Chronic wasting disease found in 4 deer in Perry County

Missouri Department of Conservation reported Monday, April 10, that out of more than 33,000 whitetail deer and other members of the deer family tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD) between July 2022 and April, 117 tested positive, including four in Perry County.

The number of CWD cases found in the state since 2012 — the first year CWD was confirmed in the Show Me State — now stands at 408.

CWD is a 100% fatal disease in wild deer.

Other Missouri counties with confirmed CWD cases are: Adair (3), Barry (1), Barton (9), Carroll (1), Cedar (1), Crawford (2), Dallas (1), Franklin (22), Gasconade (1), Hickory (1), Jefferson (7), Linn (15), Livingston (1), Macon (13), Putnam (3), Ray (1), St. Clair (1), St. Francois (1), Ste. Genevieve (20), Stone (4), Sullivan (3) and Taney (2).

MDC said less than 1% of tissue samples from hunter-harvested deer tested positive for CWD.

"That is good news," MDC Wildlife Health Program supervisor Deb Hudman said. "It is a testament to our ability to find the disease early in new areas and apply management actions to slow its spread."

Hudman also said if MDC does not continue to act aggressively to slow the spread of the disease, CWD could have significant effects on the deer population, hunting culture and the economy.