By Zach Widner, Northwest States Senior Manager
On March 5, the Oregon House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass a bill that would require cervid (deer, elk, moose) attractant products derived from cervid urine to come from a herd demonstrated to be free of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). It now awaits committee assignment in the Senate.
The bill, HB 2294, which is sponsored by Oregon Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair and National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Executive Council Member Representative Brad Witt, specifically “Requires that a commercial product that contains or is derived from cervid urine and designed for luring, attracting or enticing cervids be from a herd free of Chronic Wasting Disease.” HB 2294 had previously passed unanimously in the Oregon House Committee on Natural Resources on February 26.
While CWD has not yet been detected in Oregon, it has been detected within cervid populations in 26 other states. Today, many states are taking stringent measures aimed at preventing further spread. CWD is a contagious neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. Once contracted, the disease is always fatal.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
