Outdoor Writer

Grizzly, The cause of death was confirmed as Creutzfeldt-Jakobs Disease (CJD) NOT Chronic Wasting Disease. NO game animals anywhere have ever tested positive for CJD. Nor is there any known case of a human EVER contracting either CJD or CWD from a game animal. Do you have some other factual information that contradicts any of the above??? -TONY

A message for the public about Chronic Wasting Disease and CJD Arizona Game and Fish Department Feb. 3, 2005 Some Arizona Game and Fish Department customers have called us because they have heard rumors that a hunting guide diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakobs Disease (CJD) may have gotten the disease from handling a hunter-killed elk in Game Management Unit 2B. The rumor is that there is a link between CJD and a disease that affects deer and elk called Chronic Wasting Disease. All available science shows that there is no link between these two diseases. CJD occurs randomly in humans. Chronic Wasting Disease is a wildlife disease. Chronic Wasting Disease has not been found in Arizona The Arizona Game and Fish Department initiated a surveillance program for Chronic Wasting Disease in 1998 and has sampled 3,511 deer and elk. No cases have been found in Arizona. There is a difference between CJD and new variant CJD (nvCJD) CJD is a disease that occurs randomly in humans. It has not been linked to any other disease in human beings or in wildlife. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says CJD occurs throughout the world in one out of every one million people. It is different from nvCJD. nvCJD occurs in humans but is not linked to game meat. It has been linked to a disease that occurs in cows called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. There is no evidence of a link between nvCJD and deer or elk. Enjoy the sport of hunting A recent study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviews the best available information on CJD and Chronic Wasting Disease and concludes ?The lack of evidence of a link between Chronic Wasting Disease transmission and unusual cases of CJD, despite several epidemiologic investigations, and the absence of an increase in CJD incidence in Colorado and Wyoming suggest that the risk, if any, of transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease to humans is low.? Learn more about Chronic Wasting Disease on the Web Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cdc.gov Use their search feature to search the site for Chronic Wasting Disease Arizona Game and Fish Department azgfd.gov\cwd Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance cwd-info.org

Got it! Thanks, Tommy. -TONY

Tommy, Can you put me in touch with this hunter? I have a slot in Rocky Mt. Game & Fish for Dec. 2005 and need a NM buck to go along with two AZ bucks I'm doing. BTW, any idea what this buck scored? -TONY

Nice recap of your hunt, Amanda. -TONY

Doug, There's an area in Unit 36B just off the road into Warsaw Canyon that is literally teeming with coatis. My son and I ran across a flock about 50 a couple years ago, and we saw some nearly every day regardless where we hunted in this same vicinity. I'm guessing it's about 4-6 miles in on the road and before where the camp that the national guard had in there several years ago. I do recall that hunted the right side of the road, just before it climbs up sort of steep to several tight turns. There's a nice flat area where we camped on the left just before the hill. -TONY

To clarify, I posed the question to an AZG&FD higher up in the big-game branch about two years ago. Baiting deer in AZ or other game other than bears and migratory birds is LEGAL. -TONY

Griz, Spoke to the printer yesterday. Hard cover version is at the binders as we speak. There was a delay getting the chipboard material needed for the covers from the supplier. It is due to arrive today, however. So it won't be done until Oct. 15th. -TONY

Mr. "Guest, " There was no "scam." It was MY mistake that was simply caused by inserting a phoo entitled FMORALESBW2.TIFF for FMORALESBW1.TIF. Unfortunately it went unnoticed during the editing process. -TONY

Northstar Productions is John McClendon and Mike Whalen. One of my elk photos was on their first video, BUGLIN' BIG BULLS. -TONY

Mark, Here's some info on 36B from HOW TO HUNT COUES DEER. -TONY Unit 36B, located west of Nogales, shares its southern border with Mexico. Although a small portion of the western half of the unit is on the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, most of the unit is within the borders of the Coronado National Forest. The Pajarito, Atascosa, and Tumacacori mountains all harbor good populations of Coues deer. Despite the drought, the deer numbers have remained fairly constant. There?s also a better than average buck-to-doe ratio Main access into the unit is on the Arivaca Road (Amado exit on I-19) and the Ruby Road (Pena Blanca Lake exit on I-19). To get to the Tres Bellotas Ranch, travel south from Arivaca about 3/4 of a mile and then bear right at the fork. Access into Sierra Canyon at the Tres Bellotas is through Mojonera Canyon. The Ruby Road starts out as paved Highway 289 and runs west from Interstate 19, then becomes a winding, narrow dirt road after it passes Pena Blanca Lake. It provides access to many of the oak-studded canyons between the road and the Mexican border. Two of the more popular areas are the hills near Warsaw and Sycamore Canyons. The well-signed road into Warsaw leaves the main road just east of Ruby, a tiny mining settlement. Hunting is good almost anywhere along the road. There are also many little two-track 4x4 roads that branch off the main dirt road. The Sycamore Canyon area is more rugged and there are few roads into it, making it more difficult to hunt. This translates into lots of walking, but the reward can be outstanding. Farther east, about halfway between Sycamore and Pena Blanca Lake, the Summit Motorway road climbs a ridge top for miles and leads to plenty of places for effective glassing. A particularly good area is in the San Luis Mountains just south of the Arivaca-Sasabe Road. There?s a hunter access point in the Buenos Aires Refuge at mile post 7. Duwane?s Advice: This is probably the best unit for big bucks on public land in the state. The late hunt is an excellent one for a trophy.