I think we’re all aware of the instances of nutcases sending anthrax letters through the Postal Service, but that’s not the only way you can pick up this nasty bacterium. It actually occurs naturally in the soil, and it can survive for decades in the ground. A drought followed by an unusually wet season can bring it back out of dormancy, and that appears to be the case in the Elk Mountain region.
Due to sheer numbers, it’s much more of a threat to livestock than to wildlife, but the Game and Fish has confirmed that one moose has died of the disease, as well as more than 50 cattle.
If you hunt in the Elk Mountain area, there are some things you’ll want to be aware of with this. The Game and Fish urges hunters to refrain from shooting game that appears sick. That’s nothing new, after years of fighting the chronic wasting disease outbreaks, but while chronic wasting disease has still not been proven to cause illness in humans, anthrax is a different story. If you come across a dead animal, leave it alone, and report it to the Game and Fish immediately.
At least with livestock, there are effective vaccines that can prevent illness and curtail the spread of the bacteria. But that’s not really an option with wildlife. The good news is that these outbreaks tend to be small and contained to small geographic areas.
Until the threat passes, though, keep an eye out for sick animals, or dead animals that don’t appear to have any outward signs of injury. Hunters can be a great help to livestock and wildlife officials. The more information we can provide, the better handle they can get on this outbreak.
