The Wyoming Game and Fish Department confirmed a buck mule deer has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Deer Hunt Area 50 in the Bighorn Mountains. The deer was harvested by a hunter in mid-October. CWD has been previously documented in deer in three adjacent hunt areas ﹘ areas 47, 51 and 52.
To ensure that hunters are informed, Game and Fish announces when CWD is found in a new hunt area. The Centers for Disease Control recommends hunters do not consume any animal that is obviously ill or tests positive for CWD.
A map of CWD endemic areas is available on the Game and Fish website. The disease is fatal to deer, elk and moose.
The Game and Fish is concerned about CWD and how it may affect the future of Wyoming’s wildlife. The department is currently working to update the department’s CWD management plan through a public collaborative process.
In 2018, Game and Fish personnel tested 5,280 CWD samples during the hunting seasons, a significant increase from past years and continues to evaluate new recommendations for trying to manage the disease. Over 2,000 samples have been tested so far this hunting season.
Please visit the Game and Fish website for more information on chronic wasting disease transmission and regulations on transportation and disposal of carcasses.
