- BLUE MOUND STATE
PARK, Wisconsin (AP) -- A team of 19 state wildlife officials shot
and killed eight deer in this 1,100 acre state park Tuesday, beginning
an effort to eradicate chronic wasting disease.
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- State officials hope to kill all the estimated 15,000
deer in a 287-square mile area about 25 miles west of Madison to wipe out
the disease that causes deer to wither away and die.
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- Department of Natural Resources (DNR) spokesman Greg
Matthews said the 51/2-hour hunt Tuesday was successful but largely symbolic.
The DNR estimated in February there were about 40 deer in the park, a tiny
fraction of the number the state wants to kill.
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- Wildlife officials hope the hunt encourages local landowners
to participate. State officials expect to begin handing out permits for
landowners to kill deer on their property next week.
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- The state Legislature is expected to take up a bill this
week that would provide up to $4 million to battle the disease and permit
wildlife officials to shoot deer from helicopters.
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- No studies have shown the disease can spread to humans,
but state officials will not allow hunters to keep the meat as a precaution.
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- Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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