The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is warning hunters who harvest deer, caribou, elk or moose outside the state to avoid practices that could potentially spread so-called Chronic Wasting Disease -- or CWD -- into Maine.
CWD is caused by an infectious protein called a prion that causes irreversible damage to brain tissue, and eventually death. The disease has been found in animals in other states, but so far, has not been found in Maine.
The warning comes after nine hunters transported 18 caribou into Maine that had been harvested in Canada. State officials say the hunters did not comply with state law regarding proper preparation of the carcasses. The Maine Warden Service is investigating the incident.
It's against state law to transport any carcass parts into Maine that pose a risk of containing CWD prions. Hunters are allowed to bring in only boned-out meat, hardened antlers, hides without the head portion and finished taxidermy mounts. Skull caps attached to antlers must be cleaned of any tissue.
If it emerges in Maine, CWD could seriously reduce deer populations, state wildlife officials say. So far, no human cases of the disease have been reported, but the risk of people contracting CWD from animals is unknown. State wildlife authorities are advising those hunting in areas known to harbor the disease to minimize their risk of exposure by taking the following precautions when handling carcasses:
* Do not eat the eyes, brain, spinal cord, spleen, tonsils, or lymph nodes of any deer.
* Do not eat any part of a deer that appeared sick.
* If your out-of-state deer is sampled for CWD testing, wait for the test results before eating the meat.
Field dressing:
* Wear rubber or latex gloves while handling the carcass.
* Minimize contact with the brain, spinal cord, spleen, and lymph nodes (lumps of tissue next to organs or in fat and membranes) as you work.
* Use a hunting knife, not knives used at the dinner table.
* Remove all internal organs for proper disposal by burial, or other means that prevents contact by live deer.
* Clean knives and equipment of residue and disinfect in a 50/50 solution of household chlorine bleach and water for 1 hour.
Authorities also recommend that hunters use caution in spreading urine-based lures in the environment, and avoid placing the lures on their clothing or skin.
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