The Wyoming Game and Fish Department confirmed a buck mule deer has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Deer Hunt Area 5. The deer was harvested south of Sundance. CWD has previously been documented in neighboring deer hunt areas and an overlapping elk hunt area. 

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is concerned about CWD and how it may affect the future of Wyoming’s deer. The disease is fatal to deer, elk, and moose. Recent research in Wyoming shows that it poses a threat to deer populations in areas with a high prevalence of the disease. To ensure that hunters are informed, Game and Fish announces when CWD is found in a new hunt area.

A map of CWD endemic areas is available on the Game and Fish website.

Last year, Game and Fish personnel tested 3,882 CWD samples throughout the state, a significant increase from past years, and continue to consider new recommendations for trying to manage the disease. Although chronic wasting disease has not been shown to be transmissible to humans, Game and Fish follows the human health recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control, which states that hunters should not consume any animal that is obviously ill or tests positive for CWD.

Please visit the Game and Fish website for more information on chronic wasting disease transmission and regulations on transportation and disposal of carcasses.