NEWS RELEASE
Texas Animal Health Commission
Andy Schwartz, DVM • Executive Director
P.O. Box l2966 • Austin, Texas 78711 • (800) 550-8242
http://www.tahc.texas.gov For more information contact the Public Information Dept. at 512-719-0750 or at public_info@tahc.texas.gov
Austin, TX – Hunting season has arrived and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) officials are reminding hunters in South Texas that additional precautions are required when handling white-tailed deer, nilgai antelope, black buck, axis deer, and other exotics located on fever tick quarantined premises.
Portions of Cameron, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Hidalgo, Kinney, Maverick, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties have established fever tick quarantine areas.
“Hunters play a critical role in protecting the state from fever tick expansion,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC Executive Director, “and we are asking for their help this hunting season to ensure this tick is not inadvertently transported to unaffected areas of the state when harvested deer or exotics are moved from quarantined premises.”
Landowners, lessees, or other individuals who plan to harvest, move or capture white-tailed deer, nilgai antelope, or other exotic animals located on an infested, exposed, adjacent, or check quarantined premises must have the animals inspected and treated by a TAHC or USDA-VS representative before moving off the premises.
“The inspection and treatment process is fairly quick and simple,” said Dr. Susan Rollo, State Epidemiologist. “Following inspection, TAHC or USDA personnel will treat all hides, capes, and animals presented with an approved acaricide and will issue a permit for movement of such wildlife products from the premises.”
To learn more about the TAHC and USDA wildlife inspection requirements, visit
https://www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_h...Brochure_FeverTickWildlifeInspection.pdf .
