CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) was first discovered in the 1960’s. It was later detected in Canada in the 1990s. This fatal disease has affected most native cervid species in Canada, however, the most prevalence is seen in Mule Deer and White-Tailed Deer. 

Currently, CWD cases have been detected in Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and most recently in British Columbia. Infection between cervids is spread by direct contact and also through contaminated soil and vegetation. Prions can remain infectious for years in the environment. With no cure or treatment available, this disease is currently propagating throughout our nation. 

CWD is a progressive disease which in many cases takes years to manifest into symptomatic stages. Ultimately the life expectancy of infected cervids decreases significantly but is long enough to pass on the disease to many of the surrounding population. The nature and hardiness of CWD make it incredibly hard to detect and manage. 

Similarly to cancer, an effective approach to decrease disease propagation is to act early. Proactively establishing a containment zone where CWD infection is known and further anticipated is critical. Once established, strategic targeting of the most likely infected cervid population should take place to reduce the means of transmission. If done early it can drastically reduce the chance of a much larger and long-lasting complication on the landscape. 

Sharpstone employs a team of sharpshooters and is capable of planning comprehensive cull hunts. A cull with the magnitude to manage CWD requires much more than a small team. Community partnership and public approval is a necessity. This effort can have a multitude of moving parts. Our veteran outreach program places those who served our nation in a position to serve as ecological guardians. Drawing from the veteran and local communities we can increase the capacity of such a service and more importantly place vetted and engaged participants on the landscape.