Chronic Wasting Disease and Deer Management On Private Land
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a degenerative, fatal disease of deer, elk, and moose first discovered in Colorado in the 1960s. The disease can be transmitted among animals and over the past 6 decades, the disease has spread to more than 25 states and 3 provinces. There is no effective cure for the disease and so limiting its spread is the best management action. Government agencies act where they can to limit the spread of CWD, but landowners and deer managers also may take action to reduce the risk of deer they manage acquiring CWD and to limit the disease’s prevalence if it is already present. There is no documented case of people being infected with CWD but caution is warranted. The final section of this management bulletin describes actions people can take to limit their exposure to CWD.