Moosehead Region Hunting Report: October 31, 2007
Biologist’s do all kinds of unusual jobs; I remember when Dave Knupp walked the Realty Road (a major haul road for loggers up north) with a stick of bamboo and a mirror attached to the end. When asked by a trucker just what he was doing, he had a ready explanation, “Looking in robin’s nests.” He, or whoever he worked for, was trying to determine whether the gunk being sprayed to control spruce budworm had a detrimental effect on other life forms.
This year I find myself once again asking hunters whether they’d like to part with their deer head. We find mostly just the locals are willing. This creates a problem, because it makes it difficult for us to get enough from the area north of Greenville.
We will extract parts from the heads for testing for CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease); specifically the opex & retropharygeal lymph nodes. These will eventually be examined in a commercial lab. Results will be available next spring.
If CWD can be detected early in ME, it might be possible to prevent its spread.
None has been found yet in several years of looking. If you hunt in the area around Moosehead, and would like to contribute, you can call 695-3756 ext 32 for pick up arrangements.