 yrs and the Ag station was always staffed until budget cuts about 2yrs ago. They only check for Agricultural items, but DFG does man them from time to time during hunting season. I guess a little effort is better than none at all. I think the new facility will allow DFG to check more regularly during hunting seasons.
As far as people understanding the new law, that is up for debate. I heard of 2 hunters from Truckee who bagged 2 Elk in Idaho. They were blown away that the butcher they always went to in California would not cut up an out of state animal that was not de-boned. They had to take it down to Reno to get it processed. Nothing like being prepared for an out of state hunt.

 

[Speckmisser]

Joe, I hope you're right.

All we need for our deer herds is an outbreak of CWD... not like they haven't got enough challenges already.

It would suck for the elk too, but at least it seems like an outbreak there would be a little easier to contain.

Litch, good info, thanks. I pass through there a few times a year, heading up to BigDog's place.

 

[Kentuck]

Coming back from Idaho I saw a couple of CA trucks with deer heads on them. We slowed down enough at Truckee for me to ask the lady working the trucks if we needed to stop. if I hadn't done that we would not have been checked. Typical DFG CA, no bite in the law enforcement.

 

[Litch]

The people at the check stations are Agricultural Inspectors, not DFG. They don't have the manpower to staff it all the time.
Seems like there is a lot of hostility towards DFG who are doing a difficult job with limited resources and funds. Maybe those of us who know about the law can spread the word to fellow hunters who go out of state. Might work better than just complaining about how bad our DFG are.

 

[Speckmisser]

Hey Litch, and especially Joe...

Hope it doesn't come across that I'm complaining about DFG enforcement. I'm definitely not.

If anything, I'm concerned that they're not adequately funded, and that they're hindered by politics rather than science in a lot of management decisions. That is, mostly, beyond their control. All things considered, they face a lot of challenges and seem to be doing the best they can given what they have to work with.

As far as the CWD thing, I agree 100% that the best thing we can do as hunters is self-police and spread the word.

 

[Litch]

Speck,
No I was not trying to say you were complaining, sorry if it came across that way. I guess I was just trying to make a suggestion for us to self-police as you said.
Lately there have been many people on here complaining about DFG as well as California as a whole. Makes me wonder why they even live here, they do have the right to move anywhere in the US they chose if they hate California so much.

 

[84toyota]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Speckmisser @ Nov 9 2006, 07:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

...I'm concerned that they're not adequately funded, and that they're hindered by politics rather than science in a lot of management decisions. That is, mostly, beyond their control.[/b]

If only everyone knew how true this statement is...

ken

 

[scr83jp]

I returned from AZ on I 10 11-06 thru the Blythe check point and gave the Declaration for Entry Importation Law:Sect 2353 F&G Code form to the female vehicle checker who was completely oblivious what I gave her.Got an anterless elk on the San Carlos Apache Rez on 10-31 saw 75 in one bunch,also saw lots of merriam turkeys,deer, a llama,coyotes,jacks and rabbits.It perturbs me that the Cal DFG can blanket an area to check dove hunters but can't muster enough personnel for checking ungulate hunters returning from other states .

 

[rwchunter]

I came in from AZ, told the guy at the station that I had a deer to declare so he starts looking through his papers for the correct form and can’t find one. I hold up the form that I got off the DFG web site (had it filled out) from the passenger side of the truck and he just waved us on with out ever looking at the form or the animal. I was more than a bit put off by how little they cared about what I might be bringing into our state.