Hunters, avoid the waterways

WAITSBURG—Most big game hunting seasons have come to a close. As hunters finish processing their deer and elk, reports of animal carcasses disposed of by hunters in the Touchet River have begun coming in.

Hunters who do not have access to fields or ditches to dump their game carcasses may be tempted to leave the remains in rivers or other waterways, with hopes that the carcass will wash away. Wildlife officers would like to remind hunters that there are many options to dispose of the unusable remains, like bones and hides, but the water is never the answer.

“One of the best ways to dispose of carcasses is to find a dumping site. There are several I know of, at least around Columbia County, that are natural dumping areas,” Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer Copenhaver said last week. “They don’t have any water flow down to the main rivers. They are, essentially, ditches.”

Officer Copenhaver said that burying game carcasses is a great option, but not everyone has the tools to dig a hole sufficient enough to dispose of large animal carcasses. Dumping carcasses in the mountains is another popular option, especially around the Dayton, Waitsburg, and Walla Walla areas. Leaving behind the bones and other unusable parts of an animal offers scavengers and prey animals an easy food source.

Dumping carcasses in rivers or areas with water flow into waterways can become problematic, especially for fish populations.

“There are a lot of diseases that could be transferred from the carcass, into the river and to the fish,” Officer Copenhaver said.

He noted that recently, a dead buck was found in a river near Dayton, and it displayed signs of caseous lymphadenitis (CL). Deer that are infected with CL develop lumpy swellings and abscesses in the lymph node area of the head, neck, and groin. Officer Copenhaver did say that this particular buck looked as though it was hit by a vehicle and suffered fatal injuries- this case was not a dumping situation. Still, it does highlight just how devastating diseases can enter the waterways.

Caseous lymphadenitis develops in animals infected by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and can be found in domestic horses, cattle, goats, and sheep. The bacteria can spread when an animal comes into contact with a ruptured lesion, contaminated soil or feed, and flies. Biologists have not had the chance to confirm the CL infection.

“If that gets transferred into the water and then to the fish, who then get eaten by birds, or what have you,” Officer Copenhaver said. “It just kind of transfers all over the place.”

Right now, CL is not a big concern for Fish and Game in the Columbia and Walla Walla County areas, with Copenhaver saying that he has only seen two cases over the past two years.

On top of potentially spreading diseases, game carcasses also attract scavenger animals, like coyotes and bears, which could pose a threat to pets and livestock. Be aware of the area you dispose of carcasses: Avoid pasture and grazing areas, and do not dump near towns and especially near waterways. Avoid main roads to lessen the chance of an animal becoming a road hazard.

Animal carcasses may be double-bagged in construction-grade garbage bags and set out for trash collection.