More deer test positive for disease

Two more white-tailed deer have tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission confirmed Monday, including one found more than 40 miles outside the AGFC's original sampling area.

The two positive samples came from a batch of 131 deer sent to the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Madison, Wis. One was a 2½-year-old buck found in Pope County, near London, 44.4 miles south of the AGFC's focal area. The other, a 2½-year-old doe, was near Kingston in Madison County, 2.9 miles west of the CWD focal area.

Both deer were road kills reported by the public.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal condition that affects cervids, including white-tailed deer, elk, mule deer and moose.

The AGFC has now received positive test results confirming 84 animals -- 81 white-tailed deer and three elk -- with the disease. A total of 674 animals -- 645 deer and 29 elk -- have been sampled since the disease was first confirmed Feb. 23.

The state's first CWD case was found in a 2½-year-old female elk killed by a hunter near Pruitt on Oct. 6. The AGFC's first CWD sampling revealed a 23-percent prevalence rate in Newton and Boone counties as 62 of 266 randomly-selected deer were found to have the disease.

To determine the prevalence of the disease among deer in the area, the AGFC took samples March 14-24 within a 125,000-acre area, which ranged from 5 miles west of Ponca to 5 miles east of Pruitt, and 10 miles across.

Phase 2 of the sampling effort has focused on learning the distribution of the disease and includes the statewide collection of sick or dead deer and elk. The second phase of the sampling will continue through May 20.

Deer or elk infected with CWD tend to stay away from herds, may lose their fear of humans, walk in patterns, carry their head low, salivate excessively and grind their teeth. As the disease progresses, the animal will lose weight, develop an insatiable thirst and lose bodily functions.

Anyone who sees a sick, dead or road-killed or elk should contact the AGFC at 800-482-9262.

Sports on 04/27/2016

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