MISSOURI, USA — Nearly 20 counties around Missouri experienced their first case of an always-fatal deer disease over the past year, leading to new regulations for hundreds of the state's hunters.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently announced chronic wasting disease (CWD) had been found in 18 new counties. The new counties are now part of the department's CWD Management Zone, which consists of counties that were within 10 miles of where the disease was found. The newest counties include:
- Audrain
- Boone
- Cole
- Dent
- Douglas
- Howard
- Lewis
- Maries
- Monroe
- Newton
- Osage
- Phelps
- Randolph
- Saline
- Scotland
- Shannon
- Shelby
- Webster
Hunters in CWD Management Zones are required to bring in their kills to a designated CWD Management Zone during the first two opening days of the November firearms portion of deer season on Nov. 16 and 17. After those dates, testing is voluntary.
The disease isn't caused by a virus or bacteria, but rather by a naturally occurring protein that damages a deer's nervous system. The name of the disease can be a bit of a misnomer, since deer with CWD aren't zombie-like in appearance, looking emaciated and showing erratic behavior, until the late stages of the disease, according to the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance's website. CWD-infected deer can appear otherwise healthy for around two years before succumbing to the disease.
“Deer are social animals, but that doesn’t mean we can’t slow the spread of CWD by implementing regulations such as the feed and mineral prohibition that prevent the high degree of close contact and accumulation of infectious proteins in the soil at these sites,” said MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle. "Hunters can help reduce the spread of CWD by following the carcass transportation regulations and properly disposing of deer carcasses."
In 2023, less than 1% of hunter-killed deer in Missouri tested positive for CWD. MDC said that is a testament to its ability to find the disease early and slow its spread.
