Fieldnotes on the Edge - Eyes on Joplin

      During my research for this article, I spoke to hunters in my community.   They told me the same thing “Testing for CWD isn’t mandatory during bow season.” And many admitted they wouldn’t test a healthy-looking deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). That mindset reveals a dangerous gap in understanding because CWD doesn’t always show symptoms. Infected deer can appear robust for months or even years while silently shedding prions into the soil and plants.   The Risk of Asymptomatic CWD CWD is a fatal, infectious prion disease affecting deer and other cervids. It’s similar to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), which crossed the species barrier to infect humans. While no confirmed human cases of CWD exist, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains a cautionary stance due to the possibility of long incubation periods and unknown transmission risks. Hunters who consume venison from deer harvested in CWD Management Zones ...

    The answer is more unsettling than most hunters realize. Bowhunting involves close-range shots that pierce muscle tissue, blood vessels, and lymph nodes prime sites for prion contamination if the deer is infected. Arrows retrieved from the carcass are often wiped off and reused, but standard cleaning methods don’t neutralize prions. A study by the National Institutes of Health found that prions bind tightly to steel and plastic surfaces and remain infectious even after routine cleaning. While a five-minute soak in 40% household bleach can deactivate prions on stainless steel, bleach cannot penetrate solid tissue. Infected brain matter remained infectious after a 30-minute soak in undiluted bleach meaning arrows contaminated with tissue fragments may still carry active prions, even after soaking. 📎 Source: NIH Prion Decontamination Guidelines (PDF)     Bleach vs. Prions: What Actually Works Full-strength household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) can red...

  Every September, when the leaves begin to turn and the air shifts toward crisp, my husband and I lace up our boots and head down to the valley. It’s a quiet ritual walking the creek bed beneath the bluffs, watching the oak and silver maples change color, listening for the rustle of squirrels and the hush of water over stone. That hike has always marked the start of fall for us. But this year, we’re staying home. Not because we want to. Because we have no idea if hunters are in the area. Bowhunting Season Begins Without Warning Joplin’s urban bowhunting season opened on September 15 , 7 weeks before the firearms season and long before any public notice was issued. The city ordinance allows bowhunting on private property of one acre or more with landowner permission , but it doesn’t require signage. No warnings. No alerts. No indication that privately owned wooded areas near homes, trails, and creeks may now be active hunting zones. We would rather skip the hike than risk ...

  For years, we’ve heard claims that Joplin is overrun with deer infested, even. But when my neighbor walked the woods around Silvercreek this week, he found only a few does and late-season fawns. No herds. No mature bucks. No signs of damage or overpopulation. He’s not alone. A recent field report documented a dusk drive through Silvercreek and Leewood. The author saw just a handful of deer mostly does and fawns and noted that the only posted deer crossing sign was near the Tractor Supply on Rangeline. And one in Leewood.   Mercy and Freeman hospitals, both near wooded corridors, had no signage at all, despite frequent crossings. So, we’re asking: Hunters in the Joplin area what are you seeing? Have you found deer inside city limits? Are you spotting mature bucks, or just scattered does and fawns? Are the woods quiet, or are we missing something? Because from where we stand, the “infestation” narrative doesn’t match the evidence. And if deer are crossing near hospi...

      There are two types of deer hunters, in my experience: the trophy hunter and the food hunter . The trophy hunter is after the rack the antlers, the head, the bragging rights. They may field dress the deer for prime cuts, but often leave the carcass behind where the harvest occurred. Once the photo is taken and the venison is packed, they’re gone. The rest of the animal is left to decay in the woods, wasted. Then there’s the hunter who harvests with purpose. The one who uses every part of the deer they can meat, hide, bones because that animal is feeding their family through the winter. These hunters don’t take more than they need. They don’t chase status or social clout. They hunt with reverence. In my family, hunting was never about trophies. My father and both my brothers hunted to stock our freezer and support our neighbors. What we didn’t need, we donated to local charities. My dad always said, “If an animal gives its life, the least we can do is make ...

For over 16 years, I’ve published research-informed content under a pen name to protect my privacy and advocacy work. My writing focuses on wildlife health, seasonal patterns, and the real-world impact of urban hunting ordinances. Recently, I was contacted by someone claiming to represent a government office and accused of misrepresenting information related to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). I strongly reject that claim. To verify the legitimacy of the message, I reached out to the agency directly. Their response was clear: they had not contacted me, and the message I received was fraudulent.   Clearly somebody is not happy about my advocacy articles.   A Note on Intent My intent has never been to mislead or misrepresent. These articles were written to inform and educate readers especially those living in areas affected by urban hunting ordinances. I’ve consistently advised readers to do their own research and to contact the Missouri Department of Conservation or loc...

    Understanding Late-Season Thinness in Does and Why Misdiagnosis Matters Thin Doesn’t Always Mean Sick In Missouri’s CWD Management Zones, hunters are trained to watch for signs of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD): emaciation, drooling, stumbling, and abnormal behavior. But what happens when a healthy doe nursing twin fawns shows visible thinness? Too often, she’s misread as diseased and that misdiagnosis can lead to unnecessary panic, poor harvest decisions, or even false reporting. The Reality of Late-Season Nursing Does that give birth late in the season especially to twins face intense metabolic strain. Their bodies prioritize milk production, often at the expense of fat reserves. This can result in: Prominent ribs and hips A drawn face and lean frame Increased grazing on ornamentals and garden plants Alert, responsive behavior despite thinness These are signs of maternal depletion , not a CWD .   Behavior Is the Key Hunters should observe m...

    This article was created to help hunters especially as archery season opens today in Missouri. Last night, I spoke with my neighbor, an experienced deer hunter, who told me he’d heard that when you field dress a deer with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), the carcass will have a bad smell and fatty tumors. That conversation made me realize other hunters may have heard the same thing and may not know that a deer can look perfectly healthy and still be infected with CWD. The Myth: “If it looks healthy, it’s fine.” Many hunters believe that a deer with CWD will look sick, have visible tumors, or smell bad when field dressed. That’s not how CWD works ( CDC – About Chronic Wasting Disease ). The Reality: CWD is a silent, slow killer. Cause: CWD is a prion disease   a misfolded protein that attacks the brain and nervous system ( CDC – About Chronic Wasting Disease ). Incubation: Deer can carry it for a year or more before showing any symptoms ( Miss...

    Shoal Creek in early fall is a quite beautiful, the leaves are starting to change and there is a low chatter of squirrels, and the unmistakable honk of Canada geese staking their claim along the banks. They’re not just passing through. They’re residents. And like any good neighbor, they expect a little courtesy. The Incident My friend, bless him, sincerely believes all wildlife would welcome him with open wings. He approached the geese with the confidence of someone auditioning for a nature documentary. Two geese disagreed. Loudly. What followed was a block-long chase that ended only when he dove into the car like it was a getaway vehicle. I, meanwhile, stood calmly at a respectful distance. The geese never even glanced at me.   Goose Etiquette 101 Canada geese aren’t aggressive by nature they’re protective. Especially during nesting and molting seasons, they defend their space with precision and persistence. Shoal Creek is part of their seasonal rhythm, a...