13.mar.07
wcco.com (MN)
http://wcco.com/local/local_story_072090333.html
Skime, Minn. -- Federal sharpshooters have, according to this story, killed about 225 whitetails in the last three weeks in an effort to measure and control an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in the area.
Michelle Powell, wildlife health program coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, was cited as saying it will take about three months to find out whether the tissue from any of the deer tested positive for TB.
Conway Marvin, who owns land near Skime, was quoted as saying, "Heaven forbid if it ends up being an epidemic of TB up here. It will impact our economy. Thousands of jobs up here depend on that time of year."
Seven wild deer -- two during the 2005 hunting season and five during last fall's season -- were found to be infected with the disease. Officials believe it came into the state through cattle, and contact between cattle and deer can spread it to the deer population.