By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Concerns of spreading fever ticks have state officials urging hunters in South Texas to be vigilant when handling deer carcasses this hunting season.
As of July 31, there were 2,835 premises totaling about 997,000 acres quarantined due to fever ticks.
Those premises are classified as infested, exposed, adjacent or check premises and include acreage in 10 counties.
Established fever tick quarantine areas include portions of Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Jim Hogg, Kinney, Maverick, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties. If hunting in one of those counties, hunters must have the harvested carcasses inspected for fever ticks.
All live animals capable of hosting fever ticks, as well as capes and hides, must be inspected and treated prior to movement from any quarantine premises.
The general white-tailed deer hunting season opens Nov. 2, and hunters can play an active role in monitoring fever ticks.
“Hunters play a critical role in protecting the state from fever tick expansion,” Dr. Andy Schwartz, Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) state veterinarian, said. “TAHC is asking for hunters’ help this season to ensure this tick is not inadvertently transported to unaffected areas of the state when harvested deer or exotics are moved from quarantine premises.”
Cattle, horses, white-tailed deer, nilgai, red deer and elk can act as a host for the tick.
Although the tick does not directly affect cervids, it does attach to deer and antelope, which can carry the pest miles from a premises.
Fever ticks are capable of carrying and transmitting a protozoa that attacks red bloods cells. Naïve cattle herds—like in Texas and the U.S.—are highly susceptible to the disease, and up to 90 percent of infected cattle can die.
This reinforces the need to know where ticks are located.
“Hunter-harvested white-tailed deer and other exotic hoofstock provide a great opportunity for surveillance for determining whether or not fever ticks are present on a premises,” Tracy Tomascik, Texas Farm Bureau associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities, said.
Fever tick inspection and treatment of hunter-harvested animals is performed by TAHC or U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors.
“The inspection and treatment process is fairly quick and simple,” Schwartz said. “Hunters must notify their TAHC region office or a USDA Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program office after harvesting an animal and before movement, so the hides can be inspected and treated on site.”
To find a list of TAHC region offices, visit www.tahc.texas.gov/agency/contact.
Inspection and treatment can also occur at a congregation point, such as a hunting camp, located on the premises where the animal was harvested.
If an animal is harvested on a non-quarantined premises, hunters are still encouraged to inspect the animal.
“It’s always good practice to inspect your animals for ticks even in ‘free’ non-quarantined areas,” Schwartz said.
If a hunter suspects a fever tick is on the animal, they are advised to contact their local TAHC region office, local veterinarian or Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agent.
“There are many types of ticks in Texas, and most do not require action on part of the TAHC,” Schwartz said. “However, if fever ticks are found on your wildlife, the premises is designated as an ‘infested premises.’ The infested premises is placed under quarantine and subject to movement restrictions, inspections and treatment, as prescribed by the tick regulations.”
More information on fever ticks can be found at www.tahc.texas.gov.