The end of waterfowling???

[icecold]

I just seen on channel 4 news this morning that 36 ducks in canada tested positive for bird flu, You know there is probably alot more they dont know about and all these birds are going to be heading south, will this affect the way people are going to hunt this season or next season.

[Kodiak]

you better be joking brother.

LINK-

http://www.breitbart.com/news/na/051031210450.5y8rg6u2.html

[Gissert]

Looks like they found bird flu strain H5, but not the H5N1 strain that is the strain that is causing all the concern overseas.

Wild birds with H5 flu virus found in Canada

CTV.ca News Staff

Wild waterfowl carrying the H5 strain of avian flu virus have been found in Quebec and Manitoba -- but that's no reason to panic, officials from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Monday.

"Preliminary testing has identified H5 influenza in 28 samples from Quebec, and five from Manitoba," Jim Clark of the CFIA told a news conference.

However, he added: "The chance of it being H5N1 are likely fairly remote."

That strain is behind the avian flu problem growing in Asia, where more than 60 people have died of H5N1 infection picked up from people.

There are believed to be nine different H5 subtypes.

Clark noted that the virus does not appear to be killing the birds.

"The evidence we have observed strongly indicates that these healthy birds were not infected with the same virus that is currently present in Asia," he said.

Health officials in Winnipeg conducting tests on the H5-infected birds won't know whether they have H5N1 until mid-week.

There were three different news conferences on the issue Monday.

When asked why, Clark said: "To make sure there's no misinformation and no panic in the Canadian public."

But another issue was reassuring trade partners, especially the United States, so they won't stop buying Canadian poultry.

"Some countries are very much risk-averse and will take advantage of the situation to sever ties," Clark said.

Viruses endemic

The birds, which are migratory, are believed to be among thousands that have been tested in Canada.

Even if the Canadian birds are carrying the H5N1 virus, it does not mean they are necessarily related to the viruses behind the poultry outbreaks in southeast Asia.

"It is important to clarify that the avian influenza virus is not new to wild birds," Clark said. "Experts worldwide know that this virus, in one form or another, has circulated among wild birds around the world for hundreds, or perhaps even for thousands of years."

Indeed, it's not the first time that avian viruses have been found in North America. For more than a decade, parts of Mexico suffered through an outbreak of the H5N2 avian flu in poultry operations.

And last year in Canada, testing revealed that the avian flu found on a goose and duck farm near Abbotsford, B.C. was not the H5 variety. Instead, the CFIA said that the 37,000 geese on the Fraser Valley Duck and Goose Ltd. farm were exposed to the H6 strain of avian influenza virus.

The outbreak caused no major human health problems, but forced the culling of some 16 million poultry.

So far, the outbreaks in Asia have infected 121 people in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia.

With the strain crawling through Europe as migrating fowl fly westward, there are mounting fears that the virus could mutate into one that can easily spread among humans and thus prompt a global pandemic.

Earlier in the month, Australia lifted a ban on live bird imports from Canada, after officials in Ottawa provided compelling evidence proving the country was free of H5N1.

Australian officials announced the ban after three imported racing pigeons from Canada tested positive for bird flu antibodies. The pigeons, which were later destroyed, tested positive for bird flu antibodies while being held in quarantine in the southern city of Melbourne.

That means the three birds weren't infected with avian flu, but rather that they had fought off a previous infection.

Antibodies help strengthen the immune system and, unlike the viruses they fight, aren't infectious.

[TV BOY]

I've learned through microbiology classes that ducks are a major host of influenza virus.

[outdoor ran]

Well guys, anyone else worried about this. I'm worried about it because I don't know enough about it. I'm not going to quit hunting ducks, I mys well be dead then. Took a drive out to my hunting spot this morning and its empty, not a truck in site. Never seen this before which makes me think some duck hunters have given up because of this. The hard part was telling my young kids they can't touch the ducks anymore. There not happy about it. Who's going to keep hunting and what precautions will you take?

[delta hunter]

I'm willing to bet that the ducks and birds have been carrying this thing for years!! They have probably never been test for it until lately because of what has happen. So I'm not going to worry about it!!

[Ray Esboldt]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but North American waterfowl have been carrying Avian strains forever. Any of the large goose refuges have been subject to large waterfowl dieoffs over the years due to an Avian strain. I don't think it's time to blow the panic horn yet.

And outdoor ran, I hate to tell you this, but, how are you going to go waterfowling, kill a duck, and avoid contact with it?

[outdoor ran]

I'm going to take them home, clean them and eat them. I think you missunderstood what I was saying. I was just curious what other hunters had to say thats all.

[wyldewal]

From what I've heard even the asian strain that has killed 60 people is not that easy to get. Sure it's has killed 60 people out of the 120 that have had it. But that's only 120 cases in a population of 6.5 billion people worldwide. The scientists are worried about it mutating to cross from birds to humans easier. The problem is the government makes it sound like it's everywhere already. This is only going to cause a panic in the general population. The good news is they are working on a vacsine now and it should be ready in 6 to 8 months, this gives us a good chance to have it done before the mutation happens.

As far as duck hunting I'm not going to give it up. I might just take a few different precautions when I handle my ducks.

[Riverratpete]

well lets see...we've had the "Don't eat the deer - CWD" we've had the "Don't get bit by a mosquito..get WNV". is anyone else beginning to see a trend? or am I just being hypercynical? I honestly believe this "Bird Flu" thing is kinda a "Disease Du Jour" this year, I swear if I listened to everything the media/gov/lawyers/risk managers claim I don't think I'd ever get out of bed..too dangerous. Me?...I'm going duck hunting and deer hunting..if it's going to get you, its going to get you, from what I remember from my Premed public health classes days. I can say I'm REALLY tired of the "Sky is falling" crowing. Just my 2 cents..I'll get off my soapbox now, get back to work

[outdoor ran]

Pete, well said!

Wal, I'm duck hunting the next 4 days with no partners. You can hunt?

[Ray Esboldt]

OK, good. Let's not quit duck hunting yet.

Much like the rest of you, I am not willing to unconditionally believe what the media spews when I have not observed anything remotely similar. I am glad us duck hunters are all on that same page.

[Sartell Angler]

the benefits I receive from duckhunting outweigh the repercussions of contracting any disease!

lol

[OUTDOORNUT]

Remember the CWD scare?? I'm not changing a thing, not the way I hunt, clean or eat any game. The way I see it, I have a better chance of health issues from the hormons, chemicals, and injections that mass raised beef, chicken and pork have in them, than I do from Wild Game!

[wyldewal]

outdoorran, saterday and sanday. I have kid duty thrusday and friday. I feel like a weekend warrior.

[Tom Wilson]

I managed to get three (cough) Mallard drakes today. Came home and cleaned them (cough, cough) threw them in a pan and fried em' up. (sniffle) Man were they good (sniffle, cough, sniffle). I love fresh Mallard meat (achoo!) Excuse me, gotta blow my nose. Where was I (cough, cough), Oh yeah, It was a great morning for hunting (sniffle, achoo!). Man I'm not feeling that good, I gotta go.

[Riverratpete]

hahaha

[wyldewal]

Sorry guys I was mistaken on the time frame for the vacsine. I geuss it's more like 12 to 18 months.