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TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — Wildlife officials are raising awareness of a zombie-like deer disease ahead of the upcoming 2024-2025 Kansas deer hunting season, along with a few other need-to-knows.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Wildlife Disease Program Coordinator Shane Hesting and Big Game Program Coordinator Levi Jaster say hunters need to be aware heading into the season, especially about where chronic wasting disease, also known as zombie deer disease.

Debunking a CWD myth

Although CWD is widespread in parts of Kansas, Hesting says hunters need not be concerned about it spreading to humans. There is currently no evidence of people contracting CWD through deer. In fact, a study by the National Institutes of Health shows that the disease is unlikely to spread to humans.

“The risk is not zero, though,” says Hesting. “Wildlife and Parks does not recommend eating sick deer.”

Cooking the deer meat alone will not sterilize it. CWD is a Prion disease that requires an internal temperature of at least 1,832°F to destroy it.

Where is CWD in Kansas?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the disease has been found in 49 Kansas counties. Most reported cases have been in the western half of the state.

Below is the most recently published map from the CDC, dated July 2024. Counties marked red are areas where positive cases of CWD have been found.

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The disease is difficult to eliminate. It can remain in soil and water for years, making it difficult to remove.

Hesting said KDWP staff conducted surveillance of the disease in the southwest zone of Kansas last year but are moving their attention to the northwest zone for 2024. This is the heaviest-hit part of the state for the disease, with nearly half of all surveyed deer found to be carrying it.

CWD testing and management

Hesting encourages hunters to take advantage of free CWD testing this year. His department’s budget allows for about 1,200 free deer tests throughout the state, except for the northwest zone, where 300 tests are already marked down for use. Hunters can find information on testing in the KDWP hunting summary or on the KDWP’s website.

“On the bright side, we still have a healthy deer herd for the most part,” says Hesting. “That’s what the prevalence is in two-and-a-half-year-old and older bucks. The northwest zone is about a flip of a coin now. But we have a lot of healthy deer out there. We have a lot of healthy, nice big bucks to hunt.”Ribbon cut for WPD Patrol East substation

Hesting says hunters should not shy away from taking down yearling bucks or does to help control the spread of the disease. Yearling bucks can take the disease with them to new parts of the state, while doe groups carrying the disease help keep CWD situated in a specific area.

Hunters should also watch out for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), which the department is currently monitoring. The disease is transported by biting midges and can cause dehydration, fever and death. Hesting says there has been an uptick in the disease in Kansas.

“I think the wet weather is keeping it at bay this year,” says Hesting. “Keep an eye out for sick deer and report them to wildlife and parks.”

Deer season outlook

Jaster says deer season will be fairly typical for the state’s hunters. In general, conditions regarding regulations and herd sizes haven’t changed much from last year, with deer numbers being lower in the west and higher in the east.

“Anywhere in Kansas holds a chance for a mature quality deer,” says Jaster. “Our numbers are highest in the southeast and northeast.’

Jaster says there are fewer deer in the western portion of the state this year. He says the best chance for spotting them this season is in eastern Kansas.

Hunters are also reminded to follow the new hunting regulations on trail cameras, which were banned on KDWP lands last year following the public outcry. Last year, frequent thefts and misuse were cited as leading factors behind the ban.

“They were causing a lot of disturbance,” says Jaster. “A lot of people were using those not to monitor game anymore and were monitoring other hunters.”Pet Project: Venus still looking for a fur-ever home

Hesting said KDWP commissioners will also discuss a carcass movement regulation during the Aug. 29 meeting in Hays. This will include discussing strategies being used by other states to help reduce the spread of diseases like CWD to other parts of Kansas.

Click here for information on deer hunting in Kansas, including season dates and purchasing permits and tags.

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White-tailed deer in north Idaho’s Boundary County tests positive for chronic wasting disease

Posted on August 17, 2024 by Exposing the Big Game

idfg-rphillips

Wednesday, August 14, 2024 – 1:04 PM MDT

This is the first CWD detection in north Idaho

Idaho Fish and Game recently received test results confirming a positive case of chronic wasting disease in an adult female white-tailed deer roughly 3 miles outside of Bonners Ferry in hunting Unit 1. The deer was reported to Fish and Game by a landowner who found the dead deer in early July.

The positive test result marks the first known case of CWD in north Idaho.

Fish and Game is currently developing a plan for disease sampling to determine the prevalence and distribution of CWD in the area. The timing of the detection will allow hunters to take an active role in providing samples for the effort.

The goal of Fish and Game’s CWD Strategy is to detect and minimize the spread of the disease to maintain healthy big game herds into the future, which cannot be accomplished without help from hunters.

“While we are disappointed by the detection of CWD in north Idaho, the department is well-prepared to respond to the situation thanks to having a comprehensive Chronic Wasting Disease Strategy, a history of sampling for CWD in deer throughout the area, and experience dealing with affected populations in other parts of the state,” said Panhandle Regional Supervisor Carson Watkins. “Going forward we’ll be working closely with the Boundary County community to chart a course for long-term management of CWD on the landscape.”

Fish and Game would like to sample as many deer, elk and moose as possible in Unit 1 and adjacent units to evaluate the extent of the disease in the area.

Currently, Fish and Game is asking all hunters participating in deer, elk or moose hunts in the Panhandle to have their harvested animal tested for the disease. Hunters can take heads of harvested deer, elk and moose to any regional Fish and Game office to have samples collected or get directions on the Fish and Game CWD webpage (idfg.idaho.gov/cwd) on how to collect and submit samples themselves.

Fish and Game will also have numerous drop-off sites located around the Panhandle Region where hunters can deposit heads or samples from harvested animals to be tested. Those locations can also be viewed on Fish and Game’s CWD web page.

Fish and Game is also asking people to report any roadkill deer, elk and moose in the Highway 95 corridor from the vicinity of Bonners Ferry to the Canada border, as well as along Highway 2 from Bonners Ferry to the Montana state line. If people observe deer, elk or moose that appear to be sick in Boundary County, they are encouraged to report the observation to Fish and Game by calling the Panhandle Region office at (208) 769-1414.

Chronic wasting disease is a contagious, fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. There is no cure for CWD, no approved live test for wild animals, and no vaccine. It is found in 35 states and four Canadian provinces, including all neighboring states east of Idaho and Washington to the west.

The disease affects the brain of infected animals and symptoms include excessive salivation, drooping head/ears, tremors, extremely low body weight, and unusual behavior, such as showing no fear of humans and lack of coordination.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, there have been no reported cases of CWD infecting people; however, CDC recommends that people do not eat meat from an animal that tests positive for CWD.