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Hollywood Park DEAR Committee hears TPWD CWD update; approves incident reports and sets spring census
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Summary
At a DEAR Committee meeting, Texas Parks and Wildlife updated the group on chronic wasting disease testing and forthcoming rule changes; the committee approved wildlife incident reports, set a May 15 spring deer census and confirmed reporting protocol for injured deer.
Hollywood Park’s DEAR Committee heard an update from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on chronic wasting disease surveillance and rule changes, approved 13 wildlife incident reports and set a spring deer census for May 15.
Joseph Ploppard, an urban biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife in San Antonio, told the committee that, since August, the agency has run 149 CWD tests in Bexar County, including 10 tests within the Hollywood Park containment zone and three within the surveillance zone — 13 tests in those focused areas — and reported “no new positives.” Ploppard said statewide rule changes discussed by the Parks and Wildlife Commission will take effect in March and will remove the containment and surveillance zone approach in favor of a new, statewide framework.
The changes will not alter the trap-transport-process (TTP) permit condition that requires testing of up to 15 deer captured through the program, Ploppard said: “There’s still that 15, TTP requirement. That’s part of the permit, has nothing to do with zone, but anything after those 15 deer from the TTP will be voluntary.” He added that TPWD will continue seasonal field coverage in Bexar County and will continue to accept voluntarily collected samples and ship them for testing free of charge.
Ploppard described an experimental environmental-monitoring tool under consideration for pilot tests, produced by a company called Priogen: a metal box with a mineral block that attracts deer to lick it so technicians can swab the surface quarterly and test for prions in the environment. “We would love if Hollywood Park is interested in it…if you guys wanna participate and be one of the pilots of this program,” Ploppard said, adding that the pilot would have no cost to the town beyond allowing access to the boxes.
Committee members discussed training to increase local sampling capacity. The committee reported 13 wildlife incident reports in the packet and approved them by motion. Kathy Nance and others had coordinated with TPWD staff to arrange a certification class to teach CWD sample collection; the trainer has tentatively reserved February 20 at the Voigt Center for a half-day morning session. The class is free, requires a minimum of six to eight attendees, and will provide a sampling kit, committee members said.
Sgt. Clint Bass, introduced to the committee as the new deer manager and a sergeant on the police force, said he is not yet TPWD-certified to collect CWD samples but will attend training and is willing to accept calls and assist with sampling. Bass told the group he has been present when TPWD biologists collected samples in recent weeks and “if I get certified, I’d be happy to do it.” Committee members agreed to publicize the reporting protocol: residents should call Bexar County dispatch at 210-335-6000 for injured or downed deer; committee members said the city will place the dispatch number on the municipal website, marquee, Facebook and in local communications.
On committee business, Tonya (spelled Tonya/Tonya Cummings in roll call) moved and Debbie Truman seconded approval of the minutes; the minutes were approved. Debbie Truman moved and Tony Cortez seconded approval of the DEAR Committee financials as of Dec. 31, 2024; the financial report was approved. Truman moved and Cortez seconded approval of the wildlife incident reports; that motion passed. The committee set the spring deer census for Thursday, May 15 (motion by Debbie Truman; second by Tonya Cummings) and scheduled its next meeting for Monday, April 14, at 5:30 p.m. (motion by Debbie Truman; second by Stephanie Lihan).
Committee members also discussed predator-control observations and signage inventory for the spring (fawn caution and other signs). Members agreed public works will post and remove seasonal signs on an agreed schedule and will inventory stored signs before the next meeting.
The meeting concluded with committee direction to publish the dispatch number and the reporting procedure for injured deer and to follow up at the April meeting with any updates on TPWD training, sample-collection certification, predator control and signage inventory.
