Missouri Conservation Director Issues Open Letter on CWD

If you have seen the unexpected firestorm that happened as a result of the state of Missouri making adjustments for chronic waste disease, you should also know that the leader of the Department of Conservation has just shared an open letter addressing the controversy.

This all began when the Missouri Department of Conservation gave initial approval to 4 adjustments to deer regulations in the state. You really should read the official press release for yourself, but the hot buttons were adjustments to chronic waste disease management. They included:

• Removal of CWD Management Zone
• Removal of CWD Portion of Firearms Deer Season
• Removal of the Antler Point Restriction
• Increase Acreage for CWD Management Permits

The comments on social media referred to chronic waste disease as "a political disease". Missouri Department of Conservation Director Jason Sumners just shared an open letter about the controversy. Here's a snippet of what he said:

"Some will say CWD is simply a political disease that has not impacted deer populations, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Scientific studies have continued to demonstrate that CWD is a fatal disease that, if left unchecked, will increase in prevalence resulting in increased mortality on local populations that significantly alter buck age structure and the ability of the population to recover from other natural factors like extreme droughts and other disease outbreaks like EHD. Others recognize that CWD is a serious threat but disagree with the approach we have implemented to address the disease."

I would encourage you to read the full statement he shared. You may or may not agree with it, but I appreciate that the fact that the Missouri Department of Conservation is attempting to be transparent about the how's and why's of their new changes.