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Home » Deer management » Deer management advice » Chronic wasting disease
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), also known as Cervid Wasting Disease, is a highly infectious, fatal disease which has devastated some populations of wild and farmed deer in North America.
CWD has very recently been diagnosed in four separate cases in Scandinavia, in a wild reindeer and also in moose. The risk of CWD entering the UK is likely to have increased now the disease is present in Europe.
CWD is caused by a prion, a mutant folded protein, and belongs to the same group of diseases as scrapie, which affects sheep and goats, and “mad cow disease” (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or BSE). This group of diseases is known collectively as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies or TSEs.
CWD is the most infectious and although the name suggests a body sickness, the main symptom is actually a degeneration of the brain and central nervous system.
A working group, including BASC, was established to formulate a government and industry response, building on the work of the British Deer Society (BDS) over the last few years.
There are six different deer species in the UK that can be shot but only during their open season.
This course is designed for the sportsman or woman as part of their ongoing commitment to humane and responsible hunting of wild boar.
It is your responsibility to know what you can and can’t shoot, and when, so make sure you bookmark this quarry season page.
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© 2024 British Association for Shooting and Conservation. Registered Office: Marford Mill, Rossett, Wrexham, LL12 0HL – Registered Society No: 28488R. BASC is a trading name of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 311937.
BASC Direct Ltd is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Agria Pet Insurance Ltd who administer the insurance and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Services Register Number 496160. Agria Pet Insurance is registered and incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 04258783. Registered office: First Floor, Blue Leanie, Walton Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 7QW. Agria insurance policies are underwritten by Agria Försäkring.
If you have any questions or complaints about your BASC membership insurance cover, please email us. More information about resolving complaints can be found on the FCA website or on the EU ODR platform.
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