Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks identified Wednesday two new cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer harvested in south-central Montana.
The agency said in a news release that a mule deer buck harvested north of Columbus, in hunting district 515, and a white-tailed deer west of Nye, in hunting district 525, tested positive for the disease. These were the first cases of CWD discovered in each district.
CWD is a contagious neurological disease that can infect deer, elk and moose. It is always fatal, and there is no known cure. The disease was first in Montana in 2017, and several cases have been recorded in other hunting districts in south-central Montana.
Nearly 9,000 CWD samples have been collected from deer, elk and moose across the state in 2024. Of those tested, 321 have tested positive for CWD.
There is no known transmission of CWD to humans. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hunters harvesting deer, elk or moose from an area where CWD is known to exist have their animal tested prior to consuming the meat and do not consume the meat if the animal tests positive.
Hunters can still get their harvested animals tested for CWD throughout the Muzzleloader Heritage season and the elk shoulder season. FWP has online resources for hunters to collect and submit samples themselves [links-2.govdelivery.com]. Hunters can also have FWP staff test their animals at the Region 5 office in Billings (2300 Lake Elmo Dr.), Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call ahead at 406-247-2940 to ensure someone is available to collect your sample. Testing for CWD is free of charge and voluntary in most places in Montana.
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