Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Sara Thompson gave hunters and community members suggestions on how to handle animals with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) at an engagement meeting on Thursday night.

The neurology disease was first detected in 1967 in Wyoming and was found in Midwest deer population in 2002. The first Midwest state with CWD was Wisconsin, with Illinois thereafter.

In May 2015, the first deer with CWD was found in Michigan. Since then over 30,000 deer have been tested, with 57 testing positive; 1,600 tested were in the U.P. All of the positive results to this point have come from lower peninsula animals.

There are still questions on how the disease might affect humans and whether people should eat the meat without testing the deer.

“There’s not definitive evidence either way so we should use common sense and air on the protective side,” said Thompson, hoping not to scare people. “With education, we’re trying to teach them in almost all cases close by here, there’s more deer without the disease than with the disease, so go out and hunt and use common sense.”

The disease has a prolonged incubation period and takes over a year and a half for symptoms to start showing, but it can be detected even if not physically shown.

CWD has brought on a decline in deer populations, shortening hunting season, and can spread through direct contact of animals.

It can also be transported through plants, soil and carcasses so it is recommended to transport carefully. In areas with high populations of CWD, like North East Kent County and South East Montcalm County, there are dumpsters specifically for carcass disposal.

Thompson said its OK to still hunt, but make smart decisions.

She suggested hunters:

• Pay attention to the area where hunting

• Avoid long transport of carcass

• Take deer head (lymph nodes) for testing at free checking stations

• Testing at stations takes over a week for results so it is suggested to separately store meat in a freezer while waiting for results.