The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) yesterday announced the identification of a chronic wasting disease (CWD)–positive hunter-harvested deer in Decatur County, its first.
Decatur County, located in the southwestern part of the state, abuts other CWD-positive counties. Because Decatur was already within the state’s CWD management zone, wildlife feeding and carcass transportation restrictions are in place, and deer-hunting season dates and regulations won’t be changed.
But hunters in the county are now eligible for Tennessee’s Earn-a-Buck Program, in which they can harvest antlerless deer by submitting samples for testing.
19 counties now affected
CWD has been found in free-ranging white-tailed deer in 18 Tennessee counties in addition to Decatur: Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lauderdale, Lewis, Madison, McNairy, Shelby, Tipton, and Weakley.
Hunters can access CWD testing through participating taxidermists and meat processors or by using drop-off freezers.
“Hunter's [sic] participation in CWD testing is critical for the continued surveillance and monitoring of CWD throughout the state,” TWRA said, adding that it has already submitted roughly 4,400 samples for testing this hunting season. “Hunters can access CWD testing through participating taxidermists and meat processors or by using drop-off freezers.”
CWD is a fatal disease of cervids such as deer, elk, and moose caused by infectious misfolded proteins called prions.
